GH4 Does this type of tripod/monopod exist?

Thomas Smet said:
Fluid panning is usually not as much of a concern on a monopod so the s4 should be more than enough.
Click to expand...

My plan is to use this while kneeling at a low angle following people come down the aisle during the wedding processional so I will need to do a fair amount of smooth panning and tilting.

That being said, would a fluid head be best? Or is it better to get a ball head as suggested above (see pic below)? Are their any advantages to a ball head given that I'll be doing some basic panning and tilting on this monopod??

ball-head.jpg

The idea is that I can pick up and move when the bride gets close to the end of the aisle (while not taking up a lot of space) and then hang there for a bit and then when everyone sits, I can quickly switch from monopod to tripod and leave that camera alone and locked down. The Manfrotto 685B monopod looks nice only cuz its super quick to extend even while maintaining my shot. The advantage of the Cullmann 260M (now replaced by the 460M according to their site) is that I could just quickly slide it right into the tripod legs and run. No need for quick release and reattaching anything. If I got that I would replace the head as the manufacturer says it's replaceable with any other head that has a 1/4" mount (which many do with an adapter). So that's why I'm debating the monopods/tripods that I've mentioned.
 
I own a monopod with feet but prefer the traditional style, especially in the muck.

And I use a 701HDV fluid head (or Benro's clone), & Acratech leveling base, on top. The fluid head allows smoother tilts & leveling heads provides dutch.
 
The Irish TRex said:
My plan is to use this while kneeling at a low angle following people come down the aisle during the wedding processional so I will need to do a fair amount of smooth panning and tilting.

That being said, would a fluid head be best? Or is it better to get a ball head as suggested above (see pic below)? Are their any advantages to a ball head given that I'll be doing some basic panning and tilting on this monopod??

View attachment 97399

The idea is that I can pick up and move when the bride gets close to the end of the aisle (while not taking up a lot of space) and then hang there for a bit and then when everyone sits, I can quickly switch from monopod to tripod and leave that camera alone and locked down. The Manfrotto 685B monopod looks nice only cuz its super quick to extend even while maintaining my shot. The advantage of the Cullmann 260M (now replaced by the 460M according to their site) is that I could just quickly slide it right into the tripod legs and run. No need for quick release and reattaching anything. If I got that I would replace the head as the manufacturer says it's replaceable with any other head that has a 1/4" mount (which many do with an adapter). So that's why I'm debating the monopods/tripods that I've mentioned.
Click to expand...

For video, especially wedding ceremonies, I would go with a fluid head on the monopod. Ball heads are nice when you have the time to setup a shot but fluid heads are better for run and gun work. I also did not mean the s4 head is bad at panning at all just that the s6 is apparently a little bit better. I think it mostly supports more weight and has better tension control but the differences may be pretty subtle.

Knowing now that you want this for weddings I would definitely go with a Benro monopod and a Benro tripod. This way the tripod can be setup where you want it and once the processional is over you can quickly move the camera from the monopod to the tripod. It takes seconds to work the quick release. In the future if you get a shoulder rig you can then add the plate I linked to above and quickly move the camera to that as well.
 
Question...

When using monopods, what does a swivel base provide that a fluid head can't. Or, if I get a good fluid head on a regular monopod that has no feet and no swivel base of any kind, will I have better control over my pans and tilts?

I'm actually leaning toward getting a tripod with the monopod in the center column (similar to the one in my first post, but a bit better constructed and with a good fluid head) instead of the suggested quick release solution where I go from monopod to tripod by detaching and reattaching via the quick release. There's a number of reasons for this direction I'm leaning. But I'm still figuring the feet/swivel base vs. fluid head thing and what advantages there are to either one...or both.

Thx.
 
I have the manfrotto 561 BHDV monopod with the three feet on the base with the swivel cartridge and it makes nice smooth pans and tilts without the base moving from its position on the ground. I also have the quick release up and down manfrotto 685B monopod with just the single rubber foot and cannot get anything like the same control as with the other one even with a video swivel head fitted as you are trying to hold the monopod in position while twisting the head and it is a lot more tricky to get a smooth pan as you can't maintain a fixed left hand position holding the monopod while turning the right hand (or I can't haha) also the rubber foot tends to squeak which is annoying. I also tried the benro monopod which is bit smaller than the manfrotto but identical design with the three feet stand/base and found that because the ball in centre of the foot is plastic (unlike the manfrotto one which is steel) and does not allow for smooth tilts it catches and makes sudden jerks I even tried dismantling it and putting white grease in it but it remained the same so I sold it. So having tried a few I am sticking with the 561BHDV I find I use it far more than my tripod and with a dslr or my GH4 I can leave it freestanding in non windy conditions although I do attach a thin strap that i hold just in case it was to go over (never happened yet) which I hold or attach around my neck, for me I love the speed and simplicity and portability which I can work at when using it. I guess whats best for you depends on what you are recording?
 
So when using a Monopod, what is more important to smooth pans/tilts...a fluid head or a swivel base with feet? What are the advantages/disadvantages of a monopod with a fluid head vs one without a fluid head but with a nice swivel base w/ feet?

Thanks! I'm close to purchase so this would be helpful to know.
 
Always the fluid head. It is much harder to control the swivel base with a high level of finesse. Plus a swivel base will rarely if ever have some sort of tension control to adjust the amount of drag. A good solid fluid head will give you all of this. Without a doubt a monopod should have a good fluid head for the maximum amount of control and movement.
 
Gotcha. Thanks! Then my solution to my own particular workflow issue will most likely be the following two purchases:

Cullmann 525M Tripod/Monopod - which has a center column that pulls out for quick access to a solid Monopod...
cullmann_525M.jpg

with the following tripod head...

Manfrotto 500AH fluid head...
visual_manfrotto_mvh500ah.jpg


These two combined should solve my issues. I went against the quick release option because in many cases I won't have a place to put the monopod after I detached the camera. Whereas with this solution the monopod just slides into the tripod legs and locks in place. Done.

Thanks for all your help/advice!
 
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