[slip]

My wife bought me a tripod for xmas but forgot we already have 2 of them. so I traded it in for a monopod. I tried it out and noticed that intead of my camera shaking in all axes, it only shakes on horizontal axis.... which isn't an improvement as shaking is shaking no matter how it is.
has anyone tried on the the shoulder rests that attaches to the monopod?
I never use a tripod unless it is night shots... so I was hoping to use the monpod for indoor wedding shots when my inlaw gets married in 2011. I think it would be much easier to move around in the church and faster to set up once I can get the shaking issue solved.
It is a lot lighter then my tripods as it is carbon fiber Dynatran and the leg lock a lot faster then the tripod

any help much appreciated

thanks

randy

[Thorolf]

Hello Randy,

This might be a possible option - Article: Table Top Tripod as "Chest Pod"

It certainly would allow you to be a lot more mobile.

Camera strap around the neck, mini tripod attached to the camera.

One drawback would be that you would probably have to counter the movement from your breathing and the vibration from your heartbeat. Possibly have it higher on your chest?

I have used one when doing stills for a short film that was going into a film competition. I got a lot more sharper shots using this method than I would have got using only my old shaky hands.

Cheers.

Rod.

[atupdate]

Here are some different ways to brace a monopod. Maybe one will work for you.

How To Use A Monopod & Multi-Purpose Tripod

http://www.nikonians.org/monopods/what_monopod_3.html

Tim

[Ratmagiclady]

Yep, monopods still require steadying technique: they just make it a whole lot easier. Try not to think of it as forcing the camera to be still: if you're getting undue horizontal motion, odds are you're being too stiff. (If you're tense or jamming the shutter button, that motion has to go somewhere.)

Think soft and steady hands.

Also, without the monopod on the camera, find your steadiest stance and hold: then bring your eye down to meet that, rather than standing stock still with your neck straight and trying to bring camera up to eye. Once you find that, you can more or less put a monopod *under* that height, and be in the neighborhood.

Oh, also, both hands on camera and lens, still, if that wasn't obvious. Sometimes people want to hold onto the nice cushy grip that comes on monopods these days, that's not what that's generally for, though.

[germar]

I have seen a great many shooters (using monopods) hold the camera body and trigger in the right hand, and then literally drape a forearm over their long lens. They then use their draped arm to pan with action and help center the weight over the monopod. You have to have a whopping big, long lens to get this to work right I'm afraid.

[Kerrowdown]

Monopod's are great for touch line work at sporting events from both the seated or kneeling position.

In these are cases, the support of big fast lenses would be almost impossible, unless of course your built like Arnie.

[Ratmagiclady]

Monopod's are great for touch line work at sporting events from both the seated or kneeling position.

In these are cases, the support of big fast lenses would be almost impossible, unless of course your built like Arnie.

Or me, I suppose. I could use my own knee from a seated position, if I could get down on the sidelines. Just plant your left foot, sit down behind it, and use your lower leg..... (trying that.) OK, that still works, but it makes alarming crackling sounds when I get up.

Did anyone mention the virtues of a monopod?

[Mike Cash]

Did anyone mention the virtues of a monopod?

For me, one of them is that it helps me get back up again.

[dugrant153]

randy, I've been using a chestpod recently but still have my tripod around.

The chestpod is a good compromise and allows you to be ultra nimble without carting around a long monopod (looking like gandalf from LOTR). As mentioned, the issue I found is that your breathing and chest movement can affect it. Plus, it's not as stable as a monopod.

The monopod, the next step up in stability, can be wobbly if you just plant it straight down on the ground and shoot your images. There's specific ways and techniques you have to use to get the most stability out of it. I use techniques in that nikonians article mentioned above. If you really like the idea of the monopod, choose a technique that works for you. Mine is resting it against my left thigh but have the "point" in the arch of my right foot... and I'm standing in a sort of martial arts position.

Essentially, I'm a camera ninja.

[Kerrowdown]

For me, one of them is that it helps me get back up again.

Know that way