{"id":554,"date":"2007-08-24T11:36:10","date_gmt":"2007-08-24T02:36:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2007-08-24\/554"},"modified":"2007-12-18T23:38:57","modified_gmt":"2007-12-18T14:38:57","slug":"my-new-monopod","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2007-08-24\/554","title":{"rendered":"My New Monopod"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n<p>I recently wrote about the <a\nhref=\"\/blog\/2007-08-17\/547\">pro-caliber tripod<\/a> <span class='nobr'>I put<\/span>\ntogether with components from Gitzo and Really Right Stuff. This time I'm\nwriting about <span class='nobr'>a monopod<\/span> that <span class='nobr'>I put<\/span> together at the same time. However,\nunlike the tripod, it took two tries to get <span class='nobr'>a good<\/span> monopod solution, and at\nthat, <span class='nobr'>I'm still<\/span> not 100% happy with it.<\/p>\n\n<p class='update'><b>Update:<\/b> <span class='nobr'>I made<\/span> some changes, described in updates below, and now I'm happy with it.<\/p>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\">\np.update { color: #FFB0B0 }\n<\/style>\n\n<p>\nI had no problem with the monopod leg itself, a <a\nhref=\"http:\/\/www.gitzo.com\/Jahia\/site\/gitzo\/pid\/4765?detailPid=5255&amp;actualPathCategoryKey=1CAT:AAA1:2CAT:BB34&amp;kindOfProductCollectionRequest=productDetail&amp;marketList=MARKET:MKT1|MARKET:MKT2|\">Gitzo\nGM3550 6X Carbon <span class='nobr'>Fiber 5<\/span> Section G-Lock Monopod<\/a>. <span class='nobr'>It's got the<\/span> <a\nhref=\"http:\/\/www.gitzo.com\/Jahia\/site\/gitzo\/pid\/13803\"\nclass='quiet'>G-Lock<\/a> section logs that are so nice to use, and it's\nlong enough to suit <span class='nobr'>my 6'4&#8221; height.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p>The problem I had was with the <a\nhref=\"http:\/\/www.reallyrightstuff.com\/rrs\/Customkititems.asp?kc=BH%2D25%2DPro&amp;eq=\">Really\nRight Stuff BH-25 Pro<\/a> mini ballhead. <span class='nobr'>It fit on<\/span> top of the Gitzo leg\n<i>perfectly<\/i>, and looked like it'd be great:<\/p>\n\n<div class='ic'><a name='035156' href=\"\/i\/JEF_035156.jpg\"\n><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/i\/JEF_035156_sm.jpg\" width=\"690\" height=\"462\"\nalt=\"Really Right Stuff BH-25 Pro Not recommended for a monopod -- Rootstown, Ohio, USA -- Copyright 2007 Jeffrey Eric Francis Friedl\"\nid=\"i035156\"\ntitle=\"Really Right Stuff BH-25 Pro on a Gitzo GM3550 monopod: not recommended\"\/><\/a>\n<br\/><span class=\"camera-info robots-nocontent\">Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f\/2.8 @ 55mm &mdash; <sup>1<\/sup><big>\/<\/big>125 sec, f\/6.3, ISO 100 &mdash;\n<a  href=\"\/imageinfo.cgi?url=http%3A%2F%2Fregex.info%2Fi%2FJEF_035156.jpg\">map &amp; image data<\/a> &mdash; <a href=\"\/blog\/proximity\/i\/JEF_035156.jpg\">nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n<br\/><span class='caption'>Really Right Stuff BH-25 Pro<\/span><br\/>Not recommended for a monopod\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Really Right Stuff makes <i>wonderful<\/i> stuff, and as <span class='nobr'>I wrote<\/span> on my\ntripod posting, their flagship <a\nhref=\"http:\/\/www.reallyrightstuff.com\/rrs\/items.asp?Cc=Ballhead55&amp;iTpStatus=0&amp;Tp=&amp;Bc=\"\nclass='quiet'>BH-55 ballhead<\/a> is so finely crafted and so precisely made\nthat one somehow feels <span class='nobr'>a strange<\/span> desire to lick it. <span class='nobr'>It's not really<\/span>\npossible to overemphasize the quality of and workmanship involved here.