Monopod Showdown - 5 Monopods under $150 (Benro, Feisol, FLM, Leofoto, Robus)
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- čas přidán 31. 05. 2024
- Hope you enjoyed the review:
For each product in the video, I listed what was loaned for review, gifted or owned
If you are interested in any of the products, the links below will not cost you any more, but give me a small (and I mean very small) commission that helps offset the time and expense of running the channel.
From lowest in price to most expensive shown.
Leofoto MP-364C ($119.00): bhpho.to/3pZSPKl
FLM CM 30-L5 ($129.00): bhpho.to/3oZSrw3
Robus RCM-439 ($139.95 sale price $114.95): bhpho.to/3dWbjFS
Feisol CM-1471 ($149.99): bhpho.to/3DZmCYp
Benro MSD46c ($159.95 sale price $119.95): bhpho.to/3oZSvfh
00:00 Intro
04:00 Leofoto
5:45 Benro (See update and note below on top section slipping)
8:42 FLM
11:15 Robus
12:33 Feisol
15:00 Induro
17:20 Recommendations
20:15 Wrap up
Talked to the designer at Benro, who confirmed the top section is completely adjustable and can be tightened up if needed. He challenged me that it would support my body weight!
By the time I published this video, the Induro monopod was discontinued and I could not find it on Amazon, so I don't have an affiliate link, but the quality of the construction made me curious to try more Induro products in the future.
One thing you should have mentioned is that since the Benro has extra height because of the top section that makes the bottom section smaller in diameter. But if you don't need the extra height you leave it inside and not extend it. That would allow you to use the adjust ability of the top section without having a small diameter section on the bottom. This would also allow you to have the extra height for those special occasions such as standing on rocks at the shore and having the mono pod down into the water.
Scott, I just received my Leophoto MP364C monopod and I am very impressed! The build and quality of the monopod! Is great! Thanks for your recommendation and it’s a good buy!!
Great to hear!
I just got the Benro and I'm blown away by the quality. I put a Wimberley head on like you showed and think it will be a great combo for my Nikon D800e with 200-500mm f 5.6 lens. Love your videos. Keep them coming.
Just bought the Benro, the click lock top section is great and it's very sturdy. The twist locks don't work well though requiring a lot of effort and movement to loose and tighten to the extent the sealing rings are exposed before you can move the legs.
Good to know!
I use the 3 Legged Thing Trent magnesium alloy monopod...which I bought from B&H Photo. It's currently $89. It's load rated at 66 lbs. It goes 79" tall. Maybe it's a tiny bit heavier than the carbon monopods in this review, but I'm very happy with it. I, of course, have the Wimberley monopod head on it.
One thing I have read about 3LT products is that they greatly overstate their load capacity. I can't say I have used their stuff, but I am going to get my hands on something soon to give my impressions. One thing, I am learning is that each company varies greatly on how they state capacity. Some are extremely conservative (Jobu) and others are very aggressive (3LT)
@@WildlifeInspired I can't argue with you about this. I haven't compared this monopod to others. It should come as no surprise that I'm not putting 66 lbs on it. Typically, I use my Olympus MFT camera and lenses. More like 6.6 lbs. It can handle that just fine. Ha.
Just pulled it out and pulled down on with my body weight. It's not going anywhere. Pretty stiff too. Am I worried about it holding my Olympus gear? No. My Sony gear? No. It's all less than 10 lbs. Is it as good as the carbon fiber monopods? Maybe not, but it works well enough for me...I believe. Until someone shows me how another monopod would be significantly better, I'm staying with this one.
The Benro's well built Supadupa with a quality Tilting Head$$ has been the Best set-up that I've used in 40yrs Birding.. With Quick Flick adjust section & the Ball Bearing Foot that doesn't catch-up between rocks etc - are both very much appreciated IMO.. Cheerz AU🙃
I m thinking to buy this. But height is less I think, how to birds in flight overhead?
