Monopods and monopod heads

A typical monopod is a multi-section extensible beam, built much like a tripod leg. Just like in tripods, multiple types of monopod are available on the market. They differ mainly in:

• Material: carbon fiber, aluminum alloy, or magnesium alloy. Carbon fiber seems to be the most popular choice. Both examples shown in Figure 1 are made of carbon fiber.
• Type of locking mechanism: rotating collet, clamp lever or thumbscrew. Both examples in Figure 1 have rotating collets.
• Number of leg sections: a higher number of sections allows a higher length of the extended monopod, and/or a shorter length of the collapsed monopod. A high number of sections, however, increases the weight of the monopod and forces a small diameter of the bottom sections. Monopods with 3 to 5 sections are common.
• Anti-rotation: modern monopods tend to be equipped with internal mechanisms that prevent the leg sections from rotating within each other. This makes it faster and more comfortable to extend and collapse the monopod, especially if equipped with locking collets. The cheapest models may lack this feature.
• Height: typically around 165-170 cm, enough to bring a camera to eye level of a standing photographer of average height. Longer ones exist, for use by tall photographers and/or on downslopes, but are not commonly seen in use. Shorter ones should be avoided (unless you are of a short stature), because they force the photographer to hunch down.
• Maximum load: in most cases, they are rated from a few Kg to roughly 15-20 Kg. Usually, this rating applies to the maximum weight that can be attached at the top of the monopod, and applies with the monopod held in any position. The Velbon Neo Pod 6 is only rated at 4 Kg, while the Leofoto MP‑285C, in spite of its lower diameter and weight, is rated at 12 Kg. The load rating is very important if a side gimbal head is used.
• Top platform: virtually all monopods are equipped with a topmost round platform of metal or plastic, comparable to the ones found on travel and mini tripods. In some monopods, the top platform can be removed. This can be useful if the platform interferes with the locking knob of a head or Arca clamp you intent to mount on the monopod. Removing the platform usually reveals a flat metal platform of lesser diameter.
• Threaded bolt: 1/4" or 3/8". The Velbon model in Figure 1 has a reversible bolt with both thread sizes at its ends. The Leofoto model has a spring-loaded 3/8" bolt that can be pushed it, revealing a coaxial 1/4" bolt. In some monopods, the bolt can be replaced with one of different diameter.
• Padding: most monopods are equipped with an external rubber padding, either along the whole length of the top section or its topmost part. A shoulder strap or wrist strap is often present.

A monopod is primarily used by a photographer in a standing position to hold a camera, often carrying a telephoto lens, at eye level for longer time spans than comfortable for hand‑holding. The general advice for holding a monopod as steady as possible is to moderately tilt its top toward the photographer, rather than holding it vertical. Some monopods can be equipped with a metal spike replacing the rubber foot, for use on grass or soil. This is the case, for example, of the Leofoto monopod shown in Figure 1.

Sometimes, a tall monopod is used to provide an elevated point of view, e.g. above the heads of a crowd. The problem in this case is that the amount of camera tilt cannot be substantially changed without adjusting a head on the monopod, which can only be done by lowering the camera within hand reach. Zooming likewise requires lowering the camera. Framing and image preview are possible if your camera supports remote control via a Bluetooth or Wi‑Fi mobile phone app.

A monopod is rarely used as a selfie stick or camera boom. Selfie sticks are (justly) banned in many crowded public areas, and waving around a monopod carrying a camera is even more likely than a selfie stick to hurt someone else, or to smash the camera.

Some travel tripods have a removable leg that can be used as a monopod. If you carry one of these tripods in the field, you can choose whether to use it as a tripod or monopod. Even if your light tripod does not have a removable leg, in a pinch you can still use it as a monopod of sorts, by extending only one leg.

Sometimes one can see advertisements for a rather small three-legged base attached at the bottom of a monopod. The 3 Legged Thing DOCZ foot is an example. This only marginally increases the stability of a monopod, and in fact makes it more difficult to use on uneven terrain. When using such a base, you should never release your hold on the monopod, because it may fall at any moment.

I can see these three‑legged bases helping in very soft soil, in which an ordinary monopod foot would sink. Otherwise, these bases strike me as an attempt to create an artificial need for photographers to buy yet one more unnecessary and scarcely functional accessory. If you need stability, just use a tripod.

