Tripod Head

[Perry]

G'day,
I have a, looks like a VF WT1005 monopod. I used it and found it to be stiff and difficult to adjust. I saw this head on eBay and was wondering if somebody could give me some advice on whether it was worth buying.
I have lost my fingers on my right hand and use a lead from my camera to the shutter switch I use between my thumb and stump of my finger. That leaves my left hand to do all the fiddling about. I need the Monopod as I am 76 and my hands shake a bit. I will attach a photo of the head so you know what I am talking about. Any advice will be much appreciated.
Cheers Perry

[Perry]

What happened? I tried to send a photo of the tripod head. I received a notice to say I have already sent 5. When I tried it sent the ones I sent before. How can I delete them now that they have been posted please.
Cheers Perry

[ameerat42]

WOOPS! Perry. Wrong "head" I'd say...

These are the same pics as you posted in another thread.

Post a link to the image you want to show. (Copy the URL and paste it in
a post.)

[Perry]

O K,
I was able to send it this time.
Cheers Perry

[ameerat42]

Woops! again. Hang on till I have a look...

- - - Updated - - -

OK, try this... -- In THIS thread, not the one of the event -...

Edit your post and go into Advanced mode. Use the Manage Attachments button
and note that the UNWANTED images appear in the Attachments pane (the lower one).
You can place the mouse over the top RH corner of each of the images there and
delete each one. Just DO NOT delete the images in the upper pane.

[ameerat42]

OK. I did it for you.

[Plays With Light]

What happened? I tried to send a photo of the tripod head. I received a notice to say I have already sent 5. When I tried it sent the ones I sent before. How can I delete them now that they have been posted please.
Cheers Perry

Howdy Perry, I'm a tad confused, but that's easy to do!

Is this the head that you have for your monopod?
76113_0.jpeg

If so, it's not very useful at all. It requires two hands to operate it, so you have no hands free to operate the camera!

Remove the head from your monopod and replace it with one like this. With a head like this you simply rotate the monopod left and right as needed (which you can do from the camera) and loosen things so that you can manipulate the camera up and down as needed, without it being too sticky or slack.
s-l500.jpg

This one is a Manfrotto 234RC Quick Release Tilt Head and would set you back $56 including postage from within Australia.

The picture of the ball-head you posted above is designed to be used on a tripod, not a monopod.

[Perry]

G'day,
I cannot find your name.
Thank you for your message. I knew there must be something to make it simpler. $60, My wife would go off her brain if I decided to buy that. Being a Pensioner is worry. When I was working if there was something I wanted I would buy it. Now I have to think about it. Do you think I could get a Second-hand one on Gum Tree? If there is anybody on the Forum who know where I can get one a little cheaper please let me know.
Cheers Perry

[Plays With Light]

G'day,
I cannot find your name.
Thank you for your message. I knew there must be something to make it simpler. $60, My wife would go off her brain if I decided to buy that. Being a Pensioner is worry. When I was working if there was something I wanted I would buy it. Now I have to think about it. Do you think I could get a Second-hand one on Gum Tree? If there is anybody on the Forum who know where I can get one a little cheaper please let me know.
Cheers Perry

Howdy Perry,
My name is in my signature, Alex!
Just did a Gumtree search for QLD and no luck for you, just monopods with heads and they start at $70.
But, over on fleabay there is this one for $28.78 with free shipping from China.
s-l500-2.jpg

All the best,
Alex

[Poppyrob]

Hey there Perry

Are you familiar with good old eBay? If you are, or perhaps someone in your family, search for monopods and you'll be surprised. They are available as a complete unit, with a carry bag for as little as $20 delivered. You don't needed anything expensive, just an easy to use stick on which to mount the camera. The one thing to remember though is to keep the sliding legs clean. I bought one of these cheapies more than a year ago and it cops a flogging. I use it as a walking stick (be careful, not its recommended use!) to get to and from the beach, where I take pictures of my sons and grandsons surfing. It often gets full of sand, but a serious cleaning (sometimes a brush and the hose) brings it back as good as new. Don't get a swivel head, just a complete stick. It will come with a little detachable plate that unclips from the top of the unit. This plate screws into the bottom of your camera, then you clip the lot to the top of the monopod, and you're ready to go.

Good luck mate, and happy shooting.

[Plays With Light]

Don't get a swivel head, just a complete stick.

How do you aim up or down if it doesn't have a swivel to the head? Tilt the whole monopod on a peculiar angle?

[Perry]

G'day Alex,
Thank you for helping me. Do you think that this one from China would be as good as the Manfrotto 234RC Quick Release Tilt Head for Monopods. I know "YOU PAY FOR WHAT YOU GET"
My son said that he would shout me the Manfrotto for Christmas.
Cheers Perry

[Poppyrob]

How do you aim up or down if it doesn't have a swivel to the head? Tilt the whole monopod on a peculiar angle?

With a single point of contact to the ground, that's exactly what I do. Not the best scenario for capturing birds in flight or aircraft, but if I'm doing a shoot where this might come into play, I use a tripod. Perry stated he had difficulty with manipulation due to his right hand being somewhat incapacitated. Using a swivel head on a monopod and trying to simultaneously operate the camera sounds like a difficult task. Hence my suggestion of the el-cheapo click mount plate.

Sorry if I've misinterpreted intentions.

[Plays With Light]

G'day Alex,
Thank you for helping me. Do you think that this one from China would be as good as the Manfrotto 234RC Quick Release Tilt Head for Monopods. I know "YOU PAY FOR WHAT YOU GET"
My son said that he would shout me the Manfrotto for Christmas.
Cheers Perry

The knock-off looks like a direct reverse engineering attempt of the Manfrotto, but, I suspect it's made for inferior quality materials. I'd hold out till Xmas!

With a single point of contact to the ground, that's exactly what I do. Not the best scenario for capturing birds in flight or aircraft, but if I'm doing a shoot where this might come into play, I use a tripod. Perry stated he had difficulty with manipulation due to his right hand being somewhat incapacitated. Using a swivel head on a monopod and trying to simultaneously operate the camera sounds like a difficult task. Hence my suggestion of the el-cheapo click mount plate.

Sorry if I've misinterpreted intentions.

I think Perry needs to answer this one, as he's the one using the camera on a monopod, so he could work out whether he wants and needs to be able to swivel the head up and down as part of his usage.

Manipulating a camera and operating it on a swivel head is easy, once you have the torsion set correctly. Both hands are on the camera and it's supported by the monopod, so you have virtually zero mass to manipulate.

I wasn't having a go at your reply, just curious. We all have different techniques that can achieve the same things at times.

[Perry]

G'day,
I have just received a message from someone that has a head they do not use and will send it to me for the price of the postage. I have replied saying that I will be pleased to take up the offer.
Cheers Perry