<\/p>\n\n<p>However, their mini BH-25 is not at all in the same class. <span class='nobr'>I like to<\/span>\nthink that I'm not <span class='nobr'>a total<\/span> wimp, but <span class='nobr'>I couldn't<\/span> clamp it strongly enough to\nstop my D200 + 17-55\/2.8 from moving around. <span class='nobr'>It lacks<\/span> the smooth feel of\nits big brother (more like big third cousin). <span class='nobr'>I was disappointed<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n<p>So, <span class='nobr'>I called<\/span> Really Right Stuff and asked if perhaps <span class='nobr'>I was<\/span> doing\nsomething wrong, to which they said &#8220;yes, the BH-25 is not really\nappropriate for <span class='nobr'>a monopod.<\/span>&#8221; They said that <span class='nobr'>I should<\/span> send the BH-25 back to\nthem for <span class='nobr'>a full<\/span> refund, which <span class='nobr'>I later<\/span> did.<\/p>\n\n<p>They feel that any ballhead is not really appropriate for <span class='nobr'>a monopod,<\/span> and\ninstead suggested what <span class='nobr'>a Manfrotto<\/span> #3232\nswivel head, with a <a\nhref=\"http:\/\/www.reallyrightstuff.com\/rrs\/Itemdesc.asp?ic=B2%2DPro&amp;eq=&amp;Tp=\">Really\nRight Stuff B2-Pro<\/a> clamp:<\/p>\n\n<div class='ic'><a name='035153' href=\"\/i\/JEF_035153.jpg\"\n><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/i\/JEF_035153_sm.jpg\" width=\"690\" height=\"462\"\nalt=\"Manfrotto #3232 Swivel \/ RRS B2-Pro on my Gitzo 3550 monopod -- Rootstown, Ohio, USA -- Copyright 2007 Jeffrey Eric Francis Friedl\"\nid=\"i035153\"\ntitle=\"Manfrotto 3232 Swivel and a Really Right Stuff B2-Pro clamp on a Gitzo GM3550 monopod\"\/><\/a>\n<br\/><span class=\"camera-info robots-nocontent\">Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f\/2.8 @ 45mm &mdash; <sup>1<\/sup><big>\/<\/big>200 sec, f\/4.5, ISO 100 &mdash;\n<a  href=\"\/imageinfo.cgi?url=http%3A%2F%2Fregex.info%2Fi%2FJEF_035153.jpg\">map &amp; image data<\/a> &mdash; <a href=\"\/blog\/proximity\/i\/JEF_035153.jpg\">nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n<br\/><span class='caption'>Manfrotto #3232 Swivel \/ RRS B2-Pro<\/span><br\/>on my Gitzo 3550 monopod\n<\/div>\n\n<p class='update'><b>Update:<\/b> <span class='nobr'>I got<\/span> rid of the Manfrotto swivel described here... details further below.<\/p>\n\n<p>I ordered it while on the phone with them, and they offered to send it\npre-assembled so that I'd not have to spend the 30 seconds to do it myself. <span class='nobr'>I thought<\/span> that was nice.<\/p>\n\n<p>With this setup, the head allows rotation on one axis, and the monopod\ncan be easily rotated about another. <span class='nobr'>Its advantages<\/span> are that movement on\neach axis is separate, and there's no movement on the tilt axis (movement\nyou don't generally want with <span class='nobr'>a monopod,<\/span> especially if you have <span class='nobr'>a rotating<\/span>\ncolor on the lens); this all combines for less floppage, which is <span class='nobr'>a Good<\/span>\nThing.&trade;<\/p>\n\n<p>Here's my camera mounted on it:<\/p>\n\n<div class='ic'><a href=\"\/i\/MOM_1141.jpg\"\n><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/i\/MOM_1141_sm.jpg\" width=\"690\" height=\"462\"\nalt=\"Rootstown, Ohio, USA -- Copyright 2007 Jeffrey Eric Francis Friedl\"\nid=\"i1141\"\ntitle=\"Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f\/2.8 mounted on a Gitzo 3550 monopod leg with a Manfrotto #3232 Swivel and a Really Right Stuff B2-Pro clamp\"\/><\/a>\n<br\/><span class=\"camera-info robots-nocontent\">Kodak DX6490 &mdash; <sup>1<\/sup><big>\/<\/big>500 sec, f\/4.5, ISO 80 &mdash;\n<a  href=\"\/imageinfo.cgi?url=http%3A%2F%2Fregex.info%2Fi%2FMOM_1141.jpg\">map &amp; image data<\/a> &mdash; <a href=\"\/blog\/proximity\/i\/MOM_1141.jpg\">nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>I've used it a few times now, and still need more practice, but one\nthing I'm not happy about is that it requires <span class='nobr'>a wrench<\/span> when switching\nbetween <span class='nobr'>a lens<\/span> with <span class='nobr'>a mounting<\/span> foot and one without. <span class='nobr'>A quick<\/span>-release clamp\non <span class='nobr'>a camera<\/span> is mounted at right angles to one mounted on the foot of <span class='nobr'>a zoom<\/span>\nlens, and since the Manfrotto swivel moves on only one axis, the clamp\ninstalled on top of it needs to be rotated 90&deg; when switching lenses.