So…
A few months ago I released a video where I discussed my various tripods, heads, and how I use them. It generated a lot of comments and a few really stuck in my mind – they were about using a gimbal head with a monopod.
At first, I sort of dismissed the idea. I mean, why would you want to place a giant gimbal head on a monopod when there are incredibly good monopod heads that are a fraction of the size and weight?
Still, I kept thinking about it and finally gave in. I took it for a test drive (over the course of two months) and I like it so much I’m categorizing it as a game changer. Find out why in the video below.
PS – If you enjoyed this post, I think you’ll REALLY like my e-books, Secrets To Stunning Wildlife Photography and Secrets To The Nikon Autofocus System. They’re filled with hundreds of pages of information just like this. Check ’em out – click here (hey, it’s free to look 🙂 )
Love ur videos
What is the min shuuter speed u use to get sharp pics using this setup?
I loved the idea and have used this system on two tripods and my gimbal head and ball head. I have now purchased a new gimbal head and want to transfer the plate from the old gimbal to it. I used blue loctite but cannot remove the plate. Do you have any suggestions?
heat the screws with a soldering iron
I use my jobu jr gimbal head with d500 and the 200-500 lens mostly on my monopod with no problems.
However, I am considering the Manfrotto MVH500AH Fluid Video Head to replace the gimbal.
Is there anything I need to be aware of using this on my monopod instead of the gimbal?
Would the fluid head be better as I mainly shoot birds, butterflies, and wildlife?
Thanks
Steve,
I gave this a try with my Gitzo monopod and RRS gimbal on an Eagle Photo tour this weekend. I was on a Louisiana Swamp Tour.
Excellent results!
Thanks for all of your great tips, videos, and book. Your information is making me a better photographer.
hi there ,
where can i purchase gimbal head for monopod , that seems very stable …. great idea and which monopod brand are you using
Hi Steve, Have you ever used a monopod with a belt pouch? I use this a lot, especially when photographing aircraft. The belt pouch is similar in concept to what shore fishermen use, thus the monopod is kept relatively short. The big advantage of this setup is that the whole setup (you, camera and lens) pivot around your hips. This makes it a huge amount easier to track moving subjects. The camera’s weight is carried mostly on your hips, so a little bit more work than with the monopod standing on the ground, but far far better than hand-holding, and… Read more »
Found the post and video about gimbal head on monopod to be most interesting, so I proceeded to get a monopod to try with my gimbal head. However, I found the monopod to be a bit frustrating to use due to the wrist strap for security and trying to adjust things such as zoom, focus, etc. since some I do with my right hand and some with the left. My solution was to order another neck strap like the one I have on my camera body and replace the wrist strap with it. Now I will have the ability to… Read more »
Brilliant ! I had thought about this idea but had dismissed it without trying due to the weight of the gimbal head. Recently I had watched your article on balancing a gimbal head and then when you tried it on the monopod…..I thought “Eureka…this is the magic sauce” The benefits a balanced gimbal head on a monopod is the release of your your left hand from the tension knob where it is positioned to lock the head during breaks in photography. The upgrade in “ease of use” and the ability to pre-position the camera allows you to be in a… Read more »
Hi Steve, Been a fan of the monopod + Jobu Jr. gimbal head for my D500 and 200-500mm for years. For BIF shooting, I find it no problem to lift he ‘pod with my left hand and shoot almost handheld.
Hi Steve, I like the idea with the gimbal on the monopod, too. I normaly use an Gitzo fluid gimbal. But this one is very bulky and heavy. For travelling I recommend as an alternative the Wimberley Sidekick. Use the oneway head on the monopod, swivel to the side to 90° and mount the Sidekick. So you have both, the oneway head and if needed also a gimbal.
The problem is, the sidkick doesn’t always balance properly and never as well as a gimbal. For me, I’ll take the bulkier full gimbal.
Maybe its because i am using a Nikon 200-500 Zoom on the sidekick, Variable COG as you zoom, but i have found the sidekick to balance very well at whatever zoom setting i am at as i balance it. As i am most often at 500 thats where i balance it. Works great for me.
Will have to give this a try, as I always usually leave my Gimbal head on my tripod! Thanks Steve!
Thank you! I have thought about doing that but self censored. I use Sony & RRS gimbal + monopod and have a project in mind for using this set up.
Fantastic idea. Just pulled my RRS monopod off ebay when I saw this. Works pretty good. Thanks.
I have similar trip to your workshop coming up to Columbia. I was wondering when birding how helpful the monopod in general was given a lot of the shots will be up. Did you generally carry it off into the jungle when doing birding hikes?
I have used a monopod extensively in situations where i have to move around a lot and in Africa in safari vehicles where space is restricted and have liked it a lot given the wear and tear on large glass on your shoulders. I ain’t getting any younger as I have found.
Steve, I enjoyed your article. You can also use a ball-head as a gimbal. Give it a whirl.
Actually, been there, done that, didn’t like it. Often times, you can’t get the CoG correct for perfect balance. Just can’t beat a real gimbal head IMO.
Thank you for your comment.
Wonderful article, Steve. You can also use a ball-head as a gimbal. Give it a whirl.
Thanks Steve, another great video! When I originally purchased my Nikon 200-500mm I tried it on my monopod with a tilt head but found it somewhat restrictive for the reasons you expound. When I then read up on using a gimbal head with a monopod I found the majority of opinions were along the lines of “why would you do that – there’s no point?” I went ahead and did it anyway and found the setup to be so easy to use and so versatile that it’s my “go to” setup now. It’s good to keep an open mind in… Read more »
Lots of advantages with using a monopod. However, the disadvantages are camera/lens stability and having to hold on to the entire setup all the time which gets tiring after a while.
