$.57/inch -- is it usable? Please remember, I'm an amateur with shallow pockets (as opposed to those folks blessed by "deep pockets"). I want to buy an el cheapo monopod that will...

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$.57/inch -- is it usable?

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Mar 23, 2018 23:00:39 #

bellgamin Loc: Ewa Beach, Hawaii

Please remember, I'm an amateur with shallow pockets (as opposed to those folks blessed by "deep pockets"). I want to buy an el cheapo monopod that will still suffice for light use. I have my eyes on the $39.95 Opteka at...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003U7KXI4/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3IRYX17GR1Q0K

It extends to 71" - - and I extend to 72.5" -- so we are a good match, length-wise. I love the price - - only $.57/inch. Sooo... ... is it okay for light use, or is it too junky?

Mar 23, 2018 23:07:56 #

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

I have and use a twist lock carbon fibre Opteka I bought in 2011.

This is the one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003TP39QA/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The rubber tip on the bottom cracked and I had to get a replacement from ace Hardware.

Bill

(I used to live in Eva Beach!!)

Mar 23, 2018 23:18:16 #

jcboy3

bellgamin wrote:

Please remember, I'm an amateur with shallow pocke... (show quote)

It looks okay. But you should get a tilt head for it.

Mar 23, 2018 23:20:15 #

orrie smith Loc: Kansas

bellgamin wrote:

Please remember, I'm an amateur with shallow pocke... (show quote)

In my opinion, the major thing a monopod does is to hold the weight of the camera and lens while the photography handles the side to side movement, as opposed to a tripod which controls all movement. That being said, an inexpensive monopod should suffice.

Mar 24, 2018 00:37:06 #

bellgamin Loc: Ewa Beach, Hawaii

bsprague wrote:

Hola Bill -- It's a great price for carbon fibre but too short for me, sad to say. Ewa Beach has grown exponentially in the past several years -- you probably wouldn't recognize it now.

Mar 24, 2018 08:07:22 #

ecobin Loc: Paoli, PA

The monopod is rated at 30lbs which should be more than sufficient. Here’s an inexpensive monopod tilt head that appears to be a knock-off of the Manfrotto tilt head (I have and like very much).

https://www.proaim.ca/proaim-tilt-head.html?_vsrefdom=adwords&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8qem4vOE2gIVxrfACh1luQSxEAQYFiABEgINY_D_BwE

Mar 24, 2018 08:42:40 #

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

The term amateur or professional has little to nothing to do with ones financial condition or what one chooses to spend their money on. Some have more and some have less and some decide to spend it differently on different priorities. I prefer to drive an older car and spend money on other things I value more including photography.

If you really want to go low budget for a monopod I would suggest a nice straight sapling from the forest or a broomstick with a hanger bolt screwed and glued into the end. You can choose 1/4-20 or 3/8-16 thread size. I would go 1/4-20 and you can add a bushing to get to the 3/8-16 for a couple dollars. Makes a nice walking stick too... But doesn't collapse well for travel packing.

Best,
Todd Ferguson

bellgamin wrote:

Please remember, I'm an amateur with shallow pocke... (show quote)

Mar 24, 2018 09:04:07 #

Country Boy Loc: Beckley, WV

175 people gave it 4.5 stars on Amazon but I don't trust those reviews. Most are made within a few days of the purchase and they have not actually used it to test it out. Putting it on your camera in the living room for 5 minutes does not test it. While I don't know the quality I will tell you that I bought one that looks like this one just a couple of months back and when I took it out to use I found that without a top head that tilts you will not find it too helpful. With my fixed head, I place it in front of me and then have to start leaning forward or back to get the shot framed or you will need to pick it up and try and align the bottom. If you don't get some type of tilt head you will end up with a walking stick with a poor hand hold.

Mar 24, 2018 09:15:19 #

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

I saw this while walking around WMart yesterday

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Polaroid-72-Monopod-Black/37832546

lower price, same size, if your worried that you might not use it,

BTW I like a quick release on top of my monopod, bob.

Mar 24, 2018 10:48:47 #

EdJ0307 Loc: out west someplace

bsprague wrote:

(I used to live in Eva Beach!!)

I used to live in Waipahu for about a year and a half when I was stationed at Hickam AFB in the 1960s. The nice thing about the apartment we lived in was it was new and we were the first tenants and it didn't have enough time to become invested with cockroaches yet, unlike the WWII era apartment we lived in in Honolulu. I recently viewed satellite photos of the Waipahu area and see that it has grown exponentially also. But it is close to the freeway which wasn't there back then.

My monopod is a cheapo thing I got at Walmart for $15. I put a cheapo tilt head on it that came off a tripod I was discarding. I have had it for several years and it works well for me.

Mar 24, 2018 10:52:49 #

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

bellgamin wrote:

Please remember, I'm an amateur with shallow pocke... (show quote)

Looks good. Hard to tell if it will be junky. That's usually the problem with junk, you don't know it's junk until you unpack it. Has the European thread on top, and it looks like it will move down to take American 1/4 20 thread. So, GO FOR IT DUDE.

Mar 24, 2018 12:50:00 #

Fotoserj Loc: St calixte Qc Ca

question no 1 how much weight your intended combination
question no 2 how much is your combo cost
question no 3 what is the weight rating (capacity) of this bargain
this question should provide you're answer

Mar 24, 2018 13:48:45 #

Kozan Loc: Trenton Tennessee

I bought the MX450 from Wal-Mart. It is 71" high when fully extended and is good quality aluminum. It has worked well for me at football games.

Mar 24, 2018 14:43:43 #

bpulv Loc: Buena Park, CA

bellgamin wrote:

Please remember, I'm an amateur with shallow pocke... (show quote)

It should be ok, but I would not use it with all the legs fully extended. You will find that most monopods will flex if the leg sections are fully extended. As a rule, if you extend each leg section so that 1" to 3" are not deployed, the monopod will not flex and it will provide a firm support for even a heavier camera than the manufacturer specified. So, applying that information, I would consider the Opteka to realistically be a 65" monopod.

Mar 24, 2018 15:13:38 #

MadMikeOne Loc: So. NJ Shore - a bit west of Atlantic City

bellgamin wrote:

Please remember, I'm an amateur with shallow pocke... (show quote)

Last week I bought a Vanguard VEO AM-264TR Monopod with 3 legs stabilizer. It cost $69 at my “local” camera shop. It feels solid, and not at all cheaply made. So far I am very happy with it. It was purchased specifically for our upcoming trip to Africa and Scotland.

I already own a Vanguard tripod that has served me very well for the last 3 years, so I’m expecting the same from the new monopod.

Sorry about this being sideways. I’ll blame it on my iPad!

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