Subject: [Tweeters] Monopods for Binoculars: Finnstick
Date: May 8 13:23:50 2009
From: Kevin Purcell - kevinpurcell at pobox.com


In fact Manfrotto actually sell a (not cheap! $15ish) belt mount for
the foot of their monopods that can be used as a Finnstick mode.

In this case getting a binocular T mount instead of a tripod adaptor
and head is a better idea.

Unfortunately most of the European Finnsticks are home made. Not so
good if you are trying to buy one!

Hunters often use similar ideas for shooting sticks too and these
often come with a replaceable Y mount (for rifles) or T mounts for
bins or spotters.

e.g. the Meopta Monopod or the Stoney Point Polecat Monopod

<http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=132570&highlight=shooting
+stick>
<http://www.opticsplanet.net/meopta-monopods.html>

An here's one someone made earlier froma Bohn Distributing FISMO

<http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=27844>

The FISMO was a commercial one and shows some of these Y versus T
mounts.

<http://www.birdforum.net/reviews/showproduct.php?
product=122&sort=7&cat=19&page=1>

This technique is especially useful for observing birds above the
horizontal for extended times without tiring ones arms.

BTW, a little plug for a bunch of birding optics geeks from all
around the planet: the Binoculars (and Spotting Scope) subforum at
birdforum.net. Quite a few comments on Finnsticks (and bin reviews
and other optics geekery!).

<http://www.birdforum.net/forumdisplay.php?f=112>

Hope this helps someone ...
Kevin

On May 8, 2009, at 10:52 AM, Bob Sundstrom wrote:

> Birders in Finland long ago devised a device for stabilizing hand-
> held binoculars - rightly enough called a Finnstick. An angled rod
> rests the weight of the binoculars against the waist. Some have
> now been adapted to use with a monopod. Just Google "finnstick"
> and you'll find more options than you might want.
>
> Good, steady birding, Bob

--
Kevin Purcell
kevinpurcell at pobox.com