Agree – you gotta pick the right tool for the job. I use a tripod whenever I can and a monopod when I must.
I know one thing, don’t ever use a monopod for long exposure. Sounds really stupid but I actually tried. Impossible.
Steve, I have been using this type of gimbal head and monopod combination for 5+ years now, and can certainly recommend it. Two points to enhance it even further…. First I recommend the Manfrotto 685B model monopod which can be raised and lowered to the right height INSTANTLY using a clever friction based foot “pedal” (and a finger operated release trigger to go down again). No more messing with those slow and fiddly release catches which take sooo long to undo and re-do up again when at the correct height. (By which time to bird has flown or died of… Read more »
I may have to try that – the monopod sort of digs into your shoulder after awhile with the 600 attached!
A monopod gives flexibility, especially when you are trekking through rocks or thick tropical forest… for the walk around and shoot situations. Feel your load should be as less as possible, then a tilt head is better. Handheld shooting felt always better because it gives you so much flexibility, but you need strong and steady hands… which is a struggle for me…so end up using a tripod with gimbal or monopoly with tilt
Steve, this is a great idea and I will give it a try. I had been using Nikon 500mm and Sigma 600mm with 1.4 teleconverter on a monopod for a couple of years and got great shots if the subject is not that far away. But many pictures failed due to poor sharpness owing to slight camera shake. Then I tried with a ball headed tripod which help me to relax my hands but I have the same issues as mentioned. I am now thinking about a Gimbal head and choosing a one is challenging as the market is flooded… Read more »
It comes down to anyone using a 600mm f/4 lens on a monopod would be better served with the use of a gimbal head. That beds the question of whether to use a monopod with such a large and unwieldy lens in the first place. With a tripod I am truly hands free when adding or removing a teleconverter and that is a big advantage. I have switched to the Gitzo fluid dampened gimbal and will be selling my Wimberley and Custom Brackets gimbal heads. The Gitzo is great for video and still shooting. It would also by the ultimate… Read more »
Hi Bruce!
I too generally tend to favor tripods and gimbals myself, however, I find monopods exceedingly useful in situations where I need to move and/or change height rapidly. One example is when I’m photographing monkeys in Costa Rica – I often need to shoot through little “windows” and need to change height and position as quickly as possible. I was missing WAY too many shots with the tripod, so the monopod won 🙂
However, the tripod is still my favorite and first choice when it works for the situation 🙂
An advantage of having a hand held camera and lens which is why I will have a body on the tripod mounted 600mm lens and another on a zoom lens that is hung from my neck. For Costa Rica my zoom of choice has been the 80-400mm that works well for shots from boats of large critters.
Something I noticed at the bear jams in Yellowstone was the degree to which a tripod limited mobility and resulted in all the shots being taken at a fixed height. This is where the new 500mm f/5.6 would be advantageous.
Gosh, how has this not been a thing for all this time? Just test shot equivalent of 600mm lens at 1/60 and 1/125 on the combination and they are sharp. So much easier to schelp around. Thanks for the tip.
Richard
Hi Steve, I enjoy all your informative videos. Good job. I was wondering if there is a negative or downside to using the monopod in this fashion, other than having to hold it at all times?
None that I’m aware of. Seems to work great all the way around.
Thank you.
Great Post from the Neotropics 🙂 Thanks! I suspect I’m not the only one thinking along the lines of…. “How stupid of me not to try this before…” [to paraphrase TH Huxley’s comment on reading Origin of Species ]. The real cruncher has happened too damned often – When – 4+kg of rig crashing down on to one’s fingers on the fulcrum of the monopod head. Always at the crucial moment! But must confess, I cringe when I see a heavy telephoto on a Leg or set-of-legs without a safety lanyard with quick-release snaplink. This is in case the plate… Read more »
Thanks – my fingers feel your pain LOL!
As for straps, nope, none for me. I use the pins in the QR plates / clamps and they have saved the day a time or two, no straps required (although, only with the screw type clamps, never had a problem with the lever clamps). In addition, I’ve seen straps get caught on things and almost pull the rig out of someone’s hand. Plus, they love getting tangled up on everything, So, no straps on my rigs.
Steve – I have been using a gimbal head / monopod combination for the past couple of years. From experimentation I have found that the Induro GHB 1 gimbal head works best for me. It is smaller and lighter than a full size head but balances as well and has a lower center of gravity which feels better on the monopod. The biggest advantage is that it is only weighs 1.7 lbs and that adds to the mobility of the monopod combination. When using a tripod I still prefer a full size Wimberley or Mongoose head. I have tried several… Read more »
Thanks so much for the comment and recommendations – a lighter gimbal head would be nice!
Steve as always, I love you quick tips that are straight to the point! Great use of Gimbal Head. I’ll have to try it!
I watched you use this setup during your “most excellent” Costa Rica workshop this week. Appreciate the video. It looks like you are using a couple of RRS clamps on a Wimberley gimbal head. Can you please share the model names/specs on the setup you are using in the video.
Hi Tom!
It’s the Really Right Stuff B2-LR-II Lever-Release Clamp (60mm) and the Really Right Stuff TH-DVTL-40 Round Dovetail Plate. I may do a video on the setup, I like it a lot.
Steve, what is the advantage(s) of adding the RRS clamp and dovetail mount over mounting the gimbal directly to the 3/8” stud of the monopod?
And once again a very nice video Steve. Will share it here with some Belgian/Dutch friends in photography groups on FB.