Using a Monopod for birding-any advice?

[fairy bombs]

Hello.

My new Manfretto 681B monopod arrived yesterday,it is much more robust a taller than a small manfretto 676 'digi' I have on loan-and which I really never used,as it was too short for me,and was not very heavy duty.My kids used it a bit with their cam corders.

Anyhow-I got the idea this 681B was the goods at a local football field,where I work sometimes-a sports reporter has a 40D and 100-400 L and this monopod,I had a go using it and I thought the monopod might help with birding-so ordered one.

I have a Manfretto 484 CR ball head,I have attached,so really good height,more than I need, ( I am 6 ft 2 inch),so I like the good height.

I have had few goes,with the 50D and 400L,I like how it 'folds',when I want to walk around,a flick of the lever,and I can tilt the camera where I want.

Will the above kit be of benifit to birding?,is there any tips,or things I might need to keep in mind? I feel it will be a bit of time before I get the best results out of this new kit,learning how and where to hold etc,So if anyone here feels they have picked up a bit of 'learned' technique using this gear-please let us know.

Thanks,

[Harves]

I tried a monopod for a while, but didn't have a lot of success with it. Now use a tripod which I find a lot easier to use once I got used to carrying it around.

[fairy bombs]

yeah,not really sure how this will go for me either-I do not plan to use it all the time,but maybe in the shadows or late in the day it may have use.

[colinbm]

I have both, & the tripod wins on stability alone.
I would have thought the mono would be at its least advantage in shadowy work with the longer shutter speeds ?
Col

[enduro]

tongue in cheek advice ... get three and stick them together so they are a tripod.

I've considered using one in the past but thankfully have set aside the idea and purchased walking poles for my other outdoor pursuits that will do the trick should I ever need one.

For me, a mono might be portable but will be just a little more steady than my hand held grip. A mono only aids stability in one direction where a tripod aids it in all directions.

[Speedway]

I use my monopod all the time while birding and my keepers jumped considerably over hand held, especially in duller light. I have tried a tripod but found it useless when walking and none of my birds will stay still long enough to set it up.
Keith.

[enduro]

I have tried a tripod but found it useless when walking and none of my birds will stay still long enough to set it up.

that's where you need to leave the tripod set up all the time and carry it and your camera in hand or on on your shoulder. I can set my "ready" tripod up in about 5sec and start shooting.

nothing beats hand held for fast shooting, but it has to be great light to get great shots.

[Speedway]

that's where you need to leave the tripod set up all the time and carry it and your camera in hand or on on your shoulder. I can set my "ready" tripod up in about 5sec and start shooting..

I have tried a tripod but when walking through scrub on uneven ground found it next to usless as the legs keep catching on branches and by the time you get it set up because of the uneven ground and fallen branches the bird has flown.
Keith.

[fairy bombs]

Thanks for your thoughts,I did use one at football,and it helped a lot.But I rarely do that sort of thing,I have tried a few times with it,but-I ended up taking it off
camera.It might be useful on dusk or similar.

I have put it up for sale,in a few forums,but it looks like another 'dust collector' under the bed in the observatory.:(

[KeeFy]

I don't do any birding but i do use my tripod as a "monopod" as well. Although it does have the option to breakup into a real monopod, i just leave the legs extended but closed and use it like a monopod should there be no time to set it up as a tripod. Does that not work for you guys?

[Blueywa]

I sometimes use a heavy duty monopod when Im out and about with my Sigma 150-500.
It does help steady things and yes using one does take practice.