\nThat requires <span class='nobr'>a wrench,<\/span> and sort of defeats the whole purpose of\nquick-release clamps.<\/p>\n\n<p>One way to solve the problem is to mount the zoom's quick-release clamp\nsideways. This would be <span class='nobr'>a perfect<\/span> solution except that the plate is\nintended to be mounted lengthwise with two bolts, and could tend to allow\nrotation when mounted with just one bolt. <span class='nobr'>It'd be a<\/span> kludge, at best.<\/p>\n\n<p>Now, if Really Right Stuff (or anyone) produced <span class='nobr'>a right<\/span>-angle\nquick-release clamp for <span class='nobr'>a zoom,<\/span> the problem would be solved.<\/p>\n\n<p class='update'><b>Update:<\/b> <span class='nobr'>I ended<\/span> up dumping the horrid Manfrotto swivel for\n<span class='nobr'>a Really<\/span> Right Stuff product that came out <span class='nobr'>a few<\/span> years later, their\n<a href='http:\/\/reallyrightstuff.com\/ProductDesc.aspx?code=MH-01&amp;type=0&amp;eq=&amp;desc=MH-01-Hi-Capacity-Monopod-Head'>High-Capacity Monopod Head<\/a>,\n<span class='nobr'>a wonderful<\/span> product that makes my monopod solution complete.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>I need more practice with my monopod, and <span class='nobr'>I need<\/span> to read stuff like this\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.outdooreyes.com\/photo5.php3\">guide to using <span class='nobr'>a\nmonopod<\/span><\/a>. <span class='nobr'>I used it<\/span> somewhat clumsily when photographing the\n<a href=\"\/blog\/2007-08-11\/541\">scruffy wet birds<\/a> the other day, and quite <span class='nobr'>a bit<\/span>\n<a href=\"\/blog\/2007-08-23\/553\">yesterday at the train station<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Here's a picture my sister snapped of me while <span class='nobr'>I was<\/span> snapping pictures of the kids:<\/p>\n\n<div class='ic'><a href=\"\/i\/PICT1354.jpg\"\n><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/i\/PICT1354_sm.jpg\" width=\"486\" height=\"550\"\nalt=\"Marginal Monopod Stance -- Alliance, Ohio, USA -- Copyright 2007 Marcina Kreta\"\nid=\"ism\"\ntitle=\"How to use a monopod.... sort of\"\/><\/a>\n<br\/><span class=\"camera-info robots-nocontent\">Konica-Minolta Maxxum 7D &mdash; <sup>1<\/sup><big>\/<\/big>250 sec, f\/6.3, ISO 100 &mdash;\n<a  href=\"\/imageinfo.cgi?url=http%3A%2F%2Fregex.info%2Fi%2FPICT1354.jpg\">map &amp; image data<\/a> &mdash; <a href=\"\/blog\/proximity\/i\/PICT1354.jpg\">nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n<br\/><span class='caption'>Marginal Monopod Stance<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Had I known she was taking pictures of me, <span class='nobr'>I would<\/span> have pretended to use\n<span class='nobr'>a better<\/span> stance. <span class='nobr'>It's good that<\/span> my feet aren't together, and good that I'm\ndraping my free hand over the head of the long <a\nhref=\"\/blog\/2006-11-06\/275\" class='quiet'>70-200 f\/2.8\nzoom<\/a> to dampen vibrations, but the tripod is straight up and down,\nwhich is not as good as having it angled out away from me like <span class='nobr'>a third<\/span>\ntripod leg.<\/p>\n\n<p>The problem was as described above: <span class='nobr'>I didn't<\/span> have the wrench with me, so\n<span class='nobr'>I couldn't<\/span> reset the clamp for the zoom lens, effectively disabling any\nsensible adjustability on the head. <span class='nobr'>I could<\/span> adjust only so far as <span class='nobr'>I could<\/span>\ntilt the thing, and that was it.<\/p>\n\n<p>It was still a pleasure to work with, and I'm sure the results were much\nbetter than <span class='nobr'>I would<\/span> have gotten handheld. I'll probably adjust the clamp\nfor use with the zoom, and generally forgo the monopod when using <span class='nobr'>a\nshorter<\/span> lens. We'll see.