Monopod Help

[steavyd]

Having hand held my MK111 with 300 for 3 hours on Saturday my wrist feels like it's broken!!

I had a serious hand injury a few years ago and it is now catching up with me!

Time for a mono I think, but which one?

I have no experience with them so looking for help, what would you people recomend for the above combo?

 

[erding]

Which 300 are you using and what type of photography do you do e.g. level like motorsport or aerial like airshows?

 

[steavyd]

2.8 and I do Motorsport, Speedway to be precise.

 

[erding]

Using the same body and lens I have used the Gitzo 2541 and the Velbon Pro Pod 7. Both are carbon fibre - primarily for weight.

The 2541 has the advantage of being a bit lighter and more compact when closed than the Velbon but is also about 10cm shorter - which is no issue for shooting 'on the level'

The Velbon very slightly heavier and longer when closed but its extra height is an advantage if I ever had to do aerial shots. Much cheaper than the Gitzo as well. Currently selling this one at http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=92690.

In neither case, for level shooting is it necessary to use an additional head - just use a QR plate on the monopod head or screw straight into the tripod ring on the lens.

 

[Ian_H]

I use a MKIII and a 300 f2.8 and a 600 f4 almost exclusively for motorsport, I use the Velbon Pro pod 8 which is CF and I have just acquired a Manfrotto 681b and to be honest there is very little difference between the 2 weight wise. I never use a head just a Wimberley QR release clamp and Wimberley plates, I was using the Manfrotto 323 clamp and the 200 PL14 plates but find the Wimberley set up much more stable.


Cheers
Ian

 

[malla1962]

my mk3 and 500f4 works well on my Gitzo 2541.

 

[Oakey22]

Red Snapper, Red Snapper, Red Snapper. I have just bought one for my mkIII and 120-300mm combo, that weights about 4.8kg and the monopod does not budge an inch, also the ball head on it is superb.

 

[steavyd]

Thanks for the advice, went for the Gitzo 2541.
What are the advantages of the ball heads?

 

[erding]

Thanks for the advice, went for the Gitzo 2541.
What are the advantages of the ball heads?

In principle they give you a flexible joint between the lens and monopod thus enabling you to angle the lens up or down whilst keeping the monopod vertical thus having more stability - hence the initial question about aerial shots.

A dedicated monopod device to achieve that is:

http://reallyrightstuff.com/rrs/Itemdesc.asp?ic=MH-01-Pro&eq=&Tp=

 

[steavyd]

In principle they give you a flexible joint between the lens and monopod thus enabling you to angle the lens up or down whilst keeping the monopod vertical thus having more stability - hence the initial question about aerial shots.

A dedicated monopod device to achieve that is:

http://reallyrightstuff.com/rrs/Itemdesc.asp?ic=MH-01-Pro&eq=&Tp=

Ah thanks, a helpful piece of kit but not a must for Motorsports, may get one in the future.

 

[malla1962]

Thanks for the advice, went for the Gitzo 2541.
What are the advantages of the ball heads?

Im not keen on heads on pods never had the need for one, tried but didn't like it so I just have a QR clamp.