Hi, I'm 6'2" having no problems with the very difficult not preferred to do overhead shots as the extended Pole is 72" does provide some what stable a position for me. But in shooting with Sony's AF Lens/in Camera IBIS hand held in those situations you receive better results as the Monopole can get in the way.@@drkumarharaprasadmisra5562
This is a nice review - I got the Robus monopod and matching stabilizing base plus the lightweight Wimberly monopod gimbal. It is a flexible setup that permits movement but also provides near-instantaneous stability when that perfect composition suddenly appears. Thanks!
Seems like are are currently on the same set up!
Whew! Just bought the Robus yesterday because an ad popped up saying it was on sale at B and H. I'd had the Benro in my cart for a couple days, but didn't care for the $159 price tag. Glad to see you like the Robus!
The FEISOL was the sturdiest between the robus and FEISOL but I've been using Robus and had no issues. Good luck !
Great review Scott.
Thank you kindly
Very informative, thanks!👍
Glad it was helpful!
Sweet u picked the leofoto that I got in dec!
Great video, and very helpful. Thanks much, Scott. Leofoto‘s prices are attractive and their quality isn‘t bad. If they only wouldn‘t be such copycats of other brands (their monogimbal copy is a „good“ example)! Had my Feisol Tripod for years and am still very happy with the quality.
The design cloning is a bit discomforting. I will review a few of their products, I have stayed away from endorsing clones.
Great content, as usual. Please consider a Robus & Leofoto update.
Good review thanks. One quick point the Benro MSD46c does not have a foam grip. For me, that would be a deal breaker.
I've used an Induro, much like the one here) for over 8 years, and it's held up great and is very sturdy. I will say the big twist locks are great. Very comfortable to use and easy to get them tight.
I really did lik those locks!
I've been using the Ifootage Cobra 2 monopod. It was designed for shooting video but works great for stills. It has a small detachable tripod foot that can be used alone and also folds and a solid rubber screw on foot for when the mini-tripod legs are folded up. A very versital piece of kit. Normal retail is $189 but goes on sale for $139.
curious if the tripod foot would get gummed up with dirt/mud etc.
@@josephsee2425 never been an issue for me. Plus the foot is all aluminum so it's easy to rinse off if dirt became an issue.
@@jackstutts6439 nice. I'm curious if it will be stable enough for happy video shooting, especially with a side mounted gimbal load.
@@josephsee2425 I use a Whimberly M-I-100 side mount on mine and find it rock steady. Even when using my Nikon 200-500 lens.
@@jackstutts6439 Just tried this out today. It works quite well, my one wish is a way to pan without rotating the monopod, since the Wimberley only is a tilt head and the cobra so far as I can tell does not have an option for that.
I just bought the Robus. No complaints.
Sweet!
Scott - Great reviews and information (as always).
A little bit more money, but I use a ProMedia Gear TR42ML. It extends to 81 inches, is rated to 70 pounds, and has an integrated Arca-Swiss clamp. That all comes with an increase in cost - $349. I waited and got it on a Black Friday sale. I have used it for a year and it performs outstanding. Also, they are a US small company.
My wife has the Benro from your video and it is a great choice also.
Pro media gear seems so well built, but yes it's generally one price tier up from these and closer the gitzo range
Just found your sight. Very good reviews and I have subscribed. I shoot a bit of everything as a hobbyist and have been using my tripod (Peak Design CF) for wildlife and thought a monopod would be lighter and a bit less cumbersome for hikes. I have been looking at reviews and I see many have a 3 legged base, iFootage Cobra 3, among others. This seems like a bit of overkill to me and adds to weight and size.
What are your thoughts?
I kind of like your recommendations with the compact Wimberly head.
I dont love the brands mentioned. check out a review I did on Leofoto monopod. I love it.
Appreciate the best value choices, most other CZcamsrs would recommend a RRS or Gitzo at $450.
not everyone can swing 450. I have borrowed the GItzo and yes it is probably more "stable" have I EVER missed a shot because of the Fiesol. NOPE!
Very helpful
Glad you think so!
