Video monopods - I don't want a head!

[Clive McLaughlin]

Ok, I'm sure a fair few of you use them, the one with the fluid feet base.

Heres my issue, they all come with heads!

(Tell me I'm wrong please!)

I have three Weifeng heads and plates that amke my setup full interchangeable.

Now, from what I hear the lighter versions from Manfroto and Benro arnt worth using.

The sturdy 561B is a beast. I'd love to own it.

I thought, I'll buy it and sell the head which visually is the same as the 701HDV head which sells for about £100.

Except its not the 701HDV, its missing something rather vital. Because the 561B pans through its base, the head only has a tilt function! So pretty much unsellable.

I guess this is just a rant. But I'm also living in hope that someone might know something I don't?

Please?

[Clive McLaughlin]

Stop press!

Pro Monopod Leg with 1/4" or 3/8" thread Max load 10kg & Stabilizer & Bag AS 561 | eBay

Although, with such a generic brand, should I expect much?

[Adrian Tan]

Are you just looking for a recommendation for a headless monopod?

Manfrotto Neotec monopod is possibly the fastest in the world to set up, since it's just one button, one hand and one foot to adjust height (that's the way I do it anyway).

[Chip Thome]

Take the head off for now and use it as you like. OH....it looks like it's missing some parts tot he head....darn it !!! :-)

Manfrotto 561BHDV Monopod 719821301240 | eBay

[Peter Riding]

Whats the big deal about having feet? Its not as if you can leave the rig standing unattended. In which case you could use just about any monopod.

I use this Gitzo GM5561T:

Gitzo GM5561T Mountaineer Monopod - Carbon Fibre

It is rather expensive but it is lightweight whilst being at the same time chunky and it collapses very short so you can use it like that braced against your waist. I prefer to have a 701 head on it so that I can use the heads arm as a further stabilisation aid against my shoulder whilst the foot is against my middle.

There are cheaper versions from other manufacturers.

Pete

[Clive McLaughlin]

From my knowledge of them, they 'snap' in the centre point. And therefore, panning through the base give a properly horizontal smooth pan. In contrast, panning with the head, whislt trying to keep the shaft still its very hard to do.

This is why I stopped using monopods. I felt there was still to much wobble in the shots. My style is super smooth with tripod, slider and glidecam being used for all my shots.

Adrian, that Manfrotto Neotec certainly has nice (useful) features! Is there much pivot on the foot for doing lean in shots for example?

[Mike Beckett]

I'm sure a post in the "tripods & support" forum would be the best place, but anyway.

I had the 562b-1 monopod; the 701HDV head was very flimsy, and the lack of counterbalance and inability to pan. It really wasn't worth the money for me, I'd have been better off without the head.

There's a cheaper version of that Manfrotto monopod that just has a flat plate on top, manfrotto 562b-1. You can remove the plate and mount whatever head you want, I mounted an old 501HDV on mine and you did get the ability to pan.

There's a 560b-1 as well, but I don't know if the head can be removed in the same way.

[Nigel Barker]

Originally Posted by Peter Riding

Whats the big deal about having feet? Its not as if you can leave the rig standing unattended. In which case you could use just about any monopod.

The Manfrotto 561BHDV has a ball joint at the base so you can easily pan & tilt from the base unlike "just about any monopod". Trying to pan with a video head while holding the monopod shaft still is much harder.

The Manfrotto Neotec would be great if it had the same ball joint & little feet as the Manfrotto 561BHDV.

[Mike Beckett]

Also, you can plonk your size 10s (in my case anyway) on it and get really good stability. And use it for a pseudo "crane" effect quite easily where you put your foot on the base and tilt the whole monopod towards your subject while tilting the head.

[Clive McLaughlin]

Nigel, has it spot on, there are definate advantages.

Mike, the 562b I hadnt noticed and that could be a winner.

I also just found this. Never heard of the brand, but it seems decent quality, and the manufacturer has a 6 year warranty.

I like that the feet are a little longer on it, and of course its carbon fibre!

Sirui P-424X Carbon Monopod With Max. Load 15kgs with Supporting Feet | eBay

[Stelios Christofides]

Here is the best:

Manfrotto 561BHDV-1

and I use it with my NX5

Manfrotto 561BHDV-1 Monopod Review - YouTube

stelios

[Nigel Barker]

It would be a nice DIY exercise the graft the foot of the Manfrotto 561BHDV onto a Manfrotto Neotec. I have a colleague who swears by the Neotec but mine disintegrated into its component parts some while ago so I might be biased when I say that the build quality isn't up to that of the 561BHDV however the one-handed adjustment was nice before it disintegrated.

[Clive McLaughlin]

Stelios, you havnt read the post. I don't need/want a head. And the lack of pan function means the head cannot be removed from the 561B and sold on.

I'll probably get the 562B in truth. £140 from WEX.

But... this Sirui one has got me curious.

£130 (plus import costs), carbon fibre, 36mm diameter (so chunky enough), longer feet, and it has the ability to tighten the base so you can be more confident about locking it off for a time.

SIRUI P-424X Carbon-Einbeinstativ mit Standspinne - by www.enjoyyourcamera.com - YouTube

[Mike Beckett]

Clive, it looks like a Chinese 100% ripoff of the Manfrotto to me. It may be as good, it may not be. It doesn't seem that much cheaper than the Manfrotto equivalent either.

Pity you weren't looking for this 6 months ago, I was flogging my lightly used 562 on here for under £100 and postage would have been pretty cheap!

[Nigel Barker]

Originally Posted by Clive McLaughlin

Stelios, you havnt read the post. I don't need/want a head. And the lack of pan function means the head cannot be removed from the 561B and sold on.

I'll probably get the 562B in truth. £140 from WEX.

But... this Sirui one has got me curious.

£130 (plus import costs), carbon fibre, 36mm diameter (so chunky enough), longer feet, and it has the ability to tighten the base so you can be more confident about locking it off for a time.

SIRUI P-424X Carbon-Einbeinstativ mit Standspinne - by www.enjoyyourcamera.com - YouTube

Mit Standspinne too!

The locking base would be more useful if it was operate with a lever rather than an Allen key.