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#51
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Request views on Nikon 18-200 lens
Chris Malcolm wrote in
: Sheila wrote: Stephen Bishop wrote: On Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:06:32 -0500, Sheila wrote: Personally, I think VR is overrated, but it sells lenses. A good tripod is still your best tool to ensure sharp images when shooting slow shutter speeds. However, I realize it isn't always practical to carry one around everywhere. Even with a monopod my photos are much better, but I have a nice but heavy monopod, I am getting a much lighter one for our upcoming cruise so that I can carry it all day during touring. Of course, for night shots I MUST have a tripod. I used to carry a light monopod everywhere, often attached to the camera so that I could just extend it when needed. When I started using cameras of DSLR weight and quality I found it had two disadvantages. The first was that when using it as a pole to hoist the camera into a viewing position I could not reach, the bottom segment or two weren't quite strong enough to lift the horizontally extended weight of the camera, so I lost pole length. The second was that like all monopods it didn't stop swivel-shake about the rotation axis of the pole. So now I carry a much bigger heavier monopod everywhere. The extra strength means I can hold a DSLR horizontally out on the end with the pole fully extended. Part of the extra weight is a small set of tripod feet which are normally folded up inside the pole, but when deployed stop that annoying swivel shake on very long lenses, and also allow it to be a tripod in stable calm conditions where there's time to allow it to stabilise, such as inside churches. So although it's a lot heavier, it has substantially reduced those times when I say "Maybe I'd better take a tripod just in case". Apart from the gorillapod I always carry anyway of course :-) Last but not least, it could probably knock out a camera thief without being marked or dented in the slightest :-) But what about getting tired carrying it around all day? I had also discovered that over the decades I had aged and weakened so that I could no longer stroll around for hours with a heavy camera in my hands without getting tired and sometimes strained. I discovered that a few months of weight training improved my strength to the point where I can quite happily carry a heavy camera and monopod around for hours in my hands without being bothered at all by the weight. I can also carry heavier shopping bags much further which is handy. So I would say don't buy a light monopod, buy a set of dumb bells and get stronger :-) I have been using an older Nikon 70-210 lens on a Nikon D50, for sports events. Most of the pictures are taken at full extended zoom and I have yet to see a blurred photo and I don't use a tripod. So what is all this fuss about VR? As long as you have reasonably steady hands, there is no problem. |
#52
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Request views on Nikon 18-200 lens
In article , Jack
wrote: I have been using an older Nikon 70-210 lens on a Nikon D50, for sports events. Most of the pictures are taken at full extended zoom and I have yet to see a blurred photo and I don't use a tripod. So what is all this fuss about VR? As long as you have reasonably steady hands, there is no problem. for sports you probably are using a fast enough shutter speed and vr isn't going to make much of a difference. try it with a shutter speed around 1/30-1/60th, at 210mm. |
#53
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Request views on Nikon 18-200 lens
Jack wrote:
[] I have been using an older Nikon 70-210 lens on a Nikon D50, for sports events. Most of the pictures are taken at full extended zoom and I have yet to see a blurred photo and I don't use a tripod. So what is all this fuss about VR? As long as you have reasonably steady hands, there is no problem. Outdoor or indoor events? But as nospam said, it you're shooting at 1/200s or faster, that should be enough on a 210mm lens. I can be using 1/50s or slower (non-sporting), and the VR helps me. David |
#54
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Request views on Nikon 18-200 lens
Chris Malcolm wrote:
Sheila wrote: Stephen Bishop wrote: On Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:06:32 -0500, Sheila wrote: Personally, I think VR is overrated, but it sells lenses. A good tripod is still your best tool to ensure sharp images when shooting slow shutter speeds. However, I realize it isn't always practical to carry one around everywhere. Even with a monopod my photos are much better, but I have a nice but heavy monopod, I am getting a much lighter one for our upcoming cruise so that I can carry it all day during touring. Of course, for night shots I MUST have a tripod. I used to carry a light monopod everywhere, often attached to the camera so that I could just extend it when needed. When I started using cameras of DSLR weight and quality I found it had two disadvantages. The first was that when using it as a pole to hoist the camera into a viewing position I could not reach, the bottom segment or two weren't quite strong enough to lift the horizontally extended weight of the camera, so I lost pole length. The second was that like all monopods it didn't stop swivel-shake about the rotation axis of the pole. So now I carry a much bigger heavier monopod everywhere. The extra strength means I can hold a DSLR horizontally out on the end with the pole fully extended. Part of the extra weight is a small set of tripod feet which are normally folded up inside the pole, but when deployed stop that annoying swivel shake on very long lenses, and also allow it to be a tripod in stable calm conditions where there's time to allow it to stabilise, such as inside churches. So although it's a lot heavier, it has substantially reduced those times when I say "Maybe I'd better take a tripod just in case". Apart from the gorillapod I always carry anyway of course :-) Last but not least, it could probably knock out a camera thief without being marked or dented in the slightest :-) But what about getting tired carrying it around all day? I had also discovered that over the decades I had aged and weakened so that I could no longer stroll around for hours with a heavy camera in my hands without getting tired and sometimes strained. I discovered that a few months of weight training improved my strength to the point where I can quite happily carry a heavy camera and monopod around for hours in my hands without being bothered at all by the weight. I can also carry heavier shopping bags much further which is handy. So I would say don't buy a light monopod, buy a set of dumb bells and get stronger :-) I don't have a problem carrying a heavier camera, I keep the strap around my neck, but I tuck the lens under my arm to take the weight off my neck and it works pretty well. Now, the monopod is another thing. It's actually the ball head and quick release that is adding a lot of the weight. This week we were on vacation and I used the monopod quite a bit, but we were driving so I wasn't carrying it. It was the last vacation when we were climbing up a mountain trail that it got so heavy. Sounds like you really like your monopod that has 'tripod' extensions on it. I had considered that option and I might take my new one back if they don't charge a restocking fee and get one of those. And you are right, I need to get stronger too. Also, I need to start taking walks so I can walk longer. -- Sheila http://swdalton.com |
#55
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Request views on Nikon 18-200 lens
Sheila wrote:
Chris Malcolm wrote: Sheila wrote: Stephen Bishop wrote: On Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:06:32 -0500, Sheila wrote: Personally, I think VR is overrated, but it sells lenses. A good tripod is still your best tool to ensure sharp images when shooting slow shutter speeds. However, I realize it isn't always practical to carry one around everywhere. Even with a monopod my photos are much better, but I have a nice but heavy monopod, I am getting a much lighter one for our upcoming cruise so that I can carry it all day during touring. Of course, for night shots I MUST have a tripod. I used to carry a light monopod everywhere, often attached to the camera so that I could just extend it when needed. When I started using cameras of DSLR weight and quality I found it had two disadvantages. The first was that when using it as a pole to hoist the camera into a viewing position I could not reach, the bottom segment or two weren't quite strong enough to lift the horizontally extended weight of the camera, so I lost pole length. The second was that like all monopods it didn't stop swivel-shake about the rotation axis of the pole. So now I carry a much bigger heavier monopod everywhere. The extra strength means I can hold a DSLR horizontally out on the end with the pole fully extended. Part of the extra weight is a small set of tripod feet which are normally folded up inside the pole, but when deployed stop that annoying swivel shake on very long lenses, and also allow it to be a tripod in stable calm conditions where there's time to allow it to stabilise, such as inside churches. So although it's a lot heavier, it has substantially reduced those times when I say "Maybe I'd better take a tripod just in