The 100% free monopod you always have with you

rutt · March 28, 2005

I have both tripod and monopod and both are more than adequite. I don't always have them with me and ofthen I don't want either. Both impose limitiations on shooting that I don't like, it's really hard to be fast with them, they tend to put people off, and I find that there are a lot of places that don't want me to bring them.

So I've developed a lot of *pod free shooting techniques that work nearly as well. My absolute favorite is to sit on the ground and stabalize the camera on my knee. This position is just as stable as using a monopod and has the advantage of supporting landscape and portrait camera orientations equally well (a reall issue with monopods.) It does have the disadvantage of needing to sit, but the low camera position often produces very dramatic results. I used this technique to shoot most of the car shots I posted here. The light was dim, shutter times had to be slow, and no pods allowed in there. I also used it a lot last summer to shoot surfers while sitting on the beach using my 100-400 + 1.4 TC.

I'm sure others have figured this out, but it's taken me a while to refine it, so I thought I'd share.

Andy · March 28, 2005

i do this all the time.

good post, rutt!

DoctorIt · March 28, 2005

and here I thought you were offering up a free monopod

jwear · March 28, 2005

DoctorIt wrote:

and here I thought you were offering up a free monopod

me toooooo :cry but as age greeeps up that monopod gets a little sshakkkie Jeff

JamesJWeg · March 28, 2005

I have used that as well, but had almost forgotten about it in the time gap between selling my F5 and getting the D2H. I mostly used that because I have been too cheap to buy a monopod, and also because of the portrait issue. I found out the hard way at the kart race I did recently that I really need something when shooting action all day long, I was holding up the camera so long my arms went dead. Has anyone tried making something like a mono pod but with just a shelf to brace on instead of a mount? Just thinking about penny tech ideas.

James.

rutt · March 28, 2005

JamesJWeg wrote:

I found out the hard way at the kart race I did recently that I really need something when shooting action all day long, I was holding up the camera so long my arms went dead. Has anyone tried making something like a mono pod but with just a shelf to brace on instead of a mount? Just thinking about penny tech ideas.

James.

Don't know about kart races, but at little league and soccer games as well as running races and xc races, I've found two things I like a lot. The first is really really obvious, so you must have thought of it. I try to find a fence to lean against and brace the camera on. This is particularly good for baseball, buecause there always is a fence to keep you from getting close to the field and shooting what you really want to shoot. The second thing I like is a cheap sports/beach chair. These cost about $10 at the Walgreens and similar. If you have a chair to sit in, you can find a number of very steady positions to hold and brace the camera, particularly elbows on knees to make a kind of bipod.

I tried a cheap head on my monopod to allow vertical/horizontal but it was too cheap and was worse then the things we've been talking about. And I have such a nice monopod, it's really a shame that I don't use it more.

DoctorIt · March 28, 2005

rutt wrote:

Don't know about kart races, but at little league and soccer games as well as running races and xc races, I've found two things I like a lot. The first is really really obvious, so you must have thought of it. I try to find a fence to lean against and brace the camera on. This is particularly good for baseball, buecause there always is a fence to keep you from getting close to the field and shooting what you really want to shoot. The second thing I like is a cheap sports/beach chair. These cost about $10 at the Walgreens and similar. If you have a chair to sit in, you can find a number of very steady positions to hold and brace the camera, particularly elbows on knees to make a kind of bipod.

I tried a cheap head on my monopod to allow vertical/horizontal but it was too cheap and was worse then the things we've been talking about. And I have such a nice monopod, it's really a shame that I don't use it more.

I use a lot of these tricks too, but contrary to you, I've actually had really good luck with my "cheap" monopod head. It's a bogen that I had mainly cause it gives me a quick release plate, but it also has tilt. I leave it a little bit loose and works very well for some panning and tilting.

