Introduction: What are monopods & why use one?

Monopods are a single-legged support for your camera, similar to a tripod but with only one leg instead of three. They are commonly used by professional photographers in sports and event photography, as well as in wildlife photography when using heavy telephoto lenses. Monopods help distribute the camera's weight, making it easier to handle for extended periods of time. This support can also contribute to stabilising your shot, keeping your camera steady.

However, monopods have their place in other genres of photography as well, and I’ll explain more in this guide why I believe that’s the case. I think monopods can be a fantastic and hugely valuable addition to your kit bag.

I recently tested the 3 Legged Thing Alana Travel Monopod with a Docz in an outdoor setting where I would typically use a tripod or shoot handheld. I was impressed with its performance and how it enhanced my photography in several ways.

Below, you'll find the full details and my reasons for why you should consider monopods a valuable addition to your gear, mainly if you shoot outdoors when hiking in hard-to-reach places and want to shoot at lower-than-handheld exposure times, or are frequently on the move and need something light and compact to help you get more stable images.

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Unboxing the Alana Monopod by 3 Legged Thing. First Impressions:

- It’s beautifully made
- It’s very stable
- Incredibly light
- Wow, it goes high

Case study: Using 3 Legged Thing’s Alana monopod in the Scottish countryside

One of my favourite genres of photography is outdoor photography in all its forms, and I took the monopod to a well-loved hiking spot in the Arrochar Alps, Scotland, known as The Cobbler, to test it out.

"I wanted to test the monopod as a middle ground between taking photos handheld and carrying a bulky tripod"

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While The Cobbler is a popular Munro (Scottish peak) climb, it isn’t the easiest and involves quite a bit of scrambling at the top. I had visited this location before with my camera, but wasn’t particularly impressed with the images I captured during that trip, mainly due to the handheld nature of the photos, as I hadn’t brought a tripod and so was a bit limited to what I could capture, especially as I went at sunset and it was getting darker and darker.
I thought going back there would be an ideal place to test out the monopod to see if I could get more stable shots - I know it’s an atypical setting for using a monopod, but that’s the whole point.

I wanted to test the monopod as a middle ground between taking photos handheld and carrying a bulky tripod. My ultimate goal was to use the monopod to achieve more stability when taking pictures, allowing me to lower the shutter speed for better results, and also to capture some more unusual angles for my photography.

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What did I find out when I started using the monopod?

- It was fine for me to put in my regular backpack
- It was very quick to set up
- The Docz grip adds excellent stability
- It was ideal as a hiking stick, too

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Using the monopod out in the field:

Overall, I found using the monopod was beneficial and helped me achieve my goal of reducing exposure times to less than 1/60th of a second, something I couldn’t accomplish while shooting handheld. By using the monopod, I succeeded in stabilising my camera, allowing me to utilise higher F-stops, essential for outdoor and landscape photography, so you’re getting more detail in the frame.

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Additionally, the monopod enabled me to zoom in on various elements of the landscape to create images, which I enjoy incorporating into my photography (see images below). Since zooming in can often lead to camera shake, the stability provided by the monopod was invaluable. It also offered the flexibility to capture unusual angles; for instance, I could lean forward with my camera or lift it using the self-timer, allowing for creative experimentation.

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While the monopod will never replace a tripod for long exposures, that wasn't my intention in using it. Another great advantage was that it also functioned as a walking stick, particularly on tricky terrain. When I wanted to stop and take a picture, I could quickly adjust the height, secure the grips at the bottom for added stability, and be ready to shoot, something that takes much longer to set up with a tripod.

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I was also thrilled to discover that I could use my filters with the monopod. I have a holder for my square set of landscape filters, which I typically use with a tripod. With the monopod, I was able to mount my graduated neutral density (GND) filter, which darkens the sky in my shots. This is a technique I wouldn’t normally use while holding the camera, so it was a positive outcome.

Some sample images

One thing I like to do as an area of landscape photography is zoom into an area, As I mentioned above here are some of the images which I like and of course as I said had I not had the monopod and try to do this handheld I wouldn't have been able to do so so I found it useful you'll also see if you are the different pictures from the day too.

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Where to get 3 Legged Thing’s Monopod and other products:

You can see all of 3 Legged Thing's Monopods, including the Alana with Docs on their website.

Looking for a discount? Sign up to 3 Legged Thing's newsletter, you'll get 5% off your first order!

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So, Are Monopods Good for Outdoor Photography?

I would say, yes!

While a monopod will never replace a tripod for long exposure photography or landscape photography that requires exposures longer than half a second, I think monopods are a great option if you’re looking to achieve slightly lower exposure times or bigger f-stops without the burden of carrying a heavy tripod.