case". Apart from the gorillapod I always carry anyway of course :-) Last but not least, it could probably knock out a camera thief without being marked or dented in the slightest :-) But what about getting tired carrying it around all day? I had also discovered that over the decades I had aged and weakened so that I could no longer stroll around for hours with a heavy camera in my hands without getting tired and sometimes strained. I discovered that a few months of weight training improved my strength to the point where I can quite happily carry a heavy camera and monopod around for hours in my hands without being bothered at all by the weight. I can also carry heavier shopping bags much further which is handy. So I would say don't buy a light monopod, buy a set of dumb bells and get stronger :-) I don't have a problem carrying a heavier camera, I keep the strap around my neck, but I tuck the lens under my arm to take the weight off my neck and it works pretty well. Now, the monopod is another thing. It's actually the ball head and quick release that is adding a lot of the weight. I used to use a heavy trigger release ball head on my monopod. It was very convenient for fast orientation, but it had an annoying disadvantage apart from weight. I often wanted to use my camera with a wide lens and perfectly horizontal view. It would have been very easy to do that if I'd been able to set the ball head perfectly vertically aligned with the monopod, since it was very easy to hold the monopod vertical. But there was always a small but important error in the alignment of the head. So I tried using the monopod without the head. The advantage was how easy it then was to get the camera perfectly horizontal, far more accurately than I can do when just handholding the camera. And it proved easy enough to get most of the tilts I wanted simply by tilting the whole pod. Surprisingly the monopod actually proved overall to be faster and more versatile when used without the head. So I now carry and use the monopod headless, only sometimes carrying the trigger ball head for those rare special occasions when I know I'll want it. -- Chris Malcolm |
#56
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Request views on Nikon 18-200 lens
Chris Malcolm wrote:
Sheila wrote: Chris Malcolm wrote: Sheila wrote: Stephen Bishop wrote: On Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:06:32 -0500, Sheila wrote: Personally, I think VR is overrated, but it sells lenses. A good tripod is still your best tool to ensure sharp images when shooting slow shutter speeds. However, I realize it isn't always practical to carry one around everywhere. Even with a monopod my photos are much better, but I have a nice but heavy monopod, I am getting a much lighter one for our upcoming cruise so that I can carry it all day during touring. Of course, for night shots I MUST have a tripod. I used to carry a light monopod everywhere, often attached to the camera so that I could just extend it when needed. When I started using cameras of DSLR weight and quality I found it had two disadvantages. The first was that when using it as a pole to hoist the camera into a viewing position I could not reach, the bottom segment or two weren't quite strong enough to lift the horizontally extended weight of the camera, so I lost pole length. The second was that like all monopods it didn't stop swivel-shake about the rotation axis of the pole. So now I carry a much bigger heavier monopod everywhere. The extra strength means I can hold a DSLR horizontally out on the end with the pole fully extended. Part of the extra weight is a small set of tripod feet which are normally folded up inside the pole, but when deployed stop that annoying swivel shake on very long lenses, and also allow it to be a tripod in stable calm conditions where there's time to allow it to stabilise, such as inside churches. So although it's a lot heavier, it has substantially reduced those times when I say "Maybe I'd better take a tripod just in case". Apart from the gorillapod I always carry anyway of course :-) Last but not least, it could probably knock out a camera thief without being marked or dented in the slightest :-) But what about getting tired carrying it around all day? I had also discovered that over the decades I had aged and weakened so that I could no longer stroll around for hours with a heavy camera in my hands without getting tired and sometimes strained. I discovered that a few months of weight training improved my strength to the point where I can quite happily carry a heavy camera and monopod around for hours in my hands without being bothered at all by the weight. I can also carry heavier shopping bags much further which is handy. So I