Used Manfrotto 561BHDV1 Video Monopod with Fluid Head, Maximum Height 78"

2013-04-29T21:00:00

I used this with my Canon 5D this weekend at a wedding shoot and it was great to use, since the camera is heavy to me, so it was great to be able to have the stability provided by this monopod while also not having the bulk of a normal tripod. The ball joint at the bottom does get a little stuck but I haven't tried putting WD40 on it. I also tried using it as a poor man's steadicam, to get moving shots around the dance floor, it seemed like it worked better than using just handheld.

kzo

2013-03-11T21:00:00

I'm new to the world of videography. I'm slowly but surely making all my purchases for my videography business. I have done TONS and TONS of research on all kind of products including this monopod. Right out of the box this monopod is incredibly easy to operate and easy to adjust. You can adjust the bottom swivel to make it tighter or looser. I made mine tighter so it cold hold stagnant shots. The fluid head is literally so fluid and easy to adjust. You can get some really cool shots using the fluid head. In my opinion the manfrotto monopod is worth every penny. The build quality is phenomenal.

Jacqui

2012-08-12T21:00:00

My first monopod and it's fantastic. Build quality is great. Ease of use awesome. Fast, fluid and intuitive. If there was just one thing I could say 'slightly' negative about it, is that when pushing it's limits of use for video, trying to make it act as a jib by creating a vertical movement arching from the ground up, perhaps revealing a bride walking past, starting with a low angle then moving up as a jib could, you can only get to about 30cm (1 foot) above the ground as the start position as the head won't allow absolute horizontal to be attained at lower than this. That is a VERY picky point and won't trouble anyone much, but other than this my monopod is my new best friend. Love it. Also comes with a standard plate for use in my tripod system (VIDEO head). No fumbling around screwing plates on or off.

hendo

2012-07-15T21:00:00

This is not a tripod and will never deliver the same stability. I am a videographer and needed to do quick setups for run and gun music videos. This is a great solution, but it requires a new way of shooting. You do pans by twisting the monopod on its base or tilting it, not panning the head. This is not a stable base like a tripod but a way to remove shakes and do quick setups and pans. much better than a tripod that is too hard to move between setups or even a shoulder rig that does not provide smooth movement in video shots. graet product but the leg extension and camera plate are sticky; other people say you have to grease the leg gimbal. Minor things. learn a new way of shooting and you will be rewarded.

Philip L.

2012-06-24T21:00:00

Just watch the tutorial on monopods from Still Motion and you'll see all of the wonderful things this puppy can do for you as a DSLR video user. It is a touch heavy, but that's what helps make it so stable for those toasts. The fluid head makes it versatile though, and you can get some really nice moves out of it.

NATHANIEL A.

2011-12-04T19:00:00

Got rid of all my hand-held DSLR rigs after purchasing this monopod. Perfect to simulate hand-held look without the back strain, and also perfect to achieve near-tripod steadiness.

Brian R.

2011-09-03T21:00:00

Really excellent product. I have used it with a Nikon D7000 for video with a 70-200 VR II and it's possible to get very fluid pans with this setup. Also have used it with D3s and Nikon 200-400 f/4 for various sideline sports situations and it's just about perfect. I thought it was a bit pricey until I got it and started using it and now I would say that it's worth very penny. Don't compromise, buy it now.

AkaJeff