When I was out hiking, having a monopod was much lighter and easier to carry, and it also doubled as a hiking stick, which was particularly useful on the rockier parts of the climb. Previously, when taking a tripod to places like this, it not only added a heavier load to my bag, but it was also much more awkward to set up at times. What’s great about a monopod is that it’s very quick to set up and position, compared to a tripod, which can take more time and far more preparation, so it meant I could get pictures quickly without losing too much time on my hike from standing around waiting around to take pics with the tripod.

One thing I enjoyed about using the monopod was the ability to capture unusual angles with my camera, such as leaning forward with the monopod and camera or holding it high above my head (I used a self-timer for these and positioned myself steadily).

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Disclaimer: Beware of windy conditions:
One area where you need to be cautious, especially when using a monopod outdoors, is during windy conditions.

While I was out taking pictures, there were moments when the wind became extremely strong, making it difficult for the monopod to remain steady. In fact, I think the wind actually caused the camera to shake even more, particularly when the monopod was fully extended. So, just a word of caution: windy conditions can pose a challenge. That said, similar issues can also occur with some tripods.

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What other types of photography does a monopod suit?

Sports and wildlife photography:

As discussed earlier, monopods are a preferred choice for sports photography and wildlife photography, particularly bird photography, that require long telephoto lenses and a lot of time standing around with heavy equipment

However, as we’ve mentioned in this guide, they are also helpful for other areas of photography that some photographers might overlook:

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Nighttime street photography:

I can see how useful a monopod would be for street photography at night. In these situations, you usually won’t need to use very low exposures that would require a tripod. However, you might want to capture exposures around 1 second or under, for which a monopod would be ideal.

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Holiday photography:

General vacation and travel photography is also a consideration. For example, when photographing attractions and indoor locations, you may need to adjust your exposure settings to a slightly lower level. Be sure to check the specific rules at each location, as tripods are often prohibited, but monopods are often allowed as an alternative, as they take up less space. Moreover, they are ideal for taking photos in crowded places where a bit of stability is required. As they are naturally smaller and lighter, they can be a handy addition to your bag and are perfect for on-the-go use.

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Video:

While monopods are not strictly classified as photography equipment (let's set that debate aside for now), they are excellent for video, particularly when you need stability. For instance, if you're performing a panning shot, using a monopod will significantly improve stability and help keep your shot level compared to shooting handheld. Additionally, note that you can extract still images from video footage, which is another benefit to consider.

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What should monopods not be used for?

A monopod shouldn’t replace a tripod, so if you’re looking at doing long exposure (exposures of more than half a second) landscape photography, or night sky photography, a tripod is always going to be the go-to option for those genres. 

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What to consider when buying a monopod?

Consider how high you want it to go and how heavy you want it to be. There are numerous options available to suit your needs, but one significant benefit of a monopod is that it can reach heights taller than a standard tripod. It also allows you to lift it above your head if you want to.

Another point mentioned several times in the article about monopods is that they are generally very quick to set up. If a monopod allows you to easily mount your camera at the right level and height, it can be a great option. It's also important to consider a quick-release feature for convenient setup and takedown.

When evaluating a monopod, consider your budget, basically how much you're willing to invest. Carbon fibre monopods, such as the Alana monopod I've been testing, are significantly lighter than other types, but they often come at a higher price.

First of all, consider how often you'll use a monopod compared to a tripod, or other pieces of equipment. Evaluate your shooting style and weigh your options accordingly.

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Where to get 3 Legged Thing’s Monopod and other products:

You can see all of 3 Legged Thing's Monopods, including the Alana with Docs on their website.

Looking for a discount? Sign up to 3 Legged Thing's newsletter, you'll get 5% off your first order!

Final thoughts

Before testing the 3 Legged Thing Alana Monopod, I didn’t fully appreciate how useful a monopod could be outside of sports or wildlife photography. However, taking it into the hills really did change my perspective on them completely.

Monopods won’t replace tripods for long-exposure landscape photography, but that’s not their intended purpose. Their real strength lies in providing enough support when you need to travel light, move quickly, or shoot in conditions where a tripod would be cumbersome and impractical. By using the monopod, it helped me to stablise zoom shots, use my filters in the field, and also serve as a walking stick on the rocky terrain. Thus, proving far more versatile than I initially expected.

If you’re a photographer who shoots outdoors, hikes with your gear, or simply wants more flexibility in your kit without compromising too much on stability, I highly recommend giving a monopod a try (and in particular, one from 3 Legged Thing’s Monopod series). You might be surprised, just as I was, at how much you can achieve with one.