Why are monopods essential for videographers.
What are monopods?
Monopods are basically a one-legged tripod. You will often see sports, nature or wildlife photographers / videographers using it. The lenses on it are often huge and heavy therefore the needed support.
What about monopods for videography and film making?
Camera shake or jitters are not noticeable on wider focal length but if you use anything 85mm or beyond, you will notice that the videos you take might be unstable. You could use a tripod to achieve the rock solid shot however it is not feasible in crowded places as it takes up a lot of space, and the setup time is considerably longer as you have to control the height of the 3 legs.
During production or when capturing events or weddings, it requires you to shoot for long hours. Shooting with a monopod will definitely save your back and arms tremendously than if you were to shoot handheld, By using a monopod, you will not feel as tired at the of the day.
The difference between the shots captured using the monopod vs tripod are that monopod shots can “float” contrary to the static shot from a tripod. You will be able to have more organic shot by moving ever so slightly to get the floaty drifty feeling.
As years go by, tripod evolved and improve where manufacturers added three tiny feet for the tripod with many added functions.
Why I use monopod?
Technology advances, camera image stabilization improve, therefore some may think that there is no need for a monopod. I will still stand by monopods and have it with me on all of my shoots. For me it is just a 1-2kg stick, you never know when you need them, and when you do, it saves the day! I am shooting on a monopod most of the time, I use it for details and precise shots. Some shots can only be achieved by using a monopod. I will share this in the future posts.
I can move around easily with a monopod and use it as a tripod if needed. Especially in wedding banquets and concerts and crowded events where space is limited. I can even raise it all the way up and go way above the audience and the crowd for a unique overview shot. Recently I even put the gimbal on my monopod and get crane / jib-like shots.
Do you need a monopod?
If you find that you often have shaky unusable footage and have to stabilize a lot of your shots in post, get it, it will definitely help in your film making journey. You should get it if you are feeling aches all over after the shoot, or you like to shoot on longer focal length. I would recommend most videographers out there who does not use a monopod to try using one for a few gigs, you will need some time to get used to it, but the learning curve is not steep.
In summary the benefits of a monopods
Fast deployment, fast setup
Able to get stable shot on the longer focal length
Good for small items or macro shots
Perfect for a long day of shoots
Can acts as a tripod at times
Get unique high angle shot
Many creative shots can be achieved by using it
Small lightweight and portable
Monopod brands I recommend are Manfrotto, Sirui and iFootage.
I have been using Manfrotto monopod for 5 years, thereafter changed to Benro, Sirui and finally, our current favorite is iFootage Cobra 2.