Heavy duty monopod suggestions please

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Butterfly Maiden Great Britain
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Heavy duty monopod suggestions please

#1

Post by Butterfly Maiden »


I would like some suggestions please for a heavy duty monopod, capable of supporting my Canon EOS 600D DSLR camera and a 150-600mm telephoto lens.

I already have a sturdy tripod that is great and does the job well, but I am wanting the additional portability of a monopod. Not only to use for my everyday landscape photography but also for my newly acquired Lunar photography interest.

My only stipulation for the design of monopod is that it has quick-release levers for extending the feet (not the screw type).

I have done some research already and have narrowed it down to a specific model - Manfrotto MM290A4, 290 Aluminium Monopod. It has been reviewed on Amazon.co.uk (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Manfrotto-MM29 ... 04572&th=1) but it gets a few mixed reviews. One user is using the same lens I have, but I am still not fully convinced.

I would appreciate any advice or suggestions, either on this particular model or something similar.
Vanessa

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Re: Heavy duty monopod suggestions please

#2

Post by Lady Fraktor »


Manfrotto makes good equipment, so as long as your equipment weight is under the 5kg capacity it should work.
For wildlife my personal preference is to use a pistol grip over a standard ballhead.
For reviews check out sites like digitalcameraworld.com, shutterbug.com or others like them.

I would give my opinion of Amazon reviews but it would get me in trouble with the site management.
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Re: Heavy duty monopod suggestions please

#3

Post by Lady Fraktor »


I use a Velbon RUP-L43II monopod with a Schonfeld PG01 Pistol Grip for a Canon 5D MkIII with Tamron 150mm - 600mm telephoto.
The Velbon is conservatively rated for 3kg and handles the setup well and this camera/ lens setup is right on the 3kg limit.
See Far Sticks: Antares Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser BV 127/1200, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885
EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, AXJ, AXD
Az/Alt: AYO Digi II/ Argo Navis, Stellarvue M2C/ Argo Navis
Tripods: Berlebach Planet (2), Uni 28 Astro, Report 372, TAL factory maple, Vixen ASG-CB90, Vixen AXD-TR102
Diagonals: Astro-Physics, Baader Amici, Baader Herschel, iStar Blue, Stellarvue DX, Takahashi prism, TAL, Vixen flip mirror
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Re: Heavy duty monopod suggestions please

#4

Post by Butterfly Maiden »


Thank you Gabrielle for those suggestions :smile:

The combined weight of my camera and lens is just under 3kg, so either monopod would appear to be suitable.

I'll do some further research on those two before I make a final decision.
Vanessa

Nikon D82 Fieldscope with 30x/45x/56x angled eyepiece.
Olympus DPS-1 10x50 binoculars.
Leica 8x32BN binoculars.
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Re: Heavy duty monopod suggestions please

#5

Post by pakarinen »


I sometimes use two legs of a light tripod as a bipod. It's a bit steadier than a monopod IME.
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