…too much Tripod?

[Steve Crow]

To be honest you WANT a heavy tripod…yes, they are a pain to lug around and set up but you won’t be doing yourself any favors by downgrading to a lighter base for your pans and tilts. With that said, you might want to check out the Manfrotto Monopod (don’t have the model number handy but it’s the newer one with the 701HDV head on it and the nice fold-up legs at the bottom)

Many Pro shooters like the crew over at StillMotion rely on Monopods to move fast at anything-can-happen events like Weddings and Pro Football games yet still have a steady platform from which to grab shots. Of course you can’t really walk away from your Monopod/camera setup like you can a tripod but other than that they seem to be an excellent solution…check it out.

Steve Crow
Crow Digital Media
http://www.CrowDigitalMedia.com

[Steve Crow]

Here’s a link to the monopod I was thinking of:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=wishlisting&A=wishlistDetail&Q=&li=457681188B

Steve Crow
Crow Digital Media
http://www.CrowDigitalMedia.com

[John Young]

I have that same 503 head (although slightly older) with the big sturdy Manfrotto sticks underneath for my 7D camera package. I really like it, and for the work that I do, this setup is great. It is very stable when need stability, and when I need fluid pans and tilts.
For those times when I need to prioritize speed over stability, I switch to the monopod (I have just a standard Manfrotto monopod with one of their medium sized ball heads). I use this for run and gun capture, live music shooting, etc. And when I need to go even faster, I can put that monopod on my shoulder and turn the ball head 90degrees, and have a pretty solid makeshift shoulder mount.

I echo Steve’s suggestions. I don’t see good reasons to downsize and would discourage getting rid of a sturdy setup like the 503. Instead, think of a monopod when you need to be go fast and sacrifice stability.

http://www.johnathanyoung.com

[Paolo Zuniga]

Right on, thanks for the input! I think the reason I was struggling with the decision to downsize was because, despite its weight, it’s a VERY solid tripod and I’ve never had to worry about it tipping over during camera movements. But my concern was that if I did downsized, I would end up dealing with bigger issues than weight, like tipping, smoothness, etc..

I’m going to stick with my Tripod and look into a Monopod for those “on the go” moments.

Thanks again!

p

[Rob Manning]

Let me know if you change your mind 😉

The acid test, put your hand on the base plate at the top and pat the legs, if it shimmy’s, it’s not a good thing, that rig does not shimmy.

Rob

[Casey Petersen]

It’s really an issue of what suits your needs the best.

If, for instance, you are traveling abroad and having to carry all your gear with you wherever you go (especially if you have to be walking the whole time), you might be more willing to sacrifice a little sturdiness/weight for practicality’s sake, where a lighter tripod or monopod may not be perfect, but would be acceptable and practical at the same time.

There’s no perfect solution for every situation…you can’t have a tripod that’s heavy and sturdy, yet lightweight, small and portable at the same time. I guess that’s why we buy different types of gear…small tripods, large tripods and monopods, so we have a choice on what the best, most appropriate tool for what each job requires.

Just my two cents….

Casey