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monopods? anyone uses them?

PostPosted: Mon Mar 20, 2006 10:43 pm
by redline
well mines finally start to fall apart, the plastic foot of the stick has been wore away to bare metal maybe all the panning i've been doing for the past 2 years probaby has something to do with it.

anyway i decided to get a rubber chair foot to repair it but its only last 4 months. boohoo

PostPosted: Mon Mar 20, 2006 10:46 pm
by BBJ
Mate, i am looking to buy another in Adelaide if i can get there in time as i have a Benro but as i am a big fellow i find it a bit to short for me, think it was made for japaneese people as most of them a short. I have the Benro Ballhead on my and still have to lean over a bit to see through camera. LOL

PostPosted: Mon Mar 20, 2006 10:50 pm
by redline
yes, leaning over will do wonders to your back over time.
why not shoot kneeing down? or in a chair?

PostPosted: Mon Mar 20, 2006 10:52 pm
by BBJ
Mate Knees are already bad as i do get down on 1 knee at times but yeh they stuffed so yeh will get taller 1 and sell my other 1, not much shorter but yeh just a tad for my liking.

PostPosted: Mon Mar 20, 2006 11:08 pm
by DaveB
The rubber foot on my Manfrotto 479-4B monopod has been replaced twice. First time after using it as a walking stick trekking across New Zealand volcanos. :roll: After the next one wore through I filed off the rough edges before installing a new one (should have done that the first time!) and I bought a spare one at the same time. But they cost a shocking $0.30 each (for the actual Manfrotto part) and each one has lasted several years, so no problem.

PostPosted: Tue Mar 21, 2006 6:39 am
by birddog114
BBJ wrote:Mate, i am looking to buy another in Adelaide if i can get there in time as i have a Benro but as i am a big fellow i find it a bit to short for me, think it was made for japaneese people as most of them a short. I have the Benro Ballhead on my and still have to lean over a bit to see through camera. LOL


Get the Gitzo G1588 (as Fozzie has one) and you'll be happy with it, even Gitzo they produced all variation of height and size of all their tripod/ monopod.

Always buy extra, replacement feets with your tripods or mono pods and keep them as your spare stock. There're times you'll need them and remember: Nothing will be last.

PostPosted: Tue Mar 21, 2006 9:47 am
by padey
Yeah, i use a Manfrotto 694 Magfiber Carbon Fiber 4-Section Monopod to use with my long glass.

Does the job and light enough to strap to my bag.

Image

PostPosted: Tue Mar 21, 2006 11:42 am
by daniel_r
BBJ,
if height is a problem, try the Manfrotto 681B. It's the toughest Alu Manfrotto 3 section monopod. I purchased mine for $98 retail. Extends to 180cm +. I'd check the specs but the manfrotto site seems to be down :)

PostPosted: Tue Mar 21, 2006 12:41 pm
by Glen
Andrew, nice wedding shot and nice shot of a Brougham, don't see many of these around today :D

PostPosted: Tue Mar 21, 2006 2:12 pm
by BBJ
Daniel i have rang photographic wholesalers in Adelaide and $95 and they have some just have to see if i can there in time to pick it up.No tilt heads as i was after but i will get that later. Will be leaving around lunchtime or after so might not make in time so if i dont go to track on Clipsal on friday might be able to get it then.

PostPosted: Tue Mar 21, 2006 2:24 pm
by redline
DaveB wrote:The rubber foot on my Manfrotto 479-4B monopod has been replaced twice. First time after using it as a walking stick trekking across New Zealand volcanos. :roll: After the next one wore through I filed off the rough edges before installing a new one (should have done that the first time!) and I bought a spare one at the same time. But they cost a shocking $0.30 each (for the actual Manfrotto part) and each one has lasted several years, so no problem.


30 cents? wherabouts Dave?

PostPosted: Tue Mar 21, 2006 3:30 pm
by DaveB
redline wrote:30 cents? wherabouts Dave?

Adeal are the Australian Manfrotto & Gitzo distributors, and they have a decent spare parts department.

If you ring them up they can look up the details for your model and find the part, but to avoid confusion and possible errors I find it's best to search the Manfrotto website and download the PDF for your device (it's the same as the relevant page in the huge book they thumb through while you're on the phone). Then you can doublecheck the part number they tell you (or you can tell them the number directly).
They'll either have stock or they'll have to ship it in. They'll send the parts out to you, but as they're in Altona and I head down to Werribee/Geelong from time to time, I just drop in and pick it up from the service desk.


If you go to a camera store and ask for the part they're just going to ring up Adeal and do the same thing, so I figure I'll just remove as many "middlemen" as possible in order to reduce the opportunities for stuff-ups (and for mark-ups). I have heard some horror stories where the wrong part ended up getting ordered (with a delay as it wasn't in stock) multiple times until they found the right bit.

But if you get the right information and go direct, it can be painless, quick, and cheap.

PostPosted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 12:01 pm
by redline
thanks Dave