Opteka TS-1 TacShot Pistol Grip Tripod/Monopod Ball Head for Digital SLR Cameras Review

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(More customer reviews)I was very pleased with this item. It is very well built and it doesn't feel cheap at all. It has a really nice finish on it and all the mechanisms are made out of metal making it feel very sturdy. The quick release plate is locked securely and firmly onto the head. It has a release lever to allow the camera to pan without having to hold the trigger. The slot position is adjustable so you can have the camera flip vertical to your right or left for portrait shots. The level is a nice thing to have as well. I tried this on my tripod as well as my monopod and I absolutely love it. It saves so much time by not having to twist and turn all these levers to get it to portrait position, all it takes is one squeeze of the trigger and you can adjust it to any position you want. It makes life a whole lot easier when using this on a monopod, it is quick and easy to adjust so you spend more time shooting and less time fiddling with the knobs and levers of a normal ordinary tripod head.

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The Opteka TacShot is a compact and convenient trigger-style tactical ballhead, designed for lightweight video or still photography. The very act of taking your hand away from the grip locks the head into position, which eliminates the extra step of having to tighten a knob or lever before being ready to shoot. You have immediate access to half of a sphere in which to position your camera. The TacShot's body is crafted from high impact polycarbonate with the ball head and internal assemblies made from high quality aluminum. A bull's eye style single bubble level helps quickly achieve a perfectly level shot with just a glance at your hand. The included quick release plates allow you to remove your camera at a moment's notice.The Opteka TacShot can be used with all makes and models of tripods that have either a 1/4"-20 or a 3/8"-16 threaded center column post.The Opteka TacShot can support up to 6.6 lbs. For example, that means 35mm up to an 80-200mm f/2.8 lens. This head is ideal for both tripods and monopods.

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Opteka CFM200 58" 5 Section 8x Carbon Fiber Monopod Review

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(More customer reviews)Seems well made, very light, quick set up, has a nice zippered case. Would recommend purchasing a small ball head for it or any monopod...

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Opteka carbon fiber monopods are significantly lighter than standard aluminum models without compromising performance. Its 8x technology features eight layers of carbon designed to provide maximum strength and stability while keeping the monopod's weight to a minimum. These are the perfect camera support for hiking and travel. Each monopod features both a 1/4" and 3/8" threaded mount to accommodate any camera or head.

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Opteka TH10 Ball Head with Quick Release Plate for Tripods and Monopods Review

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(More customer reviews)When shopping for a ball head for my monopod I found this on super discount - less than twenty bucks. It's solid and all the important parts are metal. The only problem was that it requires a bushing to make the screw thread smaller so it can fit my monopod. Samys Camera had a brass one for $7 so I didn't return the ball head or try to get a bushing online. So for twenty-five bucks I've got a solid metal ball head which is strong enough to easily hold my Nikon D5000 or a video camera. Samys didn't have anything comparible for this price.

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34.4% less weight and 20% smaller than the Opteka TH20 ball head! The Opteka TH10 features smooth operational movement and positive locking. The quick release plate's receiver has a safety lock to prevent accidental release of the quick release plate. This additional safety system prevents the accidental detaching of the camera from the head.This ball head is strong enough to hold a digital SLR camera with medium weight lenses and all point and shoot cameras weighting up to 6.6 lbs. This head is ideal for both tripods and monopods.

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Manfrotto 496RC2 Ball Head with Quick Release Replaces Manfrotto 486RC2 Review