JamesJWeg · March 28, 2005

rutt wrote:

Don't know about kart races, but at little league and soccer games as well as running races and xc races, I've found two things I like a lot. The first is really really obvious, so you must have thought of it. I try to find a fence to lean against and brace the camera on. This is particularly good for baseball, buecause there always is a fence to keep you from getting close to the field and shooting what you really want to shoot. The second thing I like is a cheap sports/beach chair. These cost about $10 at the Walgreens and similar. If you have a chair to sit in, you can find a number of very steady positions to hold and brace the camera, particularly elbows on knees to make a kind of bipod.

I tried a cheap head on my monopod to allow vertical/horizontal but it was too cheap and was worse then the things we've been talking about. And I have such a nice monopod, it's really a shame that I don't use it more.

At the kart race I was shooting from a corner workers station, the tire barrier prevented me using the armco to prop on, but now that you mention this I could have placed my camera bag on the armco and braced on it, Hindsight again, well leasin learned for next time, thanks for the ideas.

James.

rutt · March 28, 2005

DoctorIt wrote:

I use a lot of these tricks too, but contrary to you, I've actually had really good luck with my "cheap" monopod head. It's a bogen that I had mainly cause it gives me a quick release plate, but it also has tilt. I leave it a little bit loose and works very well for some panning and tilting.

That sounds like something I need. Model number, please. Thanks.

DoctorIt · March 28, 2005

I have this one:
Bogen / Manfrotto 3229 Swivel Tilt Monopod Head with Quick Release - Supports 6.00 lb (2.72 kg)

rutt · March 28, 2005

DoctorIt wrote:

I have this one:
Bogen / Manfrotto 3229 Swivel Tilt Monopod Head with Quick Release - Supports 6.00 lb (2.72 kg)

Looks nice. Mine is a <$10 piece of junk. I guess I'll upgrade. But the heavier the monopod gets, the more likely I am not to take it.

DoctorIt · March 28, 2005

rutt wrote:

Looks nice. Mine is a <$10 piece of junk. I guess I'll upgrade. But the heavier the monopod gets, the more likely I am not to take it.

sounds like carbon fiber is the way to go <img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6029383/emoji/mwink.gif" border="0" alt="" >

My 680B is probably one of the heaviest ones out there (4 section, and beefy), and I still take it pretty much all the time I take my big lens with me... well, thats the only lens I need it for, so, duh.

rutt · March 28, 2005

DoctorIt wrote:

sounds like carbon fiber is the way to go

Well that's just it. My monopod is CF and I hate to put a heavy head on it. That's how I ended up with the cheap head. It's junk, but at least it's light.
My camera is a beast, though, so maybe it's time to rethink.

That's why I love the free built in solutions.

DoctorIt · March 28, 2005

rutt wrote:

Well that's just it. My monopod is CF and I hate to put a heavy head on it. That's how I ended up with the cheap head. It's junk, but at least it's light.
My camera is a beast, though, so maybe it's time to rethink.

That's why I love the free built in solutions.

Unless you have some super fancy light CF pod I've never seen before, the 3229 head will not unbalance it, it's really not that big at all. My friend has the CF Bogen equivalent of my 680 with the same head. Both pods feel very nice and balanced, well, mine more so, but his is not un-balanced.

Am I rambling?

ginger_55 · March 28, 2005

It looks like Dr It and I have similar set ups. Mine is out in the car, so I can't say the model.

I have only used it so far to look at the moon in my own yard, but I felt much less encumbered than I did with a tripod. That is why I put it in the car. I would not be inclined to want to take it on a long distance hike, but it should be useful for lots of what I was doing.

I like that type of head. I have not had a different one in years, but I don't feel a balance problem and it is versatile. I like the quick release. I ordered one, as I was not aware that one came with the head. I now have three. One on my long lens, one on my camera and one in a drawer.

ginger

leebase · March 30, 2005

Nice! I have heard that a nylon rope attached to the thinga ma jiggie that attaches the monopod to the camera works well too.

you stand your foot on the rope and pull the camera up tight....the tension helps you hold the camera steady.

Lee

pathfinder · March 31, 2005

leebase wrote:

Nice! I have heard that a nylon rope attached to the thinga ma jiggie that attaches the monopod to the camera works well too.

you stand your foot on the rope and pull the camera up tight....the tension helps you hold the camera steady.

