Monopod Question??

[ront]

I am looking at a Manfrotto 679B monopod. It is seen here.
Bogen 679B - In Stock at OneCall.com
My question lies in putting a head on it. I have a Manfrotto Ball Head on my tripod so I will not buy another one of these. But I am trying to decide between these two heads.
Bogen 3299 - In Stock at OneCall.com
Bogen 3229 - In Stock at OneCall.com
The one is very basic and only allows the camera to be used in landscape mode where as the other would allow the camera to be used in landscape AND portrait mode. I have never owned a monopod before, but there is less than $10 difference between the two heads, so I want to get the correct one now.
What would you all do?

Thanks, Ron

[jefffrankproductions.com]

I have a manfrotto 682B. It has the tripod legs inside the bottom. I use the simple tilt head with it. I love the monopod but you should know that the tripod legs inside the bottom drive me nuts when I am walking with it strapped to my backpack. I have taped the legs to try to deaden the sound which is better. I also use the simple head because my 300mm 2.8 lens has a swivel integrated into the lens for portraits, so I don't need the fancy head. If I am shooting with the tripod legs out, I am using a small lens (14mm to 85mm) which makes it more stable. I haven't run into any problems with it yet. Now that you mention it, if I ever wanted to shoot low light protrait images with it I would be out of luck. I also have a tripod for the studio so I guess I would need to bring it along. The 3299 is for tripods only regardless what it fits on. The 3229 is exactly what I have. I recommend it because you will not be able to tilt with the other head. You would only be able to raise and lower via the legs. I hope this helps, Jeff

[badpickev]

3299 or a 3232

[JohnC]

If I'm using a short lens that doesn't have a tripod color in a monopod I use a simple tilt head. If I use a long lens with a tripod collar I just use the tripod collar for going from landscape to portrait. Of the two you listed, 3229 is the one I use.

[keepright]

Originally Posted by ront

I am looking at a Manfrotto 679B monopod. ... What would you all do?

I have the 679 in silver, and have been very happy with it. It's a heavy but sturdy tripod. I decided that I wanted something a little more compact and lightweight, an bought a 676 as well. Of the two I prefer the heavier one and hardly ever use the little one. So right off the bat, I think you're making a good choice.

Technique is important for a monopod. Here's a link that helped me: Monopod Technique

One thing that you'll see is that for the best results, use a ball head. I use a 486RC2 on the 679, and bracing it across my stance (as in the Nikonians link) makes significant improvement in my long-lens stability. And even for short lenses, the added stability makes composition easier. And for added flexibility, the ball head can be left loose and I still get some stability benefits without losing quick movement.

Keeping with the light weight plan, I use a single-axis swivel head (234RC2) on the little 676, which looks the same as the one you're considering. It works, and lets me flip the camera easily, but doesn't give anything near the flexibility of the ball head.

The 486 ball head that I use came off of my tripod, which was replaced by a better model. It's a win-win.

[cyclohexane]

I've played with having heads on my monopods, most recently the Manfrotto 3232 with an Arca-Swiss type clamp screwed to the top of it, but everything's ended up being too fiddly in the long run, so I've gone back to just having a Really Right Stuff Arca-Swiss type clamp screwed to the top of my monopod.

Of course, I'm using long telephotos with tripod collars, so I don't have to worry about changing the orientation of the camera while shooting.

[Goofup]

As a side note, I hate monopods almost as much as I hate tripods.

Tripods stop movement on the X, Y, and Z axis. Monopods only stop movement on the Z axis. You still have movement forward/backwards and sideways. Take your camera and hold it on top of a broom handle and you'll see what I mean. In fact, the best way I found (for me!) is to stick the end of the monopod in my belt at my tummy (mine has a "U" shaped attachment you can put on the bottom just for that). Much easier to move around, and it forms a triangle between me and the camera. It does take the "hand shake" out of it that way as my torso moves a lot less than my hands/arms.


Course, both my cameras have IS, so 99% of the time I'm "podless".

"One of these days" I'm gonna do some "garage inventing" and come up with Bipod. If I do, I'll post the instructions here. A bipod would take out the Y & Z movement, so all you'd have to worry about is front/back movement. Better than a monopod, but not quite as good (or the hassle!) of a tripod. (You all heard it here first and if you come up with one, I want at least some credit!)

[cyclohexane]

"One of these days" I'm gonna do some "garage inventing" and come up with Bipod.

You mean like these?

[Goofup]

Yea, but for cameras. Machine gunners have used them for years to steady machine guns so they don't go up/down or left/right, just forward/backward, so a taller version should work with cameras, right? Dibs on the patent! I could sell a million of 'em! I'm gonna be rich!

I crack myself up....

[bobbyz]

What are you shooting and which lens?

SuperTele guys just stick the monopod directly to the tripod collar of the lens. No wimpy head in between.