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(More customer reviews)I got this from J&R NY through Amazon, along with a Manfrotto 055xprob tripod from Adorama. Excellent service from all parts involved and items arrived earlier than expected. These top notch Manhattan establishments have never dissapointed me (along with B&H).
Originally I was going for the 486RC2 but then I found out that this model was replaced by the 496RC2. Main addition is the friction control knob and I gotta tell you this was an awesome addition. The quality of this head and the Manfrotto tripod is outstanding, you do feel the quality components when you touch them. Friction control is great because you can fine tune it depending on the weight of your camera lens.
I was a little worried about not having a separate panning knob like the 498RC2 but the friction control allows me to have just enough friction so I can pan easily with the main knob without changing the vertical alignment of the camera so its a non issue.
Grazie mille Manfrotto per questo produtto, mi piace moltisssimo!!!
Update 01/19: after some use I just want to comment. This ballhead is all I wanted it to be! However, if you do a lot of panoramas do get the 498 model which has a separate panning head. I found out I don't miss one as I don't do a lot of panoramas, plus I have it on top of a Manfrotto 055xprob which is very tall so I don't need to extend the center column. This allows me to loosen the center column nob a little when I need to pan so it serves me as a panning knob. Also you can do it be releasing a little the friction control knob as I stated above.

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This ball head has been total redesigned for better ease of use.A new design friction control knob allows the photographer to achieve superior control when handling the camera and making micro movements without having to totally lock and unlock the ball head.The knobs have been redesigned to be more ergonomic, easier to handle and more user-friendly. The ergonomic shape allows the user to better lock the ball securely.A repositionable Locking lever allows the user to place it in a comfortable position in order to use it in the most convenient way. Just pull it outwards, put it in the best working position and then release it. This model features a RC2 quick release plate including an additional safety system that prevents the accidental detaching of the camera from the head.The locking lever securely locks the head both in the +90° -90° ball positioning and in the 360° pan movements.This ball head is strong enough to hold a 35mm SLR camera with medium weight lenses and light medium format cameras up to 13 pounds.This replaces the Manfrotto 486RC2

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Opteka SW-1 Sidewinder Joystick Pistol Grip Ball Head with Quick Release Plate for Tripods & Monopods Review

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(More customer reviews)The Opteka SW-1 seems very well built, it is all metal and features a nice quick release plate. The relase plate can be attached to either the end oposite the ball or the end with the trigger. It is attached using an allen screw so it isn't the kind of thing you will be moving between mounting positions frequently. An allen wrench is included. The SW-1 also has a tension adjustment that helps hold the head in place when you have a heavy load on it. It also comes with a tripod/monopod screw insert so you can use the ball head on either a tripod or monopod. The ball itself is pretty large, I'm guessing around 1.25"
When the head is locked into place, surpisingly, it is very stable. It easily holds my Canon 7D with battery grip and 300mm f4 lens. The spring loaded trigger works smoothly, but you can tell there is a strong spring in the head. This may cause problems if you have arthritis in your hands or have very weak fingers, but most people should be able to easily operate it.
Now here is why this isn't a 5 Star Review: When I first used this ball head it was VERY sticky when you tried to release and move it to a new position. It was usable, but it wouldn't move smoothly and it felt like you were using a very cheap ball head. It seemed like it needed some lubrication but I was thinking that grease wouldn't be a good thing to use for the long run. I wound up moving the ball head to the 90 degree position so most of the ball was exposed and then took a #2 pencil and "colored in" the exposed area of the ball. Then I exposed a different area and repeated the "coloring in" process. Guess what? Sticky problem solved! The head moves VERY smoothly and is a pleasure to use! No 5 stars because I'm not sure how long this fix will last.
Given the low price, this ball head is an excellent value if you are looking for a pistol grip type ball head.


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The Opteka Sidewinder is a fast to set up and an easy to use tripod / monopod head, designed for lightweight video or still photography. The very act of taking your hand away from the grip locks the head into position, which eliminates the extra step of having to tighten a knob or lever before being ready to shoot. You have immediate access to half of a sphere in which to position your camera. The tension of the ball can be adjusted to accommodate the load weight. The included quick release plate allows you to remove your camera at a moment's notice.The Opteka Sidewinder can support up to 6.6 lbs. For example, that means 35mm up to an 80-200mm f/2.8 lens. This head is ideal for both tripods and monopods.