Lee

I suspect the tension monopod idea works far better for lighter cameras - I am not sure it would really work for a 4 pound1Series body and a 4-12 pound L telephoto. A monopod will support this kind of weight better,particularly at the end of an afternoon.....

muddyknees · March 31, 2005

re: Portrait Issue, and Just a shelf to brace...

JamesJWeg wrote:

I have used that as well, but had almost forgotten about it in the time gap between selling my F5 and getting the D2H. I mostly used that because I have been too cheap to buy a monopod, and also because of the portrait issue. I found out the hard way at the kart race I did recently that I really need something when shooting action all day long, I was holding up the camera so long my arms went dead. Has anyone tried making something like a mono pod but with just a shelf to brace on instead of a mount? Just thinking about penny tech ideas.

James.

For years now I've been using a monopod braced over my shoulder much like one would use a bazooka. I have the head that the camera is mounted on tilted "UP" so that the lens axis is parallel to the stem of the monopod. The handle for the head is also parallel to the pod axis and I can use it to "fine-tune" the lens-pod axis if convenient. I CAN ORIENT THE CAMERA EITHER PORTRAIT or LANDSCAPE. If taking closeups near the ground, I just cradle the pod in my arm or let it touch the ground behind the camera.

Even when I'm not actually shooting, I leave the camera mounted on the 'pod, lens pointing down, pod-leg pointing up, camerastrap effectively holding both camera and pod. I can slip the pod-leg under the shoulderstrap of my backpack and have both hands free to climb cliffs, trees, push my way through chaparral, use another camera, whatever.

Lately I've started using a regular tripod instead the same way. The obvious advantage is that when I do need to use a tripod, its all ready to go.

I also used to have two cameras along, one with a wide angle lens, the other a telephoto. I'd have the telephoto mounted on the 'pod. But if in low-light I needed some extra stability with wide angle, I'd just BRACE THE LOOSE CAMERA AGAINST THE POD-MOUNTED ONE, held as described above. (Sadly, ever since i got my digital, I hardly ever use the old manual pentax with fixed 28mm lens any more, and fumble around changing lenses instead of carrying two cameras. Sad.)

One more thing - when I use my 100mm Canon macro with that big lens hood, I often try to stabilize the hood-end against my fist holding a stick planted firmly on the ground.

Gary

leebase · March 31, 2005

pathfinder wrote:

I suspect the tension monopod idea works far better for lighter cameras - I am not sure it would really work for a 4 pound1Series body and a 4-12 pound L telephoto. A monopod will support this kind of weight better,particularly at the end of an afternoon.....

I would imagine it's better than hand holding. Never thought it would be better than an actual monopod.

Lee

JamieC · March 31, 2005

rutt wrote:

So I've developed a lot of *pod free shooting techniques that work nearly as well. My absolute favorite is to sit on the ground and stabalize the camera on my knee. This position is just as stable as using a monopod and has the advantage of supporting landscape and portrait camera orientations equally well (a reall issue with monopods.

I laughed out loud when I saw this. No disrespect intended! You see, I am almost 300 pounds, so my stomach won't allow me to comfortably sit like you have shown. I need to get out shooting more and lose some weight so I can add this technique to my camera bag ;-)

Jamie

rutt · March 31, 2005

JamieC wrote:

I laughed out loud when I saw this. No disrespect intended! You see, I am almost 300 pounds, so my stomach won't allow me to comfortably sit like you have shown. I need to get out shooting more and lose some weight so I can add this technique to my camera bag ;-)

Jamie

I'm sorry.

JamesJWeg · March 31, 2005

Rutt, I used this tonight shooting at a school Fine arts event, the pics are copiing now, we'll see how they came out. The lighting was awful, ISO 800, F2.8, pushed two stops, gave me 1/30 - 1/125, I had to brace. I pulled out the 100-400 to get one shot, 400mm, f6.7, ISO 800, 1/30, ouch.

