Monopod advice

I am looking at getting a monopod with the three feet at the bottom. There are so many to choose from, varying in price and quality. The Manfrotto ones seem to be the best but are expensive. I am looking to spend up to £150 tops.

Are there any good deals out there ? I was looking at Beno as they seem to be a cheaper Manfrotto option but hard to get in the UK.

Thanks.

For serious video that is not suitable, But for event is OK.

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/DSLR-SLR-Camera-DV-Camcorder-Monopod-Unipod-3-Legs-with-Base-Stabilizer-Stand-SSY-3161/1861621222.html

Serious film makers use monopods. Tripods are cumbersome but ok for stills photography.

"Serious film makers use monopods" ............ Never seen that.........that's a new one.

It probably depends on your needs, film style, inside/outside, angle, camera's internal stabilization, etc. I try to get footage as stable as possible, and I think a tripod (or any other, sometimes simple, alternative) does an overall better job for that than a monopod. Even one with legs!

I've always used cheap tripods (like Hama) and tried to find other ways to stabilize. They are decent tripods, but limiting, and not very durable. One fell apart while on the road and I was lucky to find a store that sold tripods. I bought a Sony Tripod VCT-R100 for 30 or so euros and it's actually not bad. It doesn't reach very high though, and using ballheads for pans etc. doesn't work well with these cheap tripods.

Good luck!

I've had a monopod for many years, I also thought I would get a lot of use ... not so. I have several tripods from heavy to graphite. I find that if space is limited or at a place that restricts tripod use I put one leg down and use it as a monopod. Again if space is limited I use all three legs but only open them a couple inches. This stabilizes the camera as good or better than a bottom based monopod. Serious film makers use tripods ... almost always ;) For still photography image stabilization is used far more often than a tripod or monopod.

This is a new lesson from Marbury, a new Chapter indeed.

:D

I never thought that monopds would be poo pooed so much here. Some of the better monopds you can do any panning, tilt, zoom as good as smooth any tripod looking on some of the youtube videos. And it the conditions are not too windy you can leave them standing all on their own which seems much more convenient and faster than a tripod. I think for events, on the fly type of stuff that i do with a small, light sony RX10 it will do a lot for me as the camera already has stabalisation but still not quite smoth enough for hand held.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T04VB6NDKaA

I went through all your pains before, I don't have to argue with you.

"A real Profi don't use Tripod, no camera, but his/her eyes"

It is wonderful world without pollution, without Capitalism!! :D :D

So please tell me why a monopod that can pan, tilt, move, stand, more versatile than a tripod still be no good for footage ?