monopod vs tripod

[praline3001]

I am going to be honest ~ my tripod drives me bonkers. It takes 5 minutes to set up and by then usually my subject (I mostly photograph moving objects) has moved on leading me to run around with my tripod to only have to reset it up again. I have been looking at the monopods and they seem to be much faster to set up? I hardly ever use my tripod as its just a pain. I know I need to use one if I want those pretty shots. For those who use both monopod and tripod what are the advantages/disadvantages to using the monopod?

[inkista]

Think of a monopod like VR/IS in a stick. You can probably only get about two or three stops of stabilization out of them. If you want to do long-exposure night time photography, a monopod is not for you. If you want to get a little extra help with a longer telephoto lens, though, when you're up against 1/focal_length, then a monopod can be more useful.

And yes, monopods are faster and easier to set up and take less space than a tripod, and are considerably less expensive.

[Preeb]

Originally Posted by inkista

Think of a monopod like VR/IS in a stick. You can probably only get about two or three stops of stabilization out of them. If you want to do long-exposure night time photography, a monopod is not for you. If you want to get a little extra help with a longer telephoto lens, though, when you're up against 1/focal_length, then a monopod can be more useful.

And yes, monopods are faster and easier to set up and take less space than a tripod, and are considerably less expensive.

I often use my tripod like a monopod, leaving the legs together. That way I don't need to always go through the hassle of leveling, but I'm still ready for that tripod if needed. Unless I'm taking a long hike, I often leave the camera on the tripod and just carry it like I did my M-14 in basic training way back when. On longer walks, or in places where a regular tripod would be unwelcome, I usually have my Gorilla Pod handy.

[Doug Sundseth]

I've had good luck using a monopod a bit differently than I think is typical. When space is at a premium, I'll leave the monopod collapsed but still attached to the camera.Then for landscape orientation photos, I can trap the monopod against my body with my left arm (while still controlling the zoom and supporting the lens with the same arm) and shoot.

This is giving me quite high hit rates at around 1/2 second. I wouldn't try it for anything longer.

As noted, for long-exposure shots, a tripod is the way to go. It's also useful for shooting remotely, shooting panoramas, and for shooting to keep your subjects in register (nice for compositing and some product shots). Once my shot is composed, I also like the increased visibility afforded by standing to the side of the tripod in some cases.

One unsuspected problem (to me, at least) with tripods is that when you're shooting with a dense ND filter, you're likely to get your light meter fooled if you're not looking through the viewfinder when you press the shutter release, because light can come in through the eyepiece.

[praline3001]

I have enough trouble trying to keep a steady hand, thinking I might not be happy with a monopod.

What tripod do you guys find the easiest to move around with? I have this huge monster tripod and I need something that can be set up and down quickly and doesn't get in the way overly. That way I will use it more. I always feel embarrassed to pull out this huge thing in public lol

[PhotoRebel4]

Originally Posted by praline3001

I have enough trouble trying to keep a steady hand, thinking I might not be happy with a monopod.

What tripod do you guys find the easiest to move around with? I have this huge monster tripod and I need something that can be set up and down quickly and doesn't get in the way overly. That way I will use it more. I always feel embarrassed to pull out this huge thing in public lol

What tripod are you using now? Just saying it's huge is quite subjective.

When I was looking at a new tripod, it seems every one I looked at had people that complained about how heavy it was... I ended up with one weighing a little over 5lbs and folding to about 26" without the head, which I don't think is that bad. It's not very compact, but I rarely need a super light or super compact tripod.

[praline3001]

I am using the Targus Digital TG-6660TR 66-Inch Tripod with 3-Way Panhead.
Its not heavy but its bulky when trying to get it set up. Its a pain to use so I generally don't take it with me. As I am trying to improve my photography I need a tripod that works with me and I like using ... so I will use it lol

[SwissJon]

Ok, this is the age old question.. How do I get Professional photos without doing what the pros do.. Simple answer is, you can't.

Most pros have a Monopod AND a Tripod which they use for different things. The monopod for fast moving objects and the tripod for slow.. They spend hundreds, if not thousands, on carbon fibre pods and decent heads that are quick to set up and rock steady once they are. I tend to walk around with my camera attached to my 'pod and my 'pod slung over my shoulder legs extended if I'm only walking a short distance.. Further distances involve putting it all away and then getting it out again, which IS a hassle, but that's part of the troubles you have to go through to get decent photos.

But to be honest with you, you really might be better off looking at the way you're holding a camera if you're photographing moving objects. You should be able to hold the camera reasonably steady at a focal length that's about the same as 1/shutter speed.. i.e. 50mm needs minimum 1/50th shutter speed. If you can't do that and you don't have the shakes or some other illness that prevents you from holding it steady, you need to look at the way you're standing.

Sorry though, no shortcuts.. Tripods are a hassle unless you're willing to spend a lot of cash. In fact, with a tripod I would consider spending lots of cash anyway.. The decent ones tend to last longer than the camera they are on.