cyan Loc: Northern NJ

I bought a monopod from xxxxxxxxxx store and it has a ball head (which is what I wanted) and it is rated to hold 4.7 lbs but when I attach my canera (2 lbs 6 oz) the camera doesn't stay at the ange I set it to. Isn't the monopod supposed to keep the camera steady?

chapjohn Loc: Tigard, Oregon

Your question is a bit confusing, but let me try to offer an answer. Monopods by desing have just one leg so they can not stand on their own. When extended and locked in place, monopode do help eliminate up and down camera movement. You still need to hold it to prevent left-right movement.

The heads that come on most lower end monopods can be (are) unreliable. However, any head needs to be looked in place. Some heads have three nobs--up and down, panning, and tension. If the tension is not set tight enough, it is possible to get movement even if the up and down is tight.

I tried to address many possible areas of your problem.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

Unfortunately MOST monopods as well as tripods coming here from Asia are ridiculously over-rated as to capacities. Most cannot hold themselves steady, much less properly support the weight of a camera and lens mounted on them. I see these flimsy joke units every week and cannot believe that any reputable merchant would intentionally sell most of them.

cyan Loc: Northern NJ

Thank you for answering. I think you did understand what I was trying to say. I will have to try to set the tension (if that is possible).

romanticf16 Loc: Commerce Twp, MI

When you see monopods advertised at reputable mail order camera stores for a given price range they stand behind their product. If yours from "mystery store" was much lower priced "you got what you paid for".

cyan Loc: Northern NJ

It was a well known camera store. During the weekend I went to a local store & bought another (used) monopod & a ball head (the ball head & that one make a very good monopod.And I sold the other one to a friend who didn't care...He said he would use it for his P & S (not as much weight). So that's the end of that saga.

Bugfan Loc: Toronto, Canada

Ball heads I have come in two flavours in addition to various weight specifications. The simplest flavour is a head that has two controls. One is usually a lever you turn to release the head to rotate it horizontally. The other is usually a dial for locking the head. If your head is drifting both of those have to be tightened down.

The other flavour is three controls. There is still the lever for rotation and the ball lock for locking the ball. But there is a third knob, or sometimes a screw instead, that determines how much resistance the ball offers up as you try to move it. The simple head just flops over when you loosen the lock dial but in this three control design, the head remains in place because the extra control will hold it in place. If you have a head like that make sure all three knobs are tight.

I should add too that you don't have to tighten the knobs with a death grip. Be gentle. Just a firm twist is all that's needed.

If none of these suggestions work I'd take it back to the retailer either to be shown how to lock it down properly or alternately, to have it replaced. There is nothing more frustrating than a tripod head that doesn't lock firmly in place.