<\/p>\n\n<p>As I mentioned yesterday, <span class='nobr'>I let Anthony<\/span> use my camera with the monopod.\nYou can't tell in the picture below, but the big zoom was attached, so at\nfirst <span class='nobr'>I was<\/span> <span class='nobr'>a bit<\/span> tentative to let him handle things...<\/p>\n\n\n<div class='ic'><a href=\"\/i\/PICT1316.jpg\"\n><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/i\/PICT1316_sm.jpg\" width=\"602\" height=\"550\"\nalt=\"Anthony Takes a Picture of His Aunt ...taking a picture of her nephew -- Alliance, Ohio, USA -- Copyright 2007 Marcina Kreta\"\nid=\"PICT1316\"\ntitle=\"Four-year-old Anthony using a Nikon D200 and Nikkor 70-200 f\/2.8 with a monopod\"\/><\/a>\n<br\/><span class=\"camera-info robots-nocontent\">Konica-Minolta Maxxum 7D &mdash; <sup>1<\/sup><big>\/<\/big>160 sec, f\/7.1, ISO 100 &mdash;\n<a  href=\"\/imageinfo.cgi?url=http%3A%2F%2Fregex.info%2Fi%2FPICT1316.jpg\">map &amp; image data<\/a><br\/>Photo by Marci Kreta<\/span>\n<br\/><span class='caption'>Anthony Takes <span class='nobr'>a Picture<\/span> of His Aunt<\/span><br\/>...taking a picture of her nephew\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Here's the shot he was taking...<\/p>\n\n<div class='ic'><a name='035382' href=\"\/i\/JEF_035382.jpg\"\n><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/i\/JEF_035382_sm.jpg\" width=\"690\" height=\"462\"\nid=\"i035382\"\/><\/a>\n<br\/><span class=\"camera-info robots-nocontent\">Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f\/2.8 @ 70mm &mdash; <sup>1<\/sup><big>\/<\/big>250 sec, f\/5, ISO 400 &mdash;\n<a  href=\"\/imageinfo.cgi?url=http%3A%2F%2Fregex.info%2Fi%2FJEF_035382.jpg\">map &amp; image data<\/a><br\/>Photo by Anthony Friedl<\/span>\n<br\/><span class='caption'>Aunt Marci Takes <span class='nobr'>a Picture<\/span> of Her Nephew<\/span><br\/>...taking a picture of his aunt\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>After a bit, <span class='nobr'>I let him<\/span> do it on his own, and all by himself he took this shot of me and Josh (that was included in my\n<a href=\"\/blog\/2007-08-23\/553#Anthony\">previous post<\/a>):<\/p>\n\n<div class='ic'><a name='035409' href=\"\/i\/JEF_035409.jpg\"\n><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/i\/JEF_035409_sm.jpg\" width=\"690\" height=\"462\"\nid=\"i035409\"\/><\/a>\n<br\/><span class=\"camera-info robots-nocontent\">Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f\/2.8 @ 70mm &mdash; <sup>1<\/sup><big>\/<\/big>500 sec, f\/5, ISO 400 &mdash;\n<a  href=\"\/imageinfo.cgi?url=http%3A%2F%2Fregex.info%2Fi%2FJEF_035409.jpg\">map &amp; image data<\/a><br\/>Photo by Anthony Friedl<\/span>\n<br\/><span class='caption'>Portrait by Anthony<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I recently wrote about the pro-caliber tripod I put together with components from Gitzo and Really Right Stuff. This time I'm writing about a monopod that I put together at the same time. However, unlike the tripod, it took two tries to get a good monopod solution, and at that, I'm still not 100% happy with it.<\/p> <p class='update'><b>Update:<\/b> I made some changes, described in updates below, and now I'm happy with it.<\/p> <p> I had no problem with the monopod leg itself, a Gitzo GM3550 6X Carbon Fiber 5 Section G-Lock Monopod. It's got the G-Lock section logs that [...]","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,7,1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/554"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=554"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/554\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=554"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=554"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=554"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}