Monopod head

In the past, sports photographers used to mount a camera or a telephoto lens directly on a monopod, and to point it slightly up or down by tilting the monopod. At present, the use of a monopod head is much more frequent, and for many uses obligatory.

In some cases, an Arca‑compatible clamp can be mounted atop a monopod (Figure 1, foreground), especially if the monopod head must be removed or changed in the field. In this case, the monopod head must be equipped with an Arca-compatible base. An increasing number of monopod and tripod heads are equipped with a built-in Arca plate at the bottom of the base.

A head suitable for a monopod has different requirements than most tripod heads. For one thing, a monopod head for still photography normally does not need a horizontal pan mechanism. Instead, the whole monopod can be turned on its axis for panning. A monopod used for shooting movies may benefit from a panning mechanism, because it makes panning much smoother. However, a pan/tilt head is much more comfortable to use on a tripod, as opposed to a monopod.

The rest of this section concentrates on the choice of a monopod head capable of holding and smoothly tilting a long telephoto lens. For lighter uses of a monopod head, the requirements are less stringent.

Tilt heads

In most cases, a monopod head for still photography only needs a tilt movement. A head for this use is generally lightweight (typically 250-400 g). Figure 2 shows examples of tilt heads suitable for use on a monopod. These heads are typically locked with a thumbscrew. It is generally impossible to adjust the locking mechanism to provide a suitable amount of friction for a "damped" movement, and the thumbscrew works more like an on-off switch.

A problem with tilt heads, and especially the cheapest ones, is that a heavy telephoto lens may unexpectedly flop forward or backward when the head is unlocked. This may damage the head, monopod, lens and camera, and sometimes squeeze fingers between metal parts. This limitation notwithstanding, simple but robust tilt heads are by far the cheapest type of head discussed on this page, and will last essentially forever.

The Acratech Long Lens Head, the similar Leofoto VH‑30 and a few more are specifically designed for long and heavy telephoto lenses, and are equipped with separate friction and locking knobs. They are more expensive than simple tilt heads, and are also equipped with a lockable panning base. The ProMediaGear Tilt Head is comparable, but lacks a panning base.

Ball head on a monopod

This is strongly advised against, because of the tendency of a ball head to flop uncontrolled both front-to-back and sideways. See e.g. shuttermuse.com. The main reason to avoid ball heads on a monopod is that you would need at least three hands to simultaneously hold monopod, lens and camera and prevent flopping. A large ball head (Figure 3, left) can be used on a tripod with a long telephoto lens, if care is taken to prevent flopping, but this is not an optimal solution even on a tripod.

As far as I am aware, ball heads are currently available with a ball diameter up to 70 mm (specifically the Sunwayfoto XB-70, which admittedly is a dual-use design to hold either a rifle, or camera equipment). Strictly photographic ball heads arrive to about 55 mm in ball diameter. In general, the larger the ball, the stiffer the head is designed to be. The permissible load often increases with the square of the ball diameter.

Some high-end ball heads use a slightly oblong ball that gradually increases friction when tilted away from the vertical. This may help to prevent the most extreme flopping. However, the fact remains that also these ball heads allow tilting in two dimensions, while a monopod head, ideally, should only allow tilting in one dimension.

Monopods and mini tripods often come with small ball heads. The Leofoto LH-25 in Figure 3 is probably one of the best, built with attention to details like a nylon insert for smooth ball movement, a neoprene sheet that prevents crud from entering the slit in the casing, and a thumbscrew locking both the ball and the panning base. However, these small ball heads are not suitable for holding large telephoto lenses on either monopods or tripods.

The Berlebach Albatros 64 mm ball head can lock its sideways tilt while leaving the front-to-back tilt unlocked, effectively producing the equivalent of a tilt head. Since tilt heads are far cheaper, I am afraid that this special type of ball head, although technically admirable, is largely a solution in search of a problem.

Leveling head on a monopod

A leveling head attaches at the top of a tripod and allows tilt to be adjusted in two directions by up to 10‑15°. Sometimes, a pan movement is also available. Typically, a leveling head is placed between a tripod and a gimbal head or panoramic head. Its purpose is to quickly orient the base of the latter head horizontal, even when the tripod is set down on a non-level surface. For this purpose, a leveling head always carries a bubble level.