Thank you for this really nice review. I'd like to know your opinion about the monopod with feet. Thanks!
for wildlife I do not use them (I had a pair sent to me) they get in they way and attract grass and brush. If you like them, by all means keep using, just have not found it productive
Scott, Great review and I bought the Leophoto monopod to along with my two tripods (LS364C and LN 404C) It was even lower priced at B&H ($78). I haven’t had any issues with Leophoto Tripods. Do you recommend the fold up legs on the end? I haven’t used that setup and currently just use the rubber ball foot. I am confident you will buy the Leophoto and I really like the Wimberley ball head. Great reviews!! What are your thoughts a 3/4 way Geared head and would it replace a Gimbal head?
for outdoor use, I like the rubber feet, indoors the folding style you reference make more sense.
Great review. I am leaning towards the Robus. In addition to its intended use, I would like to use the monopod as a walking stick (camera off, of course). Do you have any comments about that?
I use it all the time when hiking. Put the camera on a sling and use the monopod on rocky hikes. Once I get where im going, the camera pops on the monopod.
@@WildlifeInspired Thank you for your help. Based on your answer above I ordered the Robus from B&H along with w RRS B2-LR-II Lever-Release Clamp. Even though the LR clamp allows for no motion other than provided by tilting the monopod, I am going to start with this set-up. I have a RRS PG-01 compact gimbal head that I will try first. If that proves too ungainly, I will replace that with Wimberley MH-100 you suggest, but mounted to the RRS Large Dove-Tail Plate TH-DVTL-55 for easy mounting on and off the Lever-Release Clamp. Thanks again!
I have the Promedia Gimbal head ( the old version) There is an outer protrusion on the edge of the plate , will this affect the mounting of this to the monopod? Thanks
Not sure feel free to email me a pic of your set up skeysimages@gmail.com
I have the Benro. What I do is keep the thin bottom section in and with my gimbal mounted on it I get plenty of height and rigidity. That top clamp can be tightened. There is also a rubber ring on there that when you slide it up it stops that leg from sliding down. A fail safe I guess. What I'm not sure I like is the twist locks. It's hard to tell if they're unlocking or locking. They're not very smooth. I paid $128.36 for it back on Dec 10th at B&H
Love hearing from people who use these everyday
There’s not much I can add to what John already stated. Benro twist locks aren’t the smoothest (including my tripods) but they lock down very tight. What I can add is Benro includes spike feet with most of their products which I use regularly. I’m in Delaware and we have a lot of clay and sandy soil. The spikes do a great job of digging in and make the tripods and monopods feel even more solid. Like John said, the clamp does adjust and locks in place without slipping. Love your content, keep up the great work.
Hey can I ask you a question if I buy the robus monopod and want to use it for video what type of head should I get and is there one that’s better than the other? Thanks for any advise love the video
not many people use monopods for video just because they dont stablize well... you need a heavier base and usually a fluid head. if you are panning and doing birds in flight they you could use any gimbal like the side mount wimberly but I would avoid the regular just tilt style heads. You could also use ANY gimbal based on your price point.
Noticed you did not have any candidates with flip section logs. Generally would agree but have you looked at a iFootage Cobra 2 C180-II carbon fiber with a unique attachable foot. It’s available at B&H. Thanks for the video. Worth the time needed to watch it.
ill check it out now, I have seen that brand but have never reviewed any of their products.
(for birding photography), what's your take on the monopod foot (feet? 🤔) that can be added to most monopods?
I like the hard rubber foot (not a spike) if thats what you mean
Great stuff Scott! I am about to pull the trigger on a good monopod (just picked up the old tank Canon 500 F4l gen1) and lookin for a solid one. I shoot handheld 99.99% of the time, but with this new (to me) beast I am lookin at options mostly for carry options rather than while shootin however I've had some recent set backs with health and this lens for the last cpl days has put a hurtin on me haha. I was actually lookin at one "PINETA Carbon Fiber Monopod #MQC145" by YC Onion (I know what a name). Have you heard of this one, had a chance to check it out? I really like the quick release option to raise and lower rather than the twist lock option most monopods offer. The price would have to come down considerably tho for me to buy. I'm pretty sure you sold me on the Feisol or quite possibly the Robus. I will be pullin the trigger next week. Thanks for the knowledge/info!
