Generally, monopods aren’t substitutes for tripods. You won’t be able to photograph with bulb (long exposure) using a monopod. But if what you’re looking for is a tool to help you stabilize your camera from any shock, help you take pictures in poor light conditions, or just want an all-around sharper picture, then monopods trump tripods in several areas. These are, among others:
-Monopods are lighter and more compat. Tripods can weigh three times heavier than a monopod, not to mention that it’s quite a hassle at time to carry around a tripod because of its width and size. Mnopods are quite compact and can easily be tucked into your camera bag. It also doesn’t take up much space so it won’t be in the way of other photographers around you.
-Easy to use. Monopods only need to be extended, mount the camera, and grounded onto a surface before use. With a tripod, you’ll need to extended its 3 legs; and if you’re in an area with uneven surface, you’ll have to differ the legs’ lengths to accommodate the different surface heights.
-More agile. Monopods are more idea when you need assistance in stability but need to be keep mobile. Because it’s lightweight and easy to assemble, the monopod is a favorite among sports photographers and other outdoor photography.
-A monopod is a heavy lens’ best friend. Heavy telephoto lenses are usually equipped with a monopod/tripod collar around its lens barrel. Monopod can lighten the burden on the hands when shooting with heavy lenses. Let a monopod help you in sustaining its weight.
-They’re considerably cheap. You can get a high-quality monopod that can handle up to 10 kg of weight at around $24 USD.
-You can also get a cool perspective using a monopod. Do you have a wide angle or fisheye lens? Mount that lens to your camera and mount your camera to the monopod. Photograph with a timer setting and lift the monopod up high. Voila, you’ll get photographs with a heightened perspective (bird’s eye view).
Professional Photographer, Terry VanderHeiden, shows how to use a monopod to improve your digital photography.
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