mono-pod? i saw photographers using them at a football game

[alfa147x]

I always thought that you would use any sort of -pod when you deal with longer shutter speeds... this is football, slow shutter speed would give a blur to the motion ... also there lens were not so large either....so why were there photographers using the mono-pod?

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

They did it just to gain that extra bit of stability. Also, with a monopod they don't have to carry the weight of the camera around all the time.

 

[alfa147x]

If i were to buy one, what would i look for?

 

[troytime]

those bazooka lenses get heavy i'm sure

i tried a couple monopods at the local store
a few were as cheap as 13 bucks...but when extended they had some flex to em and i don't think i would feel comfortable using them

i tried a bogen manfrotto, it felt a hundred times better, they wanted 40 bucks for it (its 31.90 on amazon) - 790b is the model number
i didn't buy it, but i will someday when i'm not so poor

 

[virtuamike]

If your goal is sharp, then support is a good thing.

 

[corkyg]

Monopods are, for me, an essential part of photography, especially where longer lenses and shutter/aperture demands translate to stability.

I always pack one in my checked luggage when on a photo trip - especially overseas or in rugged areas. A good, sturdy, monopod is also a valuable aid as a hiking stick in some rough areas.

You see sports photogs using them because of having to always be ready to shoot the action. Holding a DSLR and lens in the ready position for extended periods of time would really be tiring.

So, they sit and let the monopod carry the load. The added stability makes their use a no brainer.

For panoramic, it creates a very good pivot point.

Also, note how many of them are white lenses - Canon rules with pro sports photogs.