would say don't buy a light monopod, buy a set of dumb bells and get stronger :-) I don't have a problem carrying a heavier camera, I keep the strap around my neck, but I tuck the lens under my arm to take the weight off my neck and it works pretty well. Now, the monopod is another thing. It's actually the ball head and quick release that is adding a lot of the weight. I used to use a heavy trigger release ball head on my monopod. It was very convenient for fast orientation, but it had an annoying disadvantage apart from weight. I often wanted to use my camera with a wide lens and perfectly horizontal view. It would have been very easy to do that if I'd been able to set the ball head perfectly vertically aligned with the monopod, since it was very easy to hold the monopod vertical. But there was always a small but important error in the alignment of the head. So I tried using the monopod without the head. The advantage was how easy it then was to get the camera perfectly horizontal, far more accurately than I can do when just handholding the camera. And it proved easy enough to get most of the tilts I wanted simply by tilting the whole pod. Surprisingly the monopod actually proved overall to be faster and more versatile when used without the head. So I now carry and use the monopod headless, only sometimes carrying the trigger ball head for those rare special occasions when I know I'll want it. The only problem with that for me is I would like a quick release. The quick release on my ball head is hard to release, but easy to attach. I don't like to carry the monopod around with the camera on it, but maybe I could get used to it. -- Sheila http://swdalton.com |
#57
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Request views on Nikon 18-200 lens
On Sun, 21 Dec 2008 12:51:24 -0500, Sheila wrote:
I don't have a problem carrying a heavier camera, I keep the strap around my neck, but I tuck the lens under my arm to take the weight off my neck and it works pretty well. Now, the monopod is another thing. It's actually the ball head and quick release that is adding a lot of the weight. . . . And you are right, I need to get stronger too. Also, I need to start taking walks so I can walk longer. The only problem with that for me is I would like a quick release. The quick release on my ball head is hard to release, but easy to attach. I don't like to carry the monopod around with the camera on it, but maybe I could get used to it. Here are some suggestions culled from newsgroup messages going back several years : [Anabella M.] " wrote: I have a Manfrotto 695 monopod and I need a head. What Manfrotto/Bogen head do you recommend? Model 486RC2 works well for me. (Manfrotto Monopod 681B and Canon 20D combination) YMMV, Anabella M. [C Wright] I have a Manfrotto monopod 676B digi and I'm wondering if a manfrotto ballhead would fit on the screw on top of the monopod so that I can angle the camera while using the monopod as support. I'll add to the other replies the specific information that the Manfrotto 3232 head works very well for this purpose. It is not a true ball head but it allows you to tilt your camera to the vertical which is probably what you are looking for. Additionally it is light weight so the weight of the thing is not a hindrance to the light weight that you probably got a monopod for in the first place. Chuck [Randy Berbaum] Most monopods are built for strength but light weight. The strength they aim for is to hold a camera steady, not to support the photographer as a walking stick. Some of the more robust and expensive models might hold up to being used a hiking staff, but would probably not last very long. There is a solution. Look at backpacking and outdoors suppliers for a walking stick or staff. Some of them have a camera thread under the top knob. This means the walking stick that is made to take the stress of that use can also be used as a monopod. If you want a pan/tilt head on top you can get a monopod head that will screw onto the camera thread and give you the functions you want. One other thing to watch is to check the maximum and minimum extension of the stick (if it is an expandable model). The minimum will effect how useful it will be when trying to take wildlife photos crouched behind a short bush. And the maximum will be most useful if it allows you to stand fully upright with the camera eyepiece to your eye. A too short monopod for you can be a real pain (in the neck and back). [Bob Salomon] There is a solution. Look at backpacking and outdoors suppliers for a walking stick or staff. The Novoflex BBSTOCK monopod is a LEKI cross country walking stick that can be used as a monopod or a duopod or a tripod. Can be ordered from any camera store. Includes