What monopod would be good for my Nikon D3100?
My family and I are going on vacation in a few weeks to Glacier Park. My mom told me she would buy me a monopod before we went. I want one that is lightweight and not bulky. One that can do vertical and horizontal photos. If I remember correctly, my camera has an 18-35 mm lens and a 55-200 mm lens. It needs to be able to hold the weight of my camera and lens. I want a monopod that can function well outdoors (waterproof would be cool, if possible, so I could stick it in a stream or something to get closer to my subject).It needs to be able to swivel, preferably. And it needs to be around $50 (no less than 30, no more than 70).
If there was a monopod built specifically for my camera that fits these requirements, that would be fantastic. I know that's unlikely, though, so any suggestions are welcome.
I'm very happy with this: http://amzn.to/....to/Jzm66v
It's a Manfrotto Monopod.
The issue you are going to have, IMO, is that you get what you pay for. For $50 you can get that Monopod above, but you can't get a good ballhead to allow you to shoot vertical. For a decent ballhead, you're going to have to spend a little more dough. Check these out for some ideas: http://amzn.to/....to/L1l3wz
The Manfrotto above will work very well for you, but it will only work in landscape orientation. I'd pick up a decent head, from Manfrotto, as well.
Hope that helps.
-MS
Denver Wedding Photographer
www.goodsmithstudio.com
Since you're going to Glacier Park, maybe you should consider a trekking pole/monopod combo. You'll save weight, can use it as any other trekking pole, and screw on your camera in seconds to use it as a monopod that will certainly support your D3100 and lenses (which btw is one of the best lightweight DSLRs around). With a dual-purpose trekking pole you'll have an extra safety feature and good support on slippery slopes, and don't have to carry around dead weight until you'll need it as a monopod. Using Nikon's 55-200 VR (Vibration Reduction) lens combined with a trekking pole lets you successfully take pictures in very low light conditions that would otherwise have been impossible to shoot without blur.
The drawback, however, is that trekking poles don't extend to the same height as most monopods. But on a fairly intense trek, this IMHO is a fairly insignificant compromise. I use a trekking pole/monopod from the Leki range, but they're quite expensive. But similar trekking poles are available from REI (link below) for around $50-60. Btw, the screw thread for mounting cameras on tripods etc.has been standardized for all brands since the '60s, so you don't have to shop around for a camera-specific model.
A clumsy budget option ($13), but one that I don't recommend, is the stickpic, a gadget that you can attach to a normal trekking pole (link below). Have fun in Glacier Park!
"a monopod built specifically for my camera" - don't be blonde!
All monopods have the capability of attaching a ball head that can swivel from landscape to portrait orientation. Haven't come across one that doesn't have that, even the cheapest ones have a standard screw to which you can attach any ball head you want.
Usually the ball head has to be purchased separately.
Some of the lightest ones are carbon fibre (waterproof obviously), but they cost a little more. The main problem if you put it in water is if you get silt or sand in the telescopic sections, or the ball head. That will ruin any monopod, whether you have taken out a second mortgage to buy it or not.