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Canon Monopod 500 - Monopod Review

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(More customer reviews)As you are discovering, there is a whole bunch of monopods available these days. Some with adjustable heads, some cheap, some really expensive and all of them described as being capable of accommodating a variety of cameras. The reviews going along with the variety of monopods all mentioned how steady, or not, they were with larger and heavier cameras. The pictures I found of monopods all made them look like lumpy sticks. I was confused.
I researched monopods for weeks and narrowed my choices to three or four. I wanted one with a movable head, but not a big elaborate contraption with a lot of adjustments capable of holding larger format still and movie cameras. Those professional type monopods were out of my price range and more than I needed to steady the small pocket digital camera that I have. I also didn't think one of the `cheapy' monopods would have been worth the gamble in order to save money.
I thought the Canon 500 monopod was slightly more expensive than I wanted to pay, but it seemed to be what I was looking for so I ordered it. I crossed my fingers and waited for the thing to be delivered, but with some trepidation.

When the monopod arrived I immediately knew my decision was the right one. The Canon 500 was very well made. It was solid yet not particularly heavy. It collapsed to a small twenty inches or so. When extended there was no play at the joints and the unique locking system made changing the height fast and precise. The Canon 500 comes with a small hex wrench to use to adjust the tension on the locks. I thought they were set perfectly at the factory, but imagine they might require some tweaking with a heavy camera or after many hours of use. Providing the wrench was a nice touch.
The basic, yet quite functional, adjustable head works perfectly with my smaller digital still camera, but it feels like a larger and heavier camera would do well with it too. I suppose there is a limit to how much weight the Canon 500 could handle, but it certainly seems like the monopod would hold a pretty large camera. There is some high impact plastic in the adjustable head, but there is some well machined metal too. I don't get the feeling that it is flimsy or likely to break easily. It appears quite tough and sturdy to me. It doesn't have a panning handle and that might be a problem when using the monopod with a video camera.
The Canon 500 has a nice foam rubber grip at the top so one could use the thing as a walking staff. That grip is also nice to have when steadying the monopod while shooting a picture. There is a wrist strap attached to the monopod for some reason or other.
I am over six feet tall and when the Canon 500 is extended to the max it is plenty long enough for me to use the composition screen on my camera at eye level. The monopod is purported to be 64 inches long with all of the four sections pulled out. I haven't measured it, but that sounds about right and the camera itself adds a few more inches to the height.

This is a five star monopod without a doubt.



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Canon Monopod 500 Floor Standing Monopod 4782B001 Tripods

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Opteka CFM300 68" 5 Section 8x Carbon Fiber Monopod (Heavy Duty) Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been searching for a monopod for the past year and finally found one that I intend to keep. I tried out a Manfrotto 680B and it was too heavy. Then a few Gitzo pods, but I always felt they were just too expensive for what it was - which is odd because I own and love my Gitzo tripod. I guess I just feel that a monopod should be no frills/gimmicks and simple enough that it shouldn't cost too much. When researching on Amazon, I was really worried because this carbon pod was less than most aluminum pods, but decided it was inexpensive enough that it was worth the risk. I'm glad I decided to try it out.
The criteria for a monopod was simple - high quality at a low price. My initial impression (after using it for a few days) is that it really hit the mark.
Pros:
-lightweight
-carbon legs are constructed well
-solid twist locks that keep the sections in place
-handles vibration fairly well
-foam handle feels nice
-comes with a cloth zip up case
Cons:
-buckle on strap seems questionable
While I'm sure there are many monopods that are of greater build quality than the CFM300, they also cost 10 times more. I haven't had enough time shooting with this pod, but based on what I've experienced so far, I feel it'll last for as long as I need it to. I will be updating this review as I continue to use this item.
Get one, you won't be disappointed.

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Opteka carbon fiber monopods are significantly lighter than standard aluminum models without compromising performance. Its 8x technology features eight layers of carbondesigned to provide maximum strength and stability while keeping the monopod's weight to a minimum. These are the perfect camera support for hiking and travel.The CFM300 features both a 1/4" and 3/8" threaded mount to accommodate any camera or head.

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