Some Thoughts on Monopods

by Graham Patterson

Much of my photography is done in conjunction with walking or cycling. Both of these modes of travel benefit from keeping the load down in terms of size and weight. Where I know I will be doing work that demands a tripod, I'll carry it, but for other times I find a monopod useful. The better portability means that I'm more willing to carry it, and if I have it, I'm likely to use it.

A visit to a good photographic shop will reveal a surprising range of 'pods, from the simplest with only a tripod screw on the top to ones with full pan/tilt heads. Personally I think a pan/tilt head is ridiculous on a support that isn't self-standing. There is always the head off your tripod if you need it. For reasons I'll explain below, I think you do need some form of adjustable head. A good ball head that locks really tight works well with most equipment. There is a case to be made for buying the ball head and finding a basic 'pod to fit it.

If you are using an oblong format camera then you need to be able to switch from horizontal to vertical. It is also useful when using a square format with a waist-level finder (WLF). If you need extra height you can turn the camera on it's side and stand side-on to the subject. This is also the best way to pan with a WLF if you aren't used to the process; the image is upside-down, but horizontal motion is normal. This is easier to do with a 'pod taking the weight.

I normally set my 'pod at an angle of about 30 degrees to the camera back. Standing with my feet a little wider than a shoulder's width apart I grip the top of the 'pod (not the camera) with one hand and lean into the 'pod slightly. Where possible I grip the pod with my other hand before making the exposure using a cable release. This braced stance is more stable than using the 'pod upright, but it does prevent rapid changes of viewpoint.

Used upright a 'pod will reduce camera movement, but it's main advantage is in supporting the weight of the camera. Sometimes the 'pod can be braced against a solid object, such as a fence, to give a surprisingly rigid support. Another useful technique is to set the collapsed 'pod parallel to the lens axis, slip the 'pod under your arm, and lean back against a wall. Again it pays to grip the end of the 'pod and not to apply force to the camera, otherwise the ball head will slip. A cable release will avoid the need for a third hand.

Uni-loc market the Duo-pod, which is a footplate with an inclined leg designed to fit one of their monopods. The idea is that standing on the plate holds the 'pod upright with both hands free. It certainly works on solid ground, but I have my doubts about it's efficacy in the wilds.

For field use, how about some nylon line and a couple of tent pegs? Make a double guy, with sliders if you prefer, and a loop or snap hook to connect it to the top of the pod. Nylon line has a little stretch, so there is no need for rubber loops, just an alloy ring at each end. Use 150mm alloy angle pegs, of the sort used for lightweight tents. These should push in by hand. Set the pegs about a metre or more apart, set the guys, and pull back on the 'pod to stiffen the arrangement. A third guy would make the arrangement self-supporting in calm conditions, but I wouldn't consider it stable enough for an exposure.

One accessory I would recommend is a quick release plate. It makes it much easier to detach and sling the camera so that the 'pod can be used for it's other purpose as a walking aid. While I'm 'on site' I tend to just collapse the 'pod and leave it on the camera.

When I'm walking I put the 'pod in the ice-axe loops of the rucksack, if I'm using one. I put the head through the bottom loop, twist it a few times to take up the slack, and strap it to the upper loop. (Normally you would slide the shaft of an ice-axe or geological hammer down through the loop to the head, and then fold the shaft upwards and strap it down.) For rambles I usually carry the 'pod. A wrist loop is very useful in such circumstances. In difficult terrain it is best secured to yourself or a pack to leave your hands free. Another possibility is to hang it from a belt loop and tie it to your thigh 'gunslinger' style.

A monopod is a compromise between the stability and immobility of a tripod, and the instability and mobility of hand holding. Used poorly, there is little gain over a hand held camera, but a little thought can make it into a very useful device.