Do I have to use a ballhead w/monopod?

When shooting sports with my monopod, I usually use a Bogen/Manfrotto 3232 swivel instead of a ball head, but I sometimes just screw an RRS clamp directly to the monopod with the 70-200VR since the lens collar is used to change between landscape and portrait orientations. Direct connection to the monopod works fine as long as you don't have to tilt the lens axis much from horizontal.

The only time I ever mount a ball head on the monopod is when using it as a support for close up work instead of a tripod since the ball head enables more flexible vertical orientation of the lens.

 

I always use a ballhead on my monopod and find it essential (for me). I leave it on the monopod permanently (I have another 3-way adjust head on my tripod).
It facilitates quick repositioning of the camera vs. monopod angle, which is often necessary due to angle of shoot, uneven support (ground) etc. I can make quick adjusts without even taking my eye from the viewfinder. Direct connects will make for some very awkward and uncomfortable positioning.
Again, just my personal opinion and experience.

 

I agree. Keep in mind there's an optimal angle for using the monopod as support, if you have to lean it way over to get the desired shooting angle you might as well shoot handheld because the monopod isn't going to do much good unless it's actually bearing the weight of the camera rig.

IMHO the 3232 is good enough for up to the 70-200vr. I used it for about a year and really liked it. Unfortunately it's only rated for about 6lbs and just isn't big enough for the long glass. Once I got the 200-400vr I just couldn't use it any more, so my Markins M10L went on the monopod and I upgraded my tripod to the RRS BH-55.

 

As with most things, a variety of answers and methods. Generally I use the Bogen method, with the 3232 which tilts in one direction only. I use this very successfully with my Sigma 500mm f4.5 HSM. I have tried to use a ballhead but found that, for me, it allowed too much flexibility in movement. This past weekend I shot with a 200-400 AFS VR which was rented and had no base plate so I just screwed the monopod directly to the tripod mount. I also shoot with the tripod collar a bit loose so that if I do need to tilt slightly to one side or the other it is very easy to level the camera. The downside of the "screw to the monopod" method is that you are limited as to how much you can tilt. If you look at my "Whale" thread in the Birds and Animal forum there are 2 images, the Seapland and the Cassins Auklet, where I handheld because of this. If I had either a ballhead or the 3232 mounted, I could have easily tilted while still using the monopod for support.

So, I'm one more vote for the Bogen 3232, here is a link to the Really Right Stuff Tutorial for using the 3232. I have had no problem using this with heavier lenses, but the one caveat I would make is that the heavier the lens the more concious you want to be regarding tension. This applies to the ballhead as well.

 

I've tried both and side with the 3232. With a ball head you have too many degrees of freedom...sort of like a socket wrench with two universal joints. With only six degrees of freedom available, a solid mounted monopod gives you four already (right-left, up-down, fwd-back, and rotate about the vertical axis) With the 3232 you can get the remaining two. The only single advantage of the ball head is easier rotation about the axis between the subject and camera (clockwise-anti/counter clockwise, or more simply portrait/landscape).


Hm.....six of one; a half-dozen of the other.

Rich

 

Maybe there's some product variance to take into consideration. I found that if I mounted D2x + 200-400vr + RRS Flash Bracket + SB-800, not matter how much I tightened down my 3232 I couldn't carry the rig over my shoulder without it slipping because the 3232 just wouldn't stay locked in place.

 

hi steve-

just use the tripod without any head. i've carried and used my 70-20mm VR+d2h in this way at several road races with no problems.

i've tried it with a ballhead and it's more trouble than it's worth, plus it adds so much weight to my rig.

ricky