At 12:42 AM 5/2/2009, you wrote:
>Recent rotator cuff surgery is keeping me from using anything but my small,
>lousy bins, as I can't yet hold anything heavier than a cup of coffee or
>hold up my arm/shoulder for any length of time. Do any of you out there in
>Tweeterland use monopods with your bins? Is it a hassle to use one, what
>kind of m'pod do you recommend, etc. Any info/opinions appreciated! I want
>to see birds!
>
>Thanks,
>Mary
>
>Mary E. Klein
>Bremerton WA
>Cellobird -AT- Comcast.net


Mary,

The Seattle Audubon store might have what you need. I did not shop
there, but here's what I got for camera work. Should apply to your
needs as well:

I recently aquired a very lightweight Brunton monopod for a trip to
Costa Rica. It doubles as a walking stick and is plenty sturdy for
both purposes. You can get it at REI for $60
(http://www.rei.com/product/728693?cm_mmc=cse_froogle-_-datafeed-_-product-_-728693&mr:trackingCode=DB816CE9-FB25-DE11-B4E3-0019B9C043EB&mr:referralID=NA).
I also found it at www.http://OpticsPlanet.com for $36.75 including
free shipping
(http://www.opticsplanet.net/brunton-compasses-non-magnetic-monopod.html)
but it wasn't in stock when I needed it.

Additionally you will want a tripod head to allow swivelling of the
bins. Although a "pan" head will work, it does not allow diagonal
tilting of the bins (just allows up/down and side-to-side
swivelling). I recommend an inexpensive ball head. Even the sort
designed for off-camera flashes should be sturdy enough, since you
will be steadying the binos with your hands and not requiring the
ball head to hold them in a locked position. If you're near Kenmore,
I'd recommend Kenmore Camera (kcamera.com), as they have a number of
options (under $25, I believe).

Finally, you'll need some sort of binocular-to-tripod head adapter,
which should be the least expensive of the parts. Again, try Kenmore
Camera. REI might well have all these parts, too, though they tend to
be pricier.

Also consider an arrangement some folks use, where the bins are
supported by a short stick that is stuck into a belt holster of some
sort. This, combined with a shoulder harness for the bins, would
alleviate the need to hold the weight of the bins or a monopod.


Marc Hoffman
Kirkland, WA
http://www.dartfrogmedia.com
mailto: tweeters at dartfrogmedia dot com