Monopod & Head recommendation (Page 3): Three years ago I bought an Opteka monopod 72" (for $15.49), with a small ball head for ($9.29). All on Ebay under the search titles of "Ball...

ballsafire Loc: Lafayette, Louisiana

irish17 wrote:

I use a Nikon D750 with a 24-70 and a 70-200 and i would like to get your recommendations on a monopod and head.

Three years ago I bought an Opteka monopod 72" (for $15.49), with a small ball head for ($9.29). All on Ebay under the search titles of "Ball head" and "Opteka monopod." If you want to try one out you can do what I did - no regrets!! I just checked--the price for the monopod is the same today and the ball heads now sell for under $5.00! Have fun on the economical and practical way.

Siemienczuk

Timely discussion for me. I have a new Nikkor 200-500 f/5.6 lens. Previously used a tilt head or no head for monopod, but now I'm wondering if I could use a single head for both tripod and monopod. I was thinking to go with a ball-head, as it allows quick change to portrait from landscape orientation. Suffice to say I can't tell from this thread, as it appears to be all preference.

CamB Loc: Juneau, Alaska

Siemienczuk wrote:

Timely discussion for me. I have a new Nikkor 200-500 f/5.6 lens. Previously used a tilt head or no head for monopod, but now I'm wondering if I could use a single head for both tripod and monopod. I was thinking to go with a ball-head, as it allows quick change to portrait from landscape orientation. Suffice to say I can't tell from this thread, as it appears to be all preference.

On a lens that size you probably wouldn't be shifting from landscape to portrait with the head alone, but more likely with a quick release plate and camera bracket or with a mounting ring on the lens itself. Just tilting any type of head with that much weight is going to throw the balance way off. Look at KIRK or another company's mounting brackets if you don't understand this.
...Cam

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

Siemienczuk wrote:

Timely discussion for me. I have a new Nikkor 200-500 f/5.6 lens. Previously used a tilt head or no head for monopod, but now I'm wondering if I could use a single head for both tripod and monopod. I was thinking to go with a ball-head, as it allows quick change to portrait from landscape orientation. Suffice to say I can't tell from this thread, as it appears to be all preference.

The 200~500 has a rotating tripod collar, you can select any orientation you wish with any type of head.

arathorn357 Loc: Sydney, Australia

bsprague wrote:

Here is one that ticks off most of the boxes and does not take much of an investment: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1296071-REG/manfrotto_mmelea5bk_element_aluminum_monopod_black.html

I have one of these and use and like it a lot.

Try to keep the head as light and secure as possible - I use a simple 360 degree circular pano head that accepts an Arca Swiss plate, which I use on all my cameras and lenses - the KISS principle applies!

Fotoserj Loc: St calixte Qc Ca

Gitzo and tilt head, ball head don’t do the job, tilt head do just that tilt, to swing you just pivot right or left

Norm W. Loc: Southern CA

Obviously a single axis monopod head doesn’t work for everybody. This is the benefit of of this forum, it generates many ideas. Suggest Irish17 try the options suggested and find what works for them.

Telaysin

Frequently use a manfroto, 5 segment (red). Like the twisties better than the flip tabs personally. Use a Nikon d5300 forever with an 18-140 directly attached. Keep camera attached to monopod and sling over my shoulder most often (sometimes with light waterproof bag over camera to keep dust off) while day hiking and back packing in the mountains. Quick to shoot and monopod (closed) acts as a stabalizer. Also quick to open if needed. My two cents....

Siemienczuk

RWR wrote:

The 200~500 has a rotating tripod collar, you can select any orientation you wish with any type of head.

Great point! This is my first tripod collar lens.

CamB Loc: Juneau, Alaska

Fotoserj wrote:

Gitzo and tilt head, ball head don’t do the job, tilt head do just that tilt, to swing you just pivot right or left

Unless the monopod is tilted then pivoting with this setup doesn’t work at all.
...Cam