This type of head may be used on a monopod, but it has one of the drawbacks of a ball head, in the sense that it allows tilting in two dimensions. It is somewhat safer than a ball head, in part because the center of rotation is located a few cm above the Arca plate of the lens (vs. a few cm below in a ball-head), and in part because of the limited amount of allowed tilt it allows. However, leveling heads often do not tilt as smoothly as a good ball head, and their locking mechanism typically cannot be adjusted to gradually increase friction.

The Sunwayfoto DYH-661 in Figure 4 is more than adequate for use as a leveling head on a tripod for medium-sized heads and lenses, and reasonably priced. Its top platform carries three set-screws for preventing a head from "unscrewing" during use, a bubble level that remains visible after attaching a head (indispensable on a leveling head), as well as additional holes and threaded sockets that can be handy for special uses. It only has a 1/4" bolt, so I would not recommend it for heavy heads and lenses, or large gimbal heads. The base carries a 3/8" socket.

Gimbal head on a monopod

A gimbal head allows a long telephoto lens to be perfectly balanced, and tilted in a vertical plane with minimal effort. Gimbal heads are designed for use on a tripod (Figure 5), but may be used, with some faffing around, also on a monopod (with the pan movement locked, and constantly holding on to the lens with one hand).

Gimbal heads of good quality tend to be expensive. The cheap variants sold under dozens of more‑or‑less fake Chinese brands are often poorly designed and indifferently manufactured, with loose tolerances that even the abundant amount of lubricating fat added on the assembly line cannot hide. The example shown in Figure 4 copies the looks of a Wimberley gimbal, down to the shape of the plastic knobs, but fails to copy the mechanical precision of the original.

This head type is not designed for a monopod. In addition, a typical gimbal head is far heavier and larger than any other type of head discussed here. If you are looking for a monopod head to use with a long telephoto lens, check the next section instead.

Side gimbal head

 

This type of head is specifically designed to carry a long telephoto lens on a monopod. It is comparable with the topmost part of a typical gimbal head with side lens mount, and needs a lens equipped with a rotating collar and an Arca-compatible foot. The MH‑100, which Wimberley calls a MonoGimbal Head, may be the earliest, and is still the best, head of this type. It is accompanied by detailed instructions, and comes with 10 years of warranty against manufacturing defects. On the Wimberley web site you can purchase discounted items, currently including a few specimens of the MH-100, with cosmetic faults that do not affect functionality.

Two or three alternatives made in China are available. Based on their images, I find some of their features not fully thought out. Some details of their design seem structurally unsound to me, and for these reasons I did not consider purchasing any of them. The MH‑100 is more expensive, but I can trust it to work flawlessly and not fall to pieces while holding one of my telephoto lenses.

This type of head carries the lens offset to one side of the monopod, to allow an almost unrestricted tilt of the lens. In turn, this construction causes an off‑center loading of the topmost portion of the monopod. For this reason, Wimberley recommends that the MH‑100 be mounted on a monopod rated to a load of at least three times the weight of the lens + camera. A lightly built monopod, e.g. with a plastic platform glued to the outer carbon fiber section, may risk coming apart under an excessive off‑center load.

I have no idea how reliable are the load ratings specified by monopod manufacturers. There seem to be no standards on how the maximum load is tested (assuming the manufacturer tested it at all, as opposed to just plucking a figure from their imagination). For example, testing the load with the monopod held at any possible angle is certain to give a very different maximum load than testing the monopod only in vertical orientation, with the load centered above the monopod platform.

The same monopod load rating rule stated by Wimberley should apply to all makes of side gimbal heads. Sometimes the maximum monopod load is not mentioned at all in the user manuals of these side gimbals.

The knob of the MH‑100 doubles as a locking and friction control. Before unlocking this knob, the lens should be supported with one hand. However, if the lens has been properly balanced by sliding its plate within the Arca clamp of the head, it should not flop wildly like lenses mounted on a tilt head or ball head.

