Monopod to use with 500 f4 lens? (Page 2): If price is not a factor look at Really Right Stuff monopods. Superior construction and lots of weight capacity!

jno

If price is not a factor look at Really Right Stuff monopods. Superior construction and lots of weight capacity!

pquiggle Loc: Monterey Bay California

If you shoot birds in flight or in trees or in rough terrain be sure to get one that is taller than you are. With a long lens the camera eyepiece gets quite low when aiming the camera up. Ducking awkwardly to compose the shot make for a very unstable rig and as I get older kneeling is a less inviting position to shoot from. I just got the Gitzo 4552L and the Wimberly mono-gimbal. Haven't had a chance to use it much but really like it so far.

Judyneill

jim quist wrote:

I ordered a 500 f4 that will weigh around 10 pounds with the Wimberley head I ordered.
I need suggestions for a sturdy monopod to go with it.

I see some Gitzo's at BnH in the $300+ range that have up to 6 sections. But it seems to me that fewer sections would be sturdier.

What do YOU use with heavy lenses?

I have the new Wimberley MonoGimbal Head MH-100 https://www.amazon.com/Wimberley-MH-100-MonoGimbal-Head-
Which I really like. Check out Steve Perry's (Back Country Gallery, he has a few different video's on this and how to use it. I use the best Really Right stuff monopod with mine.

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imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

CHG_CANON wrote:

A 500 f4 goes on a gimbal mounted to a tripod or a tilt-held monopod. Your Winberley + monopod reads like a typo or a bad idea.

........I have modified a STEEL pick-up truck cargo stabilizer (from Harbor Freight) for use as a monopod with my 300 2.8 and 2X when I was using it - and it WORKED very well. It is a 2-section with ratcheting height adjustment.

I do agree that fewer sections will be an advantage as well as METAL.

I have seen several reviews of the Wimberly and I think it may handle a LARGE lens well - except the off center/off balance part seems like folly to me ! - I am currently using a Sirui VH-10 video fluid head with a panning base on top for my fiberglass monopod - but I am using lenses smaller than 500/600 f4. I may bring my steel pod out of retirement tho - now that I think about it ! 8-)
.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

pquiggle wrote:

If you shoot birds in flight or in trees or in rough terrain be sure to get one that is taller than you are. .

Or, air shows

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

davidrb wrote:

In 2013 I spent time during the NCAA men's round 1... (show quote)

Google images from the NFL sidelines and you'll see they don't even have tilt heads or custom mounts, just the lens collar screwed directly to the monopod. Sad.

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

jim quist wrote:

I ordered a 500 f4 that will weigh around 10 pounds with the Wimberley head I ordered.
I need suggestions for a sturdy monopod to go with it.

I see some Gitzo's at BnH in the $300+ range that have up to 6 sections. But it seems to me that fewer sections would be sturdier.

What do YOU use with heavy lenses?

If you plan to photograph birds in flight a monopod will only slow you down and you may miss shots that you could have got hand holding. I shoot in many wild life preserves in Florida and I can tell you that the guys who get the best results with their 500 f4's either hand hold (about 85-90% of photographers) or put that lens on a tripod and a full gimbal head.
Football games, baseball games, soccer, any sport that is played on one plane, a monopod will work well. But I am advising you that if you want to shoot birds in flight a monopod is not going to get you the results your after, and that includes the new Wimberly head designed for monopod's. IMHO.

LouV Loc: Juno Beach, FL

I suspect many will disagree with me but, honestly, I’ve never seen the logic in spending a whole lot of money on a monopod. It’s not freestanding so it will never have to bear anywhere near the full weight of your rig.

I’ve been using a very cheap one for 2 years with my d810 and Tamron 150-600 zoom just to give me a little extra support and take some of the weight off my arms. It’s never failed me.

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

I only suggest that the monopod have flip out levers to loosen and tighten the segments, rather than the usual twist locks. Much easier and faster and better for the wrists.

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

I use a RRS MC-34 for my large lenses. The equivalent Gitzo CF would be equally good. Although I have been using a RRS MH-01 head I recently purchased a monogimbal and like that so far (and it's even a bit LESS expensive too!). Best of luck.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

LouV wrote:

I suspect many will disagree with me but, honestly, I’ve never seen the logic in spending a whole lot of money on a monopod. It’s not freestanding so it will never have to bear anywhere near the full weight of your rig.

I’ve been using a very cheap one for 2 years with my d810 and Tamron 150-600 zoom just to give me a little extra support and take some of the weight off my arms. It’s never failed me.

The Gitzo the OP mentions is rated to 55 lbs. His rig will be about half of that. Most other monopods bear much less weight, but the one he picked is good.