"Help me out here - are you describing two separate rigs (monopod and BH) or one rig with the BH on the monopod (which I have trouble visualizing)?"
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Single unit...I guess it's the photo equivalent of a pintle mount for a 7.62 or 50 cal MG. :>
For the MH-01 clamps, not all of the screw or lever clamps can be mounted bidirectionally on the MH-01. So if you might use the "rig" to occasionally mount the camera, you will need a clamp with "cross" grooves on the bottom.
I often use my 5540 with RRS MH-01 and a Wimberley sidekick, sometimes I replace the B2-Pro II clamp with the PCL-1. Btw by using the PCL-1 on top of the MH-01 you can place or fix your monopod in any position and your camera is always in level, nice for a quick pano without a tripod.
I have a Canon 500mm f:4 lens as well as a Gitzo Monopod.
So far my experience with it is as follow:
For action shots forget it! Anything moving you better use the lens handheld!
For static objects it works fine as long as you have some sort of head on it, a strong ballhead will do, as sometimes you are facing situations where you have to move the camera up more than intended and you can't do it short of going down on your knees, a head would then be very practical.
Also a monopod with camera attached is easy to carry over your shoulder.
So, for travelling a monopod will fill the bill!
I get better stability using shooting sticks or bipod. The shooter becomes the 3rd leg for a very light and very portable tripod. I also prefer to be able to rest the camera on the shooting sticks and not have it attached as with a monopod. Makes it easier to just grab the camera with one hand and the sticks with the other.