Lenses with a front that extends when zooming, like the Olympus 100‑400 and OM System 150‑600, cannot remain balanced on a side gimbal head when zoomed in or out. Extra care should be used to hold these lenses safely when the head is unlocked. Re-balancing by appropriately sliding the lens plate in the Arca clamp, or safely holding the lens with one hand, may be necessary after extensive zooming. Increasing the tilt friction of the MH‑100 may be sufficient to compensate for moderate amounts of zooming.

The MH‑100 can be mounted on an Arca-compatible clamp or, after removing the two M3 safety bolts at its bottom, attached to the 3/8" threaded bolt of the monopod. Using an Arca clamp between monopod and MH‑100 allows the latter to be mounted with the lens a little closer to the axis of the monopod, which reduces the off‑center load (Figure 7). Reaching the maximum offset compatible with free rotation of the head may require one of the safety bolts to be removed from the foot of the MH-100. This involves no risk, because the clamp of the MH-100 prevents its foot from completely sliding out of the monopod clamp.

In some cases, the foot of the MH-100 can be mounted so that one of the safety bolts sits in the center hole of the monopod clamp and does not need to be removed. I did so in Figure 7, which shows the maximum amount of off-center shift (with a couple mm gap left between the two clamps as a safety margin). The Arca clamp of the MH-100 should be rotated with its locking knob uppermost, to avoid hitting the monopod. The rotation of the MH-100 is not completely free in this case, but it still allows the lens, with an ample margin, to rotate between straight up and straight down.

The distance between lens and monopod axis can be further reduced by using a low-profile lens foot with built-in Arca plate.

Like a gimbal head, a side gimbal head can be mounted at the right, or at the left, of the lens. At present I prefer mounting it on the left side, with the monopod cradled within my folded left arm, but I have not completely made up my mind on which side works best.

If the camera is equipped with an L-shaped Arca plate, it is possible to alternate between telephoto and short-lens use of a side gimbal by attaching the camera to the head via the side arm of the L plate. In this case, the side gimbal must be at the left of the camera.

Additional head types

A few less popular types of heads are available, as well as a few types of fixtures designed mainly for studio and lab use. These include, for example, geared heads, micrometric tilt stages, flex arms and articulated arms. None of these are advantageous on a monopod.

More monopod accessories

The hand or shoulder straps present on many monopods can be used as an extra safety while shooting, by passing a wrist or arm through the strap.

Aside for these straps, and the monopod bags that sometimes follow a monopod (Leofoto and a few other brands provide a well-made, lightly padded bag with every tripod and monopod) there aren't many other useful accessories for a monopod. The above "monopod pocket" (Figure 8) may be worth mentioning. It is meant to be worn on a waist belt (a utility belt rather than an ordinary pants belt) and provides a pocket for the foot of a partly collapsed monopod.

This pocket allows the weight of the monopod-mounted equipment to rest on the photographer's waist. It is not as stable as a monopod resting on solid ground, but is far more comfortable than hand-holding, and allows the photographer to quickly move, e.g. to change the shooting location by a few steps without needing to lift up the equipment into one's arms. It may also be a way to use a monopod at locations where monopods and tripods are ordinarily not allowed, because it eliminates the risk of nearby people tripping on the monopod leg.

Do ask permission from guards/police/security personnel present on the scene before starting to use the pocket in areas where monopods are forbidden. It may help to show them what you intend to do, since these monopod pockets are not that common. In some cases, there may be additional reasons why a monopod may not be allowed, even if it does not touch the ground (e.g., there are fears it might be taken from the photographer by a violence-prone individual and used as a baton).

Conclusions

The choice of a monopod, based on considerations of material, weight, maximum height, minimum height, and load rating, is relatively straightforward.

The choice of a monopod head is made more difficult by the broad variety of head types and purposes.

Several types of heads commonly used on tripods are unsuitable for a monopod, especially for use with a long telephoto lens.

The Wimberley MH‑100 side gimbal head wins hands down for use with a long telephoto lens. This head places an off‑center load on the monopod, and requires the use of a monopod rated for 3 times the actual lens + camera weight.

Zoom telephoto lenses with an extending front section cannot remain balanced on a side gimbal head when zooming, and should be re‑balanced or held securely with one hand after extensive zooming. Increasing the friction of the head may help with these lenses.