A little OT, but, Any monopod suggestions?

rover · 11-04-2004

OT as I will use it mostly with my Hasselblad, or Yashica Mat, and probably never with a rangefinder, but, does anyone have any recommendations for a monopod? I got fed up with my Adorama Podmatic and banished it on ebay this week. I am considering the Bogen 679b and will use the compact ball head I already have. The big issue for me is the easy to use flip lever locks to advance the pod. The Podmatic has a rediculous system, I can't even describe it. The 679 looks sturdy and is only @$35. Thanks

Honu-Hugger · 11-04-2004

I'm not familiar with the Bogen model, but their stuff is generally good. My first monopod was a Vivitar because my thoughts at the time were "why waste money on a stick?" It was garbage -- the extension stops broke so I bought a Gitzo that I've used reliably for years now with no hint of failure. To keep the system compact I use a small Linhof leveling head in place of either a ball head or pan/tilt. An added feature to the leveling head is that it has 1/4-20 holes along the side which has allowed me to use the monopod as a boom (eg. down in the Everglades I stuck a IIa on that rig fully extended and used the self timer to get a little closer to an alligator than I would have otherwise).

D2

back alley · 11-04-2004

i can't find any markings on mine but i'm sure it's a manfrotto monopod, one of the smaller, lighter ones.
ralph, a very good italian product. i believe the bogens are rebadged manfrottos.

gitzo products are excellent. i had a small 'reporter' tripod and it was great quality.

i traded the tripod as i never used it. in fact i never use the monopod either.

here's a quick pic.

GeneW · 11-04-2004

I too have a Manfrotto monopod (Bogen in the US) and it's well-made and sturdy. Fairly fast to adjust.

But I seldom use it. Not because I'm against monopods, but because I've never got the hang of them. I can't seem to hold them still -- I see more camera movement than when I hand hold. It's me I'm sure. I've read about various monopod techniques and tried them all but somehow it's just not clicking with me. I think I'm hopelessly monopod challenged

What I do find good though, short of a tripod, is my Leica tabletop tripod with a manfrotto ball head on it used as a chest pod. I get much more steadiness out of that than I've been able to achieve with a monopod and it's smaller to carry around. With eye-level viewfinders, I can hold this combo *really* steady by simply pressing the pod into my chest and slightly over my shoulder.

Gene

Doug · 11-04-2004

Ours also is a Manfrotto (Bogen), a model 3006 with our preferred lever-locks on the leg. It's sturdy, and yet very light to carry around. It has a foam grip near the top that makes it a good walking stick as well. Here's a shot of my wife using it in that way...

Roman · 11-05-2004

I use a Manfrotto 479 with my Mamiya 645 all the time, and it is a very convenient monopod that can be opened and adjusted really fast...

Roman · 11-05-2004

I use a Manfrotto 479 with my Mamiya 645 all the time, and it is a very convenient monopod that can be opened and adjusted really fast...

hoppinghippos · 11-05-2004

I have a manfrotto that's quite difficult to use, its heavy as hell and uses twisting locks to lock the parts down which is very time consuming. but one thing I like about it is if I go out travelling with it I feel safe as hell cuz muggers would have a 1.5-plus metre long heavy tube to contend with!

I've a suggestion tho, you could just get a lightweight tripod like SLIK and use it as a monopod by extending the legs but not opening them up. gives you flexibility in situations where you may want a tripod too.

StuartR · 11-05-2004

I have a great gitzo carbon fiber one that I bought to take to Japan with me when I could not take a tripod. I have found it almost completely useless, despite its great build quality and so on. It seems to me that they are really the realm of very heavy cameras or ones with long telephoto lenses. For me, it seemed to add more shake than it took away, at least for rangefinders (including the Mamiya 7II...)

rover · 11-05-2004

Wow, thanks everyone. I went and dug up my Manfrotto catalouge last night and confirmed that the 679 was the one I would be interested in, and it seems that is the company to go with. Like I mentioned, I will most often use this with my Hasselblad. Using a monopod is quite ergonomic with the waist level finder. I have had a lot of luck hand holding this camera, but any support does help any time I get the shutter speed under 1/125s for sure as it has an industrial strength mirror and a few doors which need to move before the whisper quiet leaf shutter fires. Kind of a "KA-KABOOM, click" experience when you fire it.

GeneW · 11-05-2004

Quote:

The Holga is here!!!

Might work with the Holga too, Rover