carbide spike tip and removable shoe shoe as well as a removable hardwood top knob to attach the camera. [Steve Cutchen] Nikons tend to run an ounce or two more than the equivalent Canon in this price range, but if you are willing to lug around a 3 lb. lens, what is an ounce or two one way or the other? But, since these are generic lenses, you can probably get a Canon 30D or even a Nikon D80 and still be within your budget. With that long lens, save a hundred bucks or so for a good monopod/walking stick combo. Something like a Leki SIERRA AS staff with a Bogen or Manfroto quick release head that you can put on it when you need it to be a monopod. [Chris Malcolm] I wasn't sure how secure the quick disconnect plate on my monopod was, so when I was carrying it around upside down I made sure the camera strap was knotted short and tied to the monpod as security. So when some passing bushy twiggery unlatched the camera from the monopod it simply dangled safely a few inches further down on the strap :-) Since then for rough carry I've switched to plates whose unlocking lever has a lock :-) [Buy_Sell] I bought the professional series Manfrotto 055B tripod and Manfrotto 134 monopod for ten bucks each in a garage sale. Later that week, I found the Manfrotto 488RC2 ball head for forty bucks in a local buysell forum. The ByThom web page is correct. I must have bought at least half a dozen other tripods and monopods before finally getting something that works for me, especially with the 80-200mm f2.8 lens. It is fairly heavy. [JT's Keeper] I've been looking for one that is 'beefy' enough for me (6'2", somewhat above 200Lb) and that has a tripod socket... nothing yet. Why not try looking at monopods which can be used as walking sticks? Some of them are extremely beefy, several times tougher (and heavier) than any walking pole. Alan, look at a Manfrotto 679B... This might meet your needs. It is the model *I* bought a few years back. FWIW, the ball head I mounted to it cost more than the monopod did. and I have two monopods, one light weight for walking long distances or with smaller cameras, and a beefier Manfrotto 685B with a 486RC2 ball head for heavier loads. The 685B, which has several innovative features was reviewed (with photos) by Michael Reichmann, who screws Manfrotto's smaller 482 Micro-Ball Head on it when he's out shooting with his similarly small Canon G10 : http://luminous-landscape.com/review.../monopod.shtml |
#58
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Request views on Nikon 18-200 lens
ASAAR wrote:
On Sun, 21 Dec 2008 12:51:24 -0500, Sheila wrote: I don't have a problem carrying a heavier camera, I keep the strap around my neck, but I tuck the lens under my arm to take the weight off my neck and it works pretty well. Now, the monopod is another thing. It's actually the ball head and quick release that is adding a lot of the weight. . . . And you are right, I need to get stronger too. Also, I need to start taking walks so I can walk longer. The only problem with that for me is I would like a quick release. The quick release on my ball head is hard to release, but easy to attach. I don't like to carry the monopod around with the camera on it, but maybe I could get used to it. Here are some suggestions culled from newsgroup messages going back several years : [Anabella M.] " wrote: I have a Manfrotto 695 monopod and I need a head. What Manfrotto/Bogen head do you recommend? Model 486RC2 works well for me. (Manfrotto Monopod 681B and Canon 20D combination) YMMV, Anabella M. [C Wright] I have a Manfrotto monopod 676B digi and I'm wondering if a manfrotto ballhead would fit on the screw on top of the monopod so that I can angle the camera while using the monopod as support. I'll add to the other replies the specific information that the Manfrotto 3232 head works very well for this purpose. It is not a true ball head but it allows you to tilt your camera to the vertical which is probably what you are looking for. Additionally it is light weight so the weight of the thing is not a hindrance to the light weight that you probably got a monopod for in the first place. Chuck [Randy Berbaum] Most monopods are built for strength but light weight. The strength they aim for is to hold a camera steady, not to support the photographer as a walking stick. Some of the more robust and expensive models might hold up to being used a hiking staff, but would probably not last very long. There is a solution. Look at backpacking and outdoors suppliers for a walking stick or staff. Some of them have a camera thread under the top knob. This means the walking stick that is made to take the stress of that use can also be used as a monopod. If you want a pan/tilt head on