With Feisol, just watch that foot. I love the stick, but dont like that odd thread size.
Another big concern of mine that you didn’t address at all here is the stud. I use my monopod as a handle for carrying big expensive setups and also at an angle along with the wimberley heads. They end up having a lot of stress being put onto that single threaded stud. 1/4 20 isn’t an option. And I love leofoto products, but the collapsible stud makes me nervous.
I agree on the 1/4 inch thread. Many of these heads are reversible 3/8 on one side and 1/4 on the other.
I’m 6’-5” and my brother is 6’-10”. Has anyone actually tightened that Benro extension tube down to see if it still slides? FYI: I’ve owned two Leofoto tripods for over a year. They’ve held up very well!
I have heard from others and from Benro they SWEAR it will tighten with no issues.
If you want to spend a little more, this one is truly waterproof and will be tall enough for you (more expensive)
leofotousa.com/?sca_ref=4152737.cczJ4cT24o
This is what I use at 6 foot with plenty to spare.
Do they all twist in the same direction?
The devil is in the details on these I think. I l’ve loved my surii, but the foot has a twist spike that comes in and out, and when I’m using it it will often get twisted out when I don’t want it to.
Thank you for your kind review. I was able to decide based on your recommendation. I can’t thank you enough for that.
Glad I could help!
Funny, I've never heard of Feisol until this video.
I can imagine I am not the only one.
Its a nice product used for years
Why do you only look at twist release instead of quick release?
Not sure, can you give an example of a quick release you recommend.
Haven’t seen 15 second and I’m saying Robus. I absolutely love my Robus mono and tri
So happy I invested in Robus. Dustin Abbot is the man! Lol
Great review and talk through all of those!
Why you wanna do poledancing or polewault with monopods? even cheaper ones do the job. Im happy my 20€ monopod, works fine.
For 20 yrs, I ignored the "pros" when they'd say don't chince out on your support and get the real deal... Back then it was basically just Gitzo that was the choice and industry standard for solid performance. But I just couldn't bring myself to spending 1k+ for a tripod, even though an F4s and a 500 f4 was justified 🤣
About 12 yrs ago I stopped buying less expensive tripods and finally invested in an RRS tripod/monopod and solid performing heads. And I couldn't believe how much better they were compared to what I had used in the past.. and I didn't regret one bit my $2k investment in tripod, monopod and heads.
Well a few months ago a friend of mine bought a leofoto tripod for under $300 and I couldn't believe the quality of the tripod, how smooth the legs and twist locks were. It felt just like my $1100 RRS. Its possible there's some quality things going on in the materials for the twist locks/ threads/weather sealing etc... Only time tells. But after feeling the leofoto and giving it a once over, I question if its that much better to justify the price difference. Im not on a budget but I'm also not into spending money when I don't need to.
Im due for a new monopod and before seeing this video, I had already narrowed it down to the leofoto and Robus. Ive handled the leofoto but not the robus.
I trust your judgment, so between those two, which one would you go with after handling both?
Or at least an updated pros/cons since doing this video.
I have since returned the Leofoto so it would be hard to say side by side again. My recollection is they were very similar. I like monopods with fewer section (they dont collapse as short, but usually have thicker leg diameter on average). I am testing a Leofoto head currently and overall impressed with them as a solid value.
would be wonderful if u can list the monopods by text. for non US viewers , many of these brands r not familiar
as in a quick link sir
Sirui
"All it is is just a stick...." Absolutely and I haven't even watched the entire video. I tell folks go get the aluminum Manfrotto classic monopod, get one used, they've been around since Jesus was in diapers. And most people don't use their monopod, so a 20 year old Manfrotto monopod is in reality probably only a week old. Carbon fibre is really wasted on monopods. I do have a monopod with my Sirui 20224 W tripod but I never use it. I always just grab my trusty monopod and weapon, the aluminum Manfrotto.