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Monopod head
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May 17, 2019 10:05:23   #
jzett
 
Greetings. Considering purchasing a monopod. I mostly shoot sports - soccer, surfing, lacrosse, etc. Just wondering if a ball head is necessary. My thought is to just mount to to top of monopod as I move about and would use the monopod basically for support. Your though and advice are appreciated. John

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May 17, 2019 10:08:35   #
twowindsbear
 
Try it with your camera mounted directly to the top of the monopod. If you're not happy with that arrangement, investigate more options then.

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May 17, 2019 10:13:41   #
Geegee Loc: Peterborough, Ont.
 
If you will be using a long heavy lens consider a gimbal head. The monopod takes the weight and the gimbal allows complete freedom of movement with little or no effort. I use mine with a 600mm lens and I wouldn't do without it.

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May 17, 2019 10:25:13   #
imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida
 
jzett wrote:
Greetings. Considering purchasing a monopod. I mostly shoot sports - soccer, surfing, lacrosse, etc. Just wondering if a ball head is necessary. My thought is to just mount to to top of monopod as I move about and would use the monopod basically for support. Your though and advice are appreciated. John


While it is true that sports does not usually require pointing up or down (as with wildlife/birds) and that you can get along without a proper tilt head (mounting directly to camera/lens) - if you are strong and the lens not so heavy ! Never the less - I DO recommend a tilting head - and a video/fluid type for following action for most people due to the versatility.
.

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May 17, 2019 10:35:38   #
MT Shooter Loc: Montana
 
jzett wrote:
Greetings. Considering purchasing a monopod. I mostly shoot sports - soccer, surfing, lacrosse, etc. Just wondering if a ball head is necessary. My thought is to just mount to to top of monopod as I move about and would use the monopod basically for support. Your though and advice are appreciated. John


I shoot quite a bit of sports using a monopod, and having a tilt head on it is absolutely necessary so that you are not swinging that stick around to get those shots that go anove or below your lenses field of view. Just try to follow the football on a field goal attempt with a monopod attached directly to your lens and see how many people you hit with it!

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May 17, 2019 11:54:27   #
DaveO Loc: Northeast CT
 
I am a big fan of a tilt head as well. Larger lenses fare better with sturdier tilts and a tether is not a bad idea.

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May 17, 2019 12:04:07   #
speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho
 
jzett wrote:
Greetings. Considering purchasing a monopod. I mostly shoot sports - soccer, surfing, lacrosse, etc. Just wondering if a ball head is necessary. My thought is to just mount to to top of monopod as I move about and would use the monopod basically for support. Your though and advice are appreciated. John


A had is certainly necessary, or you totally lack ability to tilt your camera. So a ball head is a good choice, that's what I use on all my monopods!

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May 17, 2019 12:13:05   #
DaveO Loc: Northeast CT
 
Large lenses and balls heads can be a recipe for trouble!

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May 17, 2019 14:11:18   #
TBerwick Loc: Houston, Texas
 
Gymbal heads, as mentioned above, make a fine option with one proviso. To shift to a vertical format, you will need lenses that have collars to allow that move from landscape to portrait mode.

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May 17, 2019 14:28:41   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
I have a tilt head on my monopod.
I don't care much for ball heads.

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May 18, 2019 07:20:45   #
billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
 
jzett wrote:
Greetings. Considering purchasing a monopod. I mostly shoot sports - soccer, surfing, lacrosse, etc. Just wondering if a ball head is necessary. My thought is to just mount to to top of monopod as I move about and would use the monopod basically for support. Your though and advice are appreciated. John


I no longer use a monopod. But I can tell you from experience that any head added to a monopod tends to be awkward to use. You are better off leaving the top bare.

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May 18, 2019 07:23:32   #
Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina
 
RRS two way tilt head or gimbal. RRS is a system that you can grow and develop with over time.

jzett wrote:
Greetings. Considering purchasing a monopod. I mostly shoot sports - soccer, surfing, lacrosse, etc. Just wondering if a ball head is necessary. My thought is to just mount to to top of monopod as I move about and would use the monopod basically for support. Your though and advice are appreciated. John

Reply
May 18, 2019 08:04:53   #
motorman Loc: greenville nc
 
jzett wrote:
Greetings. Considering purchasing a monopod. I mostly shoot sports - soccer, surfing, lacrosse, etc. Just wondering if a ball head is necessary. My thought is to just mount to to top of monopod as I move about and would use the monopod basically for support. Your though and advice are appreciated. John


I have used a gimbal head on a monopod for wildlife for several years. Mine weighs a little under 4 lbs and I use it with a nikon d750 and 200-500 lens. My first monopod was not a quality one and the top mount screw sheared off. The strap around my neck saved camera and lens. I got a better monopod (mine is a promaster) and have had no problem since.

Manfrotto 393 Heavy Telephoto Lens Support for Monopod. It has 2 "U" shaped sections inner and outter. For my use mounting the lens on long plate allows balance adjustment for various lenses. i have several plates to allow quick change of lens in use. Online adds show use with inner "U" inverted. I use it with the "U"'s in the upright position providing better control.

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May 18, 2019 09:13:02   #
Blair Shaw Jr Loc: Dunnellon,Florida
 
I can only speak for myself. I would not use a Ball Head on a Monopod....tooo awkward to control with gravity being your enemy. I would consider a Gimbal instead. It would allow you to make safe adjustments even at odd angles with the monopod being out of plumb if you find yourself reaching to get the shot around undesirable objects in the foreground or on un-level surfaces , etc.

You only have the one-free-hand to make all the critical maneuvers on The One Leg.

Good luck and please Try Before You Buy.....Shop Around.

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May 18, 2019 09:23:30   #
gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast
 
I’ve read that they make a head just for monopods that allows only vertical motion. It makes sense to me to have one of those.

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