top you can get a monopod head that will screw onto the camera thread and give you the functions you want. One other thing to watch is to check the maximum and minimum extension of the stick (if it is an expandable model). The minimum will effect how useful it will be when trying to take wildlife photos crouched behind a short bush. And the maximum will be most useful if it allows you to stand fully upright with the camera eyepiece to your eye. A too short monopod for you can be a real pain (in the neck and back). [Bob Salomon] There is a solution. Look at backpacking and outdoors suppliers for a walking stick or staff. The Novoflex BBSTOCK monopod is a LEKI cross country walking stick that can be used as a monopod or a duopod or a tripod. Can be ordered from any camera store. Includes carbide spike tip and removable shoe shoe as well as a removable hardwood top knob to attach the camera. [Steve Cutchen] Nikons tend to run an ounce or two more than the equivalent Canon in this price range, but if you are willing to lug around a 3 lb. lens, what is an ounce or two one way or the other? But, since these are generic lenses, you can probably get a Canon 30D or even a Nikon D80 and still be within your budget. With that long lens, save a hundred bucks or so for a good monopod/walking stick combo. Something like a Leki SIERRA AS staff with a Bogen or Manfroto quick release head that you can put on it when you need it to be a monopod. [Chris Malcolm] I wasn't sure how secure the quick disconnect plate on my monopod was, so when I was carrying it around upside down I made sure the camera strap was knotted short and tied to the monpod as security. So when some passing bushy twiggery unlatched the camera from the monopod it simply dangled safely a few inches further down on the strap :-) Since then for rough carry I've switched to plates whose unlocking lever has a lock :-) [Buy_Sell] I bought the professional series Manfrotto 055B tripod and Manfrotto 134 monopod for ten bucks each in a garage sale. Later that week, I found the Manfrotto 488RC2 ball head for forty bucks in a local buysell forum. The ByThom web page is correct. I must have bought at least half a dozen other tripods and monopods before finally getting something that works for me, especially with the 80-200mm f2.8 lens. It is fairly heavy. [JT's Keeper] I've been looking for one that is 'beefy' enough for me (6'2", somewhat above 200Lb) and that has a tripod socket... nothing yet. Why not try looking at monopods which can be used as walking sticks? Some of them are extremely beefy, several times tougher (and heavier) than any walking pole. Alan, look at a Manfrotto 679B... This might meet your needs. It is the model *I* bought a few years back. FWIW, the ball head I mounted to it cost more than the monopod did. and I have two monopods, one light weight for walking long distances or with smaller cameras, and a beefier Manfrotto 685B with a 486RC2 ball head for heavier loads. The 685B, which has several innovative features was reviewed (with photos) by Michael Reichmann, who screws Manfrotto's smaller 482 Micro-Ball Head on it when he's out shooting with his similarly small Canon G10 : http://luminous-landscape.com/review.../monopod.shtml Thanks. That sounds like one nice monopod, I checked and it should be able to hold my D300 and lens. -- Sheila http://swdalton.com |
#59
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Request views on Nikon 18-200 lens
JT's Keeper wrote:
Sheila wrote: ASAAR wrote: On Sun, 21 Dec 2008 12:51:24 -0500, Sheila wrote: I don't have a problem carrying a heavier camera, I keep the strap around my neck, but I tuck the lens under my arm to take the weight off my neck and it works pretty well. Now, the monopod is another thing. It's actually the ball head and quick release that is adding a lot of the weight. . . . And you are right, I need to get stronger too. Also, I need to start taking walks so I can walk longer. The only problem with that for me is I would like a quick release. The quick release on my ball head is hard to release, but easy to attach. I don't like to carry the monopod around with the camera on it, but maybe I could get used to it. Here are some suggestions culled from newsgroup messages going back several years : [Anabella M.] " wrote: I have a Manfrotto 695 monopod and I need a head. What Manfrotto/Bogen head do you recommend? Model 486RC2 works well for me. (Manfrotto Monopod 681B and Canon 20D combination) YMMV, Anabella M. [C Wright] I have a Manfrotto monopod 676B digi and I'm wondering if a manfrotto ballhead would fit on the screw on top of the monopod so that I can angle the camera while using the monopod as support. I'll add to the other replies the