 BetterPhoto Member |
Is it Easy to Use a Monopod I've just started taking digital pictures so I'm really an amateur. I found this site after I bought the Digital Photography Book by Jim Miotke...now I'm hooked. I got a Canon Rebel XTi for my birthday and I have a 70-300 mm lens...all the pictures are blurry. A friend told me I need a tripod or a monopod because I'm not holding the camera steady. I think I'd prefer a monopod but I'm not sure I can handle it. I would appreciate any suggestions or advice. Thank You. I know this question is probably very elementary to those of you who are great photographers...but, I need all the help I can get.
|
|
|
|
||
- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
Might just need practice and a faster shutter speed. Monopods take getting used to, following something moving across you. The pivot point changes from your head and neck to the monopod. You may have a tendency to lean the camera.
|
|
|
|
||
|
W. |
A monopod is three times easier to handle than a tripod, imo: a monopod's got two less legs to set up and get constricted in.
|
|
|
|
||
|
Mark Feldstein |
Hi ya Hannah ! I can't recall seeing this question before. Good one though. Monopods, such as the one depicted in the recent photograph of Will above, are pretty straightforward. While a tripod uses 3 legs, a monopod as one leg, can use your own two legs as two additional supports. When you use a monopod, just broaden your stance a bit to give the monopod some additional support to prevent lateral sway and help absorb vibration if necessary. The other thing a monopod is useful for is panning simply by swiveling or spinning the monopod to follow the action. Just make sure the camera is firmly locked down so it won't tilt or loosen while you turn it. And, although they will help steady up a camera to some extent, you really need to practice your shutter release techniques to get that down. You can steady the camera by pressing it to your head somewhat, holding your breath as you shoot, and using a cable release to depress the shutter. A monopod isn't the whole solution but when working with a monopod, those techniques should help steady the camera and the pod as well.
|
|
|
|
||
|
Oliver Anderson |
I do use a monopod all the time, I even have an Arca Swiss B1 on mine but unlike Mark I prefer to slowly exhale while shooting...kinda like slowly squeezing a trigger. When I first photographed a Pro Football game I was jerky and all over the place...it takes a couple hours to really get controlled and smooth so give it time. I don't use a cable shutter release since I like to control the lens with one hand...I also have the 2.8 glass so it makes it A LOT easier.
|
|
|
|
||
|
Curt Morris |
Hannah, I use a Bogen monopod and a 2.8 70-200 lens to capture my kids sporting events. I would agree with the other posters ... tripods are too big for sporting events and the monopod takes some getting used to. The issue you have been facing is probably due to shutter speed. Even with a monopod, if you do not have a fast enough shutter speed, the images may be bury, especially all the way out at 300mm. The basic rule of thumb is 2x focal length. So you would need to shoot at 1/600 with the lens all the way out. A monopod, tripod and cable release may help reduce shake somewhat but the faster shutter speed will also help. The fast glass that Oliver mentions allows a faster shutter speed even in lower light conditions. Try shooting in shutter priority mode with a faster shutter speed. If the images are under exposed, increase the ISO. The images may be grainy at a higher ISO, but would you rather grainy or blury?
|
|
|
|
||
|
Debra Booth |
Here's a link to an article that provides different techniques for using a monopod: http://www.outdooreyes.com/photo5.php3 It may take some practice to find the method that works best for you.
|
|
|
|
||
|
Bob Cammarata |
A monopod will only stabilize the vertical movement of your camera/lens combo. The side-to-side and forward/reverse movements will be at the mercy of your own (practiced) techniques. You can achieve increased stability with your monopod when you prop it against something solid...like a stump or a fence post.
|
|
|
|
||
|
Diane Dupuis |
I have the xti also and I use a monopod most of the time as I find it hard to hold steadily. It takes getting used to but unless I'm indoors with plenty of light - I'm going to use it... Look at the manfrotto neotec - it has a different leg system which I prefer over others. http://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-685B-Neotec-Monopod-Deluxe/dp/B000AQOD2U
|
|
|
|
||
|
BetterPhoto Member |
I use a piece of string with a clip at one end that attaches to the screw mount at the bottom of my camera and the other end loops around my foot. You will need help from a friend to find the perfect lenth that meets your eye. Hold the lens up and have them wrap it around your foot and mark where it needs to be tied. Then you have a cheap monopod that you can carry in your pocket. One less thing to carry is weight off my back (no pun intended). Basically your pulling a little at both ends to keep the camera still. I use to do the hold the breath thing, but I use my image stabilizer and can get shots at 15 all the time. Without it 60. If you have too, buy a tripod. You can use it as a monopod or a tripod.
|
|
|
|
||
|
Oliver Anderson |
John setup is known as a Ghettopod at the racetracks. If you do it you can use a heavy washer from the hardware store and instead of a string a lite rope is better because I tend to move quickly and break string too easily. Very skilled photogrpahers use this sometimes at the tracks believe it or not...and if you get really good with the rope and washer you can learn to lasso a beer from 7 feet and pull it to your hands.
|
|
|
|
||
|
Bob Cammarata |
I've tried the string trick but it didn't work as well for me. (Most of the beer would spill out before I could grab it.Seriously though...,I've used monopods (or tripods I'd closed to form a single leg) both in macro and with super-telephotos and haven't been happy with my results. The only keepers were those when I propped my support system against something solid.
|
|
|
|
||
|
- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
Hannah, things to know about hand held, monopods, and tripods. You can use one and not need the other two. You can use one and have the other two slow you down or get in the way of getting good results. Had good results with all three, doing close up, slow shutter, and telephoto with all three at some point. You just started, you'll practice, you'll get better.
|
|
|
|
||
|
This old forum is now archived. Use improved Forum here
Report this Thread |
||