A bro PMed me asking what is the difference between a Monopod vs a Tripod so I thought might as well share it with everyone. Please feel free to add on.


Monopod -

As the term suggests, it is with one leg only. Mainly used for portability during photo or video shoots, supporting weight varies with the build of the monopod. Can be used with or without the need of a ball-head. Most commonly used during shoots involving wildlife, birds, car races, etc. This however, does not necessarily mean it cannot be used for other types of photo shoots. It all depends on the photographer. The key advantage is that is a lightweight gear + high portability.


Tripod -

As the term suggests, it comes in the form of 3 legs, commonly available in 3 or 4 sections type. Portability depends on the build of the tripod. Weight support depends on the ball-head primarily but not limited to that alone, consider also the material used in the build of the tripod itself. Lighter weight tripods can be cheap, but may not necessarily withstand the overall weight of your equipment. Heavier tripods may support heavier equipment, but comes as a hassle when one requires high portability. Carbon fibre build tripods are light and can certainly support heavier gear, but comes with a price.

Tripods can also be converted into temporary "monopods", simply withdraw 2 other legs and there you have it! However, given the overall weight of the tripod, it may or may not be ultra portable in the end.


Ball-Heads -

There are many different types of ball-heads available and each is designed for diffferent usage and certainly weight support as well. Compatibility issues remain, i.e. not every ball head can be used on different brands of tripod/monopod as this is due to the screw type. However, a quick way to resolve this is to get a screw adaptor. Does this really work, it is up to you to decide. Common types are those with handles and have a restricted swivel point vs those without and are literally rotable 180 left-right, 360 all around.

Ultimately, consider the weight of your gear and your type of usage and your desire for portability in terms of weight especially.

Cheers,
Peter

From my understanding, monopod is normally uses with long & heavy lens...u will see it during sport events where normally space is constraint...
I often see peolpe use it with short range lens, and wonder how these folks 'stabilise' the cam with the one legge 'pod' ah? :D

Very true, most of the time it is paired with heavier equipment. The leg rooted to the ground produces extra stability, instead of having hold the entire equipment by hands alone. Long or short lenses, in the end it doesn't really matter. A good equipment is one where you know how to use it to its maximum potential :)