Just wondering if any here have had any good success with a monopod while birding? If so, which monopod have you found to work the best. Any comments or suggestions are always appreciated.
I find monopods to work very well if you are moving around a lot, near too many people, or need to hike a ways to the spot. I've developed a technique that gives me the most flexibility. There's not much difference among the makers, except for the material and diameter of the tubes. I always use the Leofoto MPG 01 monopod gimbal on both my thin and fat monopod.
I probably shoot close to 90% with a monopod and RRS MH-01 head. I use a Canon 500m F4 v1 so it's not practical to shoot handheld for extended periods and I don't want to lug around my heavy and bulky tripod with a gimbal. The monopod is quite versatile and easy to hike around for several miles if needed.
If you are using a heavier lens and traveling some distance, I have found it helpful and much more comfortable to have some padding to rest the monopod/lens on my shoulder.
If you only carry one camera then a monopod can be very helpful. If, like some of us do, you carry two cameras, monopods are much tougher because you're required to lay the monopod/camera on the ground when using the second camera. I've tried a tripod and carrying the second camera on a strap but it's cumbersome, to say the least.
Steve
Jim:
My experience with monopods and birds is that they do not work for me. I was so often adjusting height for camera angle, or squatting down, (which defeated the purpose) for me. that I would miss 90% of the shots. That is my experience chasing the wee birds
I feel the use of pretty much any monopod for birding is very much dependent on your gear and what type of birding you're doing. With my Z9 and Z180-600 and now with my OM-1 and Olly 100-400 I'm very happy with a monopod and the Wimberly MH-100. I know that some folks that use larger lenses don't like the MH-100 because of balance issues. I don't find that to be a problem with my smaller setups. It's great if you're shooting birds in a bush, shorebirds and waders, or waiting for Hummingbirds and stuff. Greatly reduces fatigue and eliminates the need to raise and lower your gear which is extra movement that can scare off your subject. For anything that's going to be overhead, or very unpredictable, Osprey for example, I personally just switch to handheld. As others have mentioned, some type of small gimbal or ballhead is a must. Just mounting a rig on a monopod is practically useless. So IMHO, pretty much any monopod will do as long as it's tall enough, the better question is what type of ball head or gimbal.
Gary https://photographylife.com/wimberley-mh-100
I'd first have to ask 'why' you want to use a monopod for birding.
IBIS and lens stabilization pretty much take care of everything IMO.
If you are shooting a bird near or at ground and have your mono set and a 'bird-in-flight' opportunity comes overhead or off to the side chances are you are not going to like trying to swing a monopod around to try to get even a chance at that opportunity.
Higher ISO shooting for a faster shutter speed is not much an issue at all for the quality of the files and results after processing.
If you have a controlled area of shooting where the birds are staying at same level and same area such as wading birds, birds on a nest etc then sure a mono can be a benefit to take the weight off handholding and waiting for a moment of interest to photograph. Or when perhaps watching a nest in a tree like an owl a monopod could be helpful by taking the weight off of handholding for a long period of time.
I have been shooting a 200-600 and now a 400-800 and never shoot other than hand held, gives me the most flexibility at anything 360 degrees around me and often it happens!
Karl Witt wrote:
I'd first have to ask 'why' you want to use a monopod for birding.
IBIS and lens stabilization pretty much take care of everything IMO.
If you are shooting a bird near or at ground and have your mono set and a 'bird-in-flight' opportunity comes overhead or off to the side chances are you are not going to like trying to swing a monopod around to try to get even a chance at that opportunity.
Higher ISO shooting for a faster shutter speed is not much an issue at all for the quality of the files and results after processing.
If you have a controlled area of shooting where the birds are staying at same level and same area such as wading birds, birds on a nest etc then sure a mono can be a benefit to take the weight off handholding and waiting for a moment of interest to photograph. Or when perhaps watching a nest in a tree like an owl a monopod could be helpful by taking the weight off of handholding for a long period of time.
I have been shooting a 200-600 and now a 400-800 and never shoot other than hand held, gives me the most flexibility at anything 360 degrees around me and often it happens!
Hey Karl. I'm not sure if you're directing this at me or the OP but I'll answer I agree with everything you write. And I've also gone to about 90% handheld for the reasons you mention. A scenario where I really enjoy a monopod; Hummingbirds. Wherever I see them they're a bit skittish. And I also have to wait for them to come back and forth to their perches or to a plant they're feeding on. I don't shoot them at feeders anymore. I find if I use my monopod I can remain pretty much motionless by actually using the monopod to lean on with the camera directly in front of my face while I have it directed at a perch or flower. I feel that not having to raise the camera to my eye constantly allows me to pretty much disappear in the eyes of the subject. And trying to stand with your camera at eye level for long periods of time is very tiring no matter how light your equipment. But I agree, if I'm in a scenario where I may have the opportunity for a flight shot, I'll ditch the monopod.
I do almost all of my birding using a monopod/gimbal setup but it really depends on the species I'm after.
I shoot a lot of raptors especially Kestrels, these birds spend large amounts of time perched scanning the ground for prey. I found in the past that I was missing a lot of opportunities when the raptor would launch into the air or launch to the ground to capture prey because I could not hold the camera at eye level for an extended period of time. With a monopod setup I'm getting way more shots for sure.
When I'm out shooting small birds like warbler which are generally found in the bush the monopod becomes more of a hindrance so all my warbler shooting is done handheld.
When walking with your camera/lens mounted on a monopod, you can have it connected to the monopod with an Arca-Type Quick Release Clamp V2. When you want to quickly shoot overhead without the monopod being attached, you simply push the button to release your Arca plate from the clamp.
Having a strap attached to your monopod means it will not fall to the ground when the release happens.
I use a monopod to shoot wildlife all the time. It is especially useful on a boat, which is why I started using it, or during my frequent walks along the shores of Puget Sound. On a rocking boat, if the monopod is resting on the deck, to balance, my body wants to go one way and the monopod tilts the opposite way, making shooting nearly impossible. With the harness the monopod and my body move together.
I use an earlier version of the speed-shooter photography harness but a basic flag pole harness works nearly as well. Any decent monopod should work, I am a fan of Really Right Stuff and would consider them but have used a Gitzo monopod for well over a decade and it still works like new.
To make it functional, put a Wimberley MH-100 MonoGimbal Head for Monopods on it. It gives you the benefits of handholding while taking the weight off. I just can't hand hold a 600mm f4 very long anymore.
If staying in one place and shooting more static subjects, I'll support a monopod on the ground but the harness works just as well even for that.
I agree with everything you write. And I've also gone to about 90% handheld for the reasons you mention. A scenario where I really enjoy a monopod; Hummingbirds. Wherever I see them they're a bit skittish. And I also have to wait for them to come back and forth to their perches or to a plant they're feeding on. I don't shoot them at feeders anymore. I find if I use my monopod I can remain pretty much motionless by actually using the monopod to lean on with the camera directly in front of my face while I have it directed at a perch or flower. I feel that not having to raise the camera to my eye constantly allows me to pretty much disappear in the eyes of the subject. And trying to stand with your camera at eye level for long periods of time is very tiring no matter how light your equipment. But I agree, if I'm in a scenario where I may have the opportunity for a flight shot, I'll ditch the monopod. 