specific information that the Manfrotto 3232 head works very well for this purpose. It is not a true ball head but it allows you to tilt your camera to the vertical which is probably what you are looking for. Additionally it is light weight so the weight of the thing is not a hindrance to the light weight that you probably got a monopod for in the first place. Chuck [Randy Berbaum] Most monopods are built for strength but light weight. The strength they aim for is to hold a camera steady, not to support the photographer as a walking stick. Some of the more robust and expensive models might hold up to being used a hiking staff, but would probably not last very long. There is a solution. Look at backpacking and outdoors suppliers for a walking stick or staff. Some of them have a camera thread under the top knob. This means the walking stick that is made to take the stress of that use can also be used as a monopod. If you want a pan/tilt head on top you can get a monopod head that will screw onto the camera thread and give you the functions you want. One other thing to watch is to check the maximum and minimum extension of the stick (if it is an expandable model). The minimum will effect how useful it will be when trying to take wildlife photos crouched behind a short bush. And the maximum will be most useful if it allows you to stand fully upright with the camera eyepiece to your eye. A too short monopod for you can be a real pain (in the neck and back). [Bob Salomon] There is a solution. Look at backpacking and outdoors suppliers for a walking stick or staff. The Novoflex BBSTOCK monopod is a LEKI cross country walking stick that can be used as a monopod or a duopod or a tripod. Can be ordered from any camera store. Includes carbide spike tip and removable shoe shoe as well as a removable hardwood top knob to attach the camera. [Steve Cutchen] Nikons tend to run an ounce or two more than the equivalent Canon in this price range, but if you are willing to lug around a 3 lb. lens, what is an ounce or two one way or the other? But, since these are generic lenses, you can probably get a Canon 30D or even a Nikon D80 and still be within your budget. With that long lens, save a hundred bucks or so for a good monopod/walking stick combo. Something like a Leki SIERRA AS staff with a Bogen or Manfroto quick release head that you can put on it when you need it to be a monopod. [Chris Malcolm] I wasn't sure how secure the quick disconnect plate on my monopod was, so when I was carrying it around upside down I made sure the camera strap was knotted short and tied to the monpod as security. So when some passing bushy twiggery unlatched the camera from the monopod it simply dangled safely a few inches further down on the strap :-) Since then for rough carry I've switched to plates whose unlocking lever has a lock :-) [Buy_Sell] I bought the professional series Manfrotto 055B tripod and Manfrotto 134 monopod for ten bucks each in a garage sale. Later that week, I found the Manfrotto 488RC2 ball head for forty bucks in a local buysell forum. The ByThom web page is correct. I must have bought at least half a dozen other tripods and monopods before finally getting something that works for me, especially with the 80-200mm f2.8 lens. It is fairly heavy. [JT's Keeper] I've been looking for one that is 'beefy' enough for me (6'2", somewhat above 200Lb) and that has a tripod socket... nothing yet. Why not try looking at monopods which can be used as walking sticks? Some of them are extremely beefy, several times tougher (and heavier) than any walking pole. Alan, look at a Manfrotto 679B... This might meet your needs. It is the model *I* bought a few years back. FWIW, the ball head I mounted to it cost more than the monopod did. and I have two monopods, one light weight for walking long distances or with smaller cameras, and a beefier Manfrotto 685B with a 486RC2 ball head for heavier loads. The 685B, which has several innovative features was reviewed (with photos) by Michael Reichmann, who screws Manfrotto's smaller 482 Micro-Ball Head on it when he's out shooting with his similarly small Canon G10 : http://luminous-landscape.com/review.../monopod.shtml Thanks. That sounds like one nice monopod, I checked and it should be able to hold my D300 and lens. I use a D300 on my 679B with a 70-200 f/2.8 VR... When *I* bought the 679B it was for a D70 (with the above lens) and an SB800 Flash. I don't have a problem hand holding heavier lenses at low shutter speeds... but I do with the lighter lenses sigh. - JT Happy shopping ;-) It's just the opposite for me, I can hold small cameras steady but not the heavier ones. -- Sheila http://swdalton.com |
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