Tripod or monopod with a gimbal head?

[Cincinnati]

I recently added a Nikon 200-400/4 VRII with a TC14 teleconverter to my arsenal. I shoot youth sports. I wanted to add a gimbal head to a Gitzo tripod. However, it seems that perhaps it will be difficult to get that kit out of the way if I'm shooting from foul territory in a baseball game. If I am shooting over a fence, I would go for the tripod.

Should I go with a monopod when shooting inside the area of play?

THose of you with a monopod, do you have a gimbal head on it?

[cozmocha]

I have never heard of using a gimbal on a monopod. That sounds really hard to use.

I would look in to a good monopod with a 'monopod head'
http://reallyrightstuff.com/ProductD...-01-Pro&key=it

[Shooter Steve]

I think if you look at the pros, you will most always see them with monopods. In conversations I've had with some of them, they opt for lightest weight as possible. Those Gimbals are pretty heavy thought pretty cool on a tripod.

[dl4449]

I am far from a expert but I use the manfrotto 322rc2 Grip action head on my monopod and it works well for surfing shots

[SmartWombat]

What is the point of a head on a monopod?
I can see why you need one on a tripod.

But the monopod will pan without a head, and by leaning forward and backward you can get a few degrees of tilt too.
If you're shooting something that requires a lot of vertical tilt, then handheld is more versatile, but I agree handholding above 400mm prime is going to get heavy and a back/arm strain.

I've not tried an action grip, but used a friction ball head adjusted so it just moves, and there was no improvement at all in use I could find over mounting straight on the monopod.

I agree on getting the strongest/lightest monopod, can I also throw in shortest?
There have been times with a 3-section aluminium monopod that I couldn't get low enough to get the shot.
So I just bought a Velbon Geo Pod E44 4-section monopod for my next trip to the states.
I can get about 8" lower with it, so it will be better for low trackside and waterside shots.

I agree completely about no tripods in the playing area.
They're too cumbersome to move and you are at far greater risk of player injury and equipment damage. Which is the biggest insurance risk I don't know, but I wouldn't want either!

[John P Atl]

Does your lens have a tripod ring? look at how the pros work theirs.. screw the monopod into bottom of tripod ring, loosen ring then you can rotate camera for vertical or horizontal shooting.
Google You tube for 400 telephoto, there is a video of a pro shooting a soccer game with this setup using a 400 2.8 telephoto lens.

John