James.

rutt · April 1, 2005

JamesJWeg wrote:

Rutt, I used this tonight shooting at a school Fine arts event, the pics are copiing now, we'll see how they came out. The lighting was awful, ISO 800, F2.8, pushed two stops, gave me 1/30 - 1/125, I had to brace. I pulled out the 100-400 to get one shot, 400mm, f6.7, ISO 800, 1/30, ouch.

James.

I'm dying to know how this turned out for you. Please let us know. Sounds like you might end up with a noise problem. I'd be interested to know if the LAB+dust&scratch filter technique works for that.

JamesJWeg · April 1, 2005

rutt wrote:

I'm dying to know how this turned out for you. Please let us know. Sounds like you might end up with a noise problem. I'd be interested to know if the LAB+dust&scratch filter technique works for that.

http://pics.jamesjweg.com/gallery/461916

Rutt, about 25% of them are there, had a lot of trash shots, and as you can tell from exif's I was trying a lot of differant settings, I started out ISO 1600 and worked my way down to 800, pushed two stops at 800 worked *ok* and gave me holdable shutter speeds, however as gtc pointed out here

http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=9018

I left it puched two steps on some shots where I could have gotten away with a slower shutter speed.

James.

JamieC · April 1, 2005

rutt wrote:

I'm sorry.

An apology for making me laugh? Excellent... I am liking this forum.

Jamie

ginger_55 · April 2, 2005

I tried that "pod" last night. Nature did not give me long enough legs.

Does B&H sell those, too?

g

leebase · April 2, 2005

pathfinder wrote:

I suspect the tension monopod idea works far better for lighter cameras - I am not sure it would really work for a 4 pound1Series body and a 4-12 pound L telephoto. A monopod will support this kind of weight better,particularly at the end of an afternoon.....

Why do we seem to be in a debate? I've discussed "alternatives" not suggesting that any of them are better than a monopod -- just as I'm sure the "knee technique" isn't meant to suggest it's better than a real monopod.

If you have a gigantic camera and a telesope lens...then by all means...use a real monopod or tripod.

But hey...if you want to go hiking and don't want the weight of a monopod...or you are in a situation/are not conducive to using one -- a small rope just might help vs. hand holding.

Lee

rutt · April 2, 2005

leebase wrote:

Why do we seem to be in a debate?
Lee

It's not really a debate at all. Just the usual discussion among friends. I've always wanted to try the tension idea, but I seem to be very light in the foresight and planning department.

Ginger is just giving me s*** for fun and I'm enjoying it. Pathfinder is always very serious, always looking for the very best ways to do something. That's enjoyable, too. I often learn a lot from hearing what other people do and what does/doesn't work for them.

Don't worry, the tension monopod idea was a perfect contribution to this tread and PF knew it. He was just being himself (a good thing once you get used to it.)

pathfinder · April 2, 2005

rutt wrote:

Pathfinder is always very serious, always looking for the very best ways to do something. That's enjoyable, too. I often learn a lot from hearing what other people do and what does/doesn't work for them.

Don't worry, the tension monopod idea was a perfect contribution to this tread and PF knew it. He was just being himself (a good thing once you get used to it.)

rofl

thumb Sorry that my comments seemed to cause such distress.. Its just that I haven't found the tension method that helpful in MY hands. Others may have more positive feelings about it.

YMMV

Apparently I am percieved as prickly as you are John!!:D:D

rutt · April 2, 2005

pathfinder wrote:

Apparently I am percieved as prickly as you are John!!:D:D

What? Me prickly? Cuddly, approachable, warm, and fuzzy me? Good natured, accepting, nonjudgemental me? How could anyone think that?

pathfinder · April 2, 2005

rutt wrote:

What? Me prickly? Cuddly, approachable, warm, and fuzzy me? Good natured, accepting, nonjudgemental me? How could anyone think that?

John, I know how you love smilies

scratch:giggle:giggle:lol4:lol4:lol4

Prickly in a good way - not a mean way

The 100% free monopod you always have with you

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