Tripod or Monopod????

[janakkpandya]

I've learn on DPS as Tripod and Monopod both are for different different needs. But I'm bit confused . I'm planning to buy a Tripod, if I own a Tripod then do I really required Monopod? I can not afford both at a time. Can any one guide me on this, what should I go for a Tripod or a Monopod?

Thanks in advance.

[metallion58]

Actually, I think they cater to the same need, stability.
It's the circumstances that vary.
A monopod would be used where a tripod would be either banned like in museum, church/temple. public building with lots of traffic (train station comes to mind) or inadvisable like large public gathering, festivals and such.
I have a monopod that can also be used as a walking stick. It's wonderful when I go trekking or in large crowd and I don't have to carry the extra weight of a tripod.
It won't help you much, however, if you want to use it for long exposure. That's a tripod's job
So, depending on how you plan to use it, and if you have a relatively steady hand, you can choose the one that you deem more fitting.

[RichardTaylor]

I use both.

Tripods for the long exposures.

Mono pod mostly for supporting long lenses on extended shoots and sometimes for a little bit of stability.

[cyber3d]

If you can't afford both. I say get a good tripod first. Then a monopod later. It can be really handy when the bulk of a tripod is too much.

I just picked up a Gitzo GM2561T Traveler Series 2 6x Carbon Fiber Monopod Max Height of 56.3" It weighs about 0.5lb Very sturdy. I tried a few mini ball heads, but finally got the Joby Gorillapod SLR-Zoom detachable ball head with level indicator. Awesome piece of kit. Well made with an easy to reach knob and smooth articulation. You really need some sort of articulation on a monopod. It can be very frustrating mounting the camera directly on the monopod.

Some people say carbon monopods are wobbly - BS! All the forces are linear, the only wobble comes from the user. That being said, The Tripod is inherently more stable.

I really like my Sunpak Pro 623PX Carbon Fiber Tripod. Smooth operating head is a must on any tripod - it must move like thick peanut butter. This unit has a quick release mounting plate that is wide and flat. I can keep it on the camera and the camera won't fall over on the table and is perfectly flat. The wide plate is also inherently more stable on the tripod head.

Good luck
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[janakkpandya]

Originally Posted by cyber3d

If you can't afford both. I say get a good tripod first. Then a monopod later. It can be really handy when the bulk of a tripod is too much.

I just picked up a Gitzo GM2561T Traveler Series 2 6x Carbon Fiber Monopod Max Height of 56.3" It weighs about 0.5lb Very sturdy. I tried a few mini ball heads, but finally got the Joby Gorillapod SLR-Zoom detachable ball head with level indicator. Awesome piece of kit. Well made with an easy to reach knob and smooth articulation. You really need some sort of articulation on a monopod. It can be very frustrating mounting the camera directly on the monopod.

Some people say carbon monopods are wobbly - BS! All the forces are linear, the only wobble comes from the user. That being said, The Tripod is inherently more stable.

I really like my Sunpak Pro 623PX Carbon Fiber Tripod. Smooth operating head is a must on any tripod - it must move like thick peanut butter. This unit has a quick release mounting plate that is wide and flat. I can keep it on the camera and the camera won't fall over on the table and is perfectly flat. The wide plate is also inherently more stable on the tripod head.

Good luck
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Thanks dear.