Date: 7/15/26 11:13 am
From: Matt Hucke via Tweeters <tweeters...>
Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Monopod and head
Hi Rob,

For about two years now, I've been using a monopod with a *Wimberley MH-100
mono gimbal head,* supporting a 150-600 or 150-400mm lens with
teleconverter, and I'm very happy with this setup. The monopod is a 3
Legged Thing "Lance", which extends to about 79 inches (a monopod that's
taller than the user is necessary to shoot at steep angles). The Wimberley
head will work with any monopod that has the standard 1/4-inch screw at the
top.

When starting out each day, I'll slide the lens foot (Arca-Swiss) into the
clamp on the Wimberley head, tighten the thumbscrew slightly, tilt the
camera assembly up and down to find the balance point, then tighten fully.
Once it's been set and balanced you can tilt it freely and it'll stay put.
You get complete freedom of movement in roll, pitch, and yaw axes. The
camera and lens hang off to one side of the monopod, which from my
perspective is the right side. I hold the monopod in my left hand when
getting into position, then use my right hand to work the shutter, AF-ON,
and exposure controls, and take my left hand off the monopod to work the
focus and zoom rings on the lens. If the birds are high in the trees I'll
grip the lower part of the monopod with my knees, loosen one of the rings
between segments, yank the top upward so the viewfinder is above eye level,
then tighten the ring again - this adjustment takes maybe two seconds.

For walking from one location to the next, I'll put the lens on my left
shoulder (the neoprene sleeve stops it from being unpleasantly hot or cold
if it touches my cheek) and hold out the monopod pointing in front of me
while walking. Then when the next bird appears I can quickly plant the foot
and be in position to shoot again.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/matthucke/55395810283/in/dateposted-public/

https://kenmorecamera.com/wimberley-mono-gimbal-head/?srsltid=AfmBOoo3UXci871bKehR-S9DfV-sODWOKdtjFCgsF19iIOROvllXOy0b


On Wed, Jul 15, 2026 at 9:36 AM Rob Faucett via Tweeters <
<tweeters...> wrote:

> I need to own a monopod. Does anybody here have experience they are
> willing to share.
>
> Thanks
> Rob
> —
> Rob Faucett
> +1(206) 619-5569
> <robfaucett...>
> Seattle, WA 98105
> _______________________________________________
> Tweeters mailing list
> <Tweeters...>
> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
>


--
Matt Hucke (<hucke...>) (he/him).
https://www.flickr.com/photos/matthucke
"Time is an illusion. Lunchtime, doubly so." - D. Adams

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