monopod question

[jimim]

ok so maybe a stupid question but with a monopod can you actually shoot something with a longer shutter time (slower speed) or do you really need a tripod. i wanted to get something a little smaller and easier to carry with. i was at a wedding this weekend and the photographer was using this. its from the fluid line. it was pretty awesome.

http://www.manfrotto.us/fluid-video-monopod-with-head-560b-1

thanks guy!

 

[Groucho]

That's the very definition of "your mileage may vary" - it's all up to the photographer! A monopod helps but you certainly won't be able to take 30-second exposures with one. You should be able to do better than you can do hand-holding the camera but it's impossible to say just how much better.

 

[Pixel Dust]

ok so maybe a stupid question but with a monopod can you actually shoot something with a longer shutter time (slower speed) or do you really need a tripod. i wanted to get something a little smaller and easier to carry with. i was at a wedding this weekend and the photographer was using this. its from the fluid line. it was pretty awesome.

http://www.manfrotto.us/fluid-video-monopod-with-head-560b-1

thanks guy!

While that monopod is very awesome, you wouldn't want to do exposures longer than a couple seconds. Yes, it can keep itself upright without any other supports. But, any gust of wind can knock it over. It's all dependent on how lubricated that ball is, as it is attached to the feet. It's basically an inverted pendulum ready to fall over.

Also, with long exposures more than a few seconds, holding the camera will induce blurry camera shake images.

 

[boBQuincy]

There are three planes of motion and three axes. Without going into it more than most would care to read, the up/down plane is the worst for camera motion. That is also the motion that a monopod completely prevents so at almost any shutter speed (including ones we consider "safe" for handholding) a monopod will allow for sharper photos.

As exposures get longer the other planes and axes of motion become more pronounced and a tripod is necessary. As noted, the cutoff point for acceptable sharpness is a "YMMV" thing but somewhere between 1 and 2 seconds is probably close. Stabilization can work with a monopod to extend the limit even further but again it depends on many factors including our steadiness and how critically we judge sharpness.

 

[xlxo]

I own the heavier version of that monopod for DSLR's/video. It's amazingly stable with light winds. But yes a slight nudge and everything comes crashing over. Hope your camera is a tough or GoPro if there's a chance of it topping over.

Also it is HEAVY compared to regular monopods. Have you consider smaller "traveller" tripods?

To clarify, what is the make and model of you camera you want to mount on it?

 

[jimim]

hey guys. i shoot a canon 7d with usually the 24-70mm 2.8 II from canon or various primes. i knew i couldn't pull off a 30 sec exposure but was wondering how possible 2-3 sec ones would be. i would always be holding onto it. i can deff see it coming down if not. the girl using it just looked like she had such an easy time using it and it just took up no space around her like a regular tripod.

prob would be better off with a lighter tripod. can you guys recommend anything cause there are so many choices.

jimi