[Sookgoo Shin]

I am looking for a monopod for my camcorder especially for zooming and panning. Any suggestions for a reliable monopod?

Thanks for your input!

 

[adamlau]

As with most things, there is no best. What is best for you will be determined by how much you are willing to carry and pack in terms of size and weight. You generally pan from a monopod by rotating the shaft, although you could always use a pan head. Offhand, if you want something lightweight (plastic) and inexpensive but of reputable quality: SLIK MONOPOD 350. Lightweight but not terribly expensive (carbon fiber): VariZoom CHICKENLEG. Do not discount the use of a lightweight rig including (but not limited to) options such as the ikan HoverFly, Cinevate Simplis Solo and the Zacuto Marauder/Enforcer.

 

[Terfyn]

As Adamlau says - you pays your money and you take your choice. Avoid a pan/tilt head, it tends to overbalance the whole kit. You pan by rotating and tilt by swinging the pod. A mono pod is only good for eliminating vertical movement, I often jam mine up on a railing etc. to stop horizontal judder. Finally monopods can be dual purpose, there are a number that double as walking poles.


Do you really need a monopod. Most cameras have good OIS which removes dithery hand held movements and its another thing to carry around. It will not replace a tripod for the shots that need a totally steady camera, zoom tele-shots for example or "to camera" shots and face to face interviews. I have two monopods and one is a walking pole but I tend to find most of my filming is better done hand held or with a tripod depending on the circumstances.

 

[awatson]

Any suggestions for a reliable monopod?

I have had really good luck with an Opteka MP100 (about $18 from Amazon).

I use it all the time, especially when out hiking. I eventually had to buy a second one when dirt from the beach and rivers made the sections hard to slide. The rubber foot at the bottom also stopped screwing in and out once it rusted up from being drug through the mud. But hey, it's eighteen dollars, no big loss. I liked it so I bought another one.

They're only designed for steadying a camera, but I've leaned on mine many times when crossing streams or climbing hills and it has never collapsed on me.

The monopod doesn't stop all shaking, but it helps a lot.

 

[premiumcapture]

I use a Manfrotto, about $50 but I recorded outdoors on a job in very tough recording conditions and it worked very well.