Today’s Post by Joe Farace
“When choosing a tripod, buy the most expensive one you can afford and the biggest one your wife can carry.” —Chuck from McBain Camera
I’m not an expert at shooting video but I do know that you’ll need a steady camera even if you’re just shooting a YouTube clip of your cat Mr Fluffy playing the piano. I especially like using monopods for shooting motorsports but there are lots of other uses, especially if you need a little extra support and don’t want the bulk of a tripod.
To me a monopod seems like a better solution for shooting video than a tripod and at my last WPPI Expo I had a chance to take a look at Sirui’s line of P-S Series Multifunction Photo/Video Monopods.
These monopods have three sturdy fold-down support feet that let you to pan the monopod 360 degrees and tilt 20 degrees without worrying that the monopod will move because you can step on the feet for greater stability! To tilt the monopod in any direction, Sirui uses a ball head located in the base of the monopod. Just by turning a knob, you can control the amount of drag that you need. The legs have rubber feet for use on slippery surfaces, which can be replaced with a stainless steel spike for outdoors.
But the Sirui P-S is more than a monopod with legs: The legs remove and convert to a table-top or down-low tripod. When the legs are detached it become a traditional monopod. Models are available in aluminum or carbon fiber for added strength, increased load capacity and vibration reduction. I’ve been using the P-324SR carbon fiber monopod that weighs just 3.3 lb but can support a load up to 22 lb.
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