I have this pod and find it very good. I've used it with D60 plus grip and a 300 f/2.8 and 1.7TE. I used the heavy duty ballhead with it, also very nice for the price. Both the monopod and ballhead are very sturdy and easy to work with. Fast shipping also as they are in the US.
ishootsports3 wrote:
I shoot a 300 2.8 on a d3 and i use a 680B which is the 690 with another section, a search in the general gear section may yield more results
I also have a 680B. There isn't anything fancy about it, but it's plenty for what little I need a monopod for. The heaviest setup I've had on it is D700 with grip and 70-200VR. The pod will easily handle more weight than that. The price is right too.
A little over your budget - its $60, but I find the Manfrotto 681B is rock solid for a D700 + 300 f2.8 or 80-400mm 4.5-5.6 VR IS. Lever locks are easy and fast to manipulate too.
When choosing a monopod consider how long it needs to be for when you want to use it while aiming at birds or aircraft that are well above your height, and how short it needs to be when packed up for travelling. Weight is a less significant consideration because your camera gear will weigh a whole lot more by the time you've got a few lenses and accessories in your kit.
A monopod need not be super rigid because you'll be moving anyway - they are after all inherently unstable by design. That's why IS / VR is often recommended with a monopod when it may not be recommended with a tripod. Also it means that unlike a tripod you need not get the "best" you can afford to do a useful job, but do check the weight carrying specs against the camera and lens you might use on it. Chances are that if you get a small ball head or tilt head then that will be the limiting factor in terms of load carrying capacity.
Another vote for the Manfrotto, though I admit to not owning the others. It works fine with the D700 and my 300 f/2.8 with 1.7 extender. However, I do not use a ballhead woth it. I find it less stable and considerably heavier. I prefer Manfrotto's monopod head. I dont need the head to have a full range of motion in that the monopod itself provides that. Also, I find the tripod collar's ability to go verticle is faster and more stable than a ballhead in this situation. Moreover, a ballhead scares me in that it might flop and on a monopod could be dangerous, at least for me.
Using the Manfroto monopod head with its RC2 quick release clamp is also compatible with my other ballheads like the 486RC2 and 488RC2. My two tripods and one monopod all accept that same RC2 plate which is really helpful and fast.
