The Bipolar Otaku

Someone hit my website from a google search, looking for a "3245 Automatic Monopod review". Well, I just got it, and here are my first impressions. It's a Bogen 3245/Manfrotto 334B. The monopod seems sturdy, rated for 8kg or 17.6lb. They call it automatic, but really it's semi-automatic. It's a three piece monopod. The bottom piece is a twist-lock and only the top piece is trigger locked. The trigger isn't flimsy either, it probably requires a good 10-15lb squeeze. It's about 2' long when tucked away, and about 5'6" at full length (Note: I'm too lazy to get a measuring tape). The auto-adjust is only about 1'4". For me that's enough that I can just use the auto-adjust while sitting in a chair. It's a bit bulky for a monopod, I think, but on the other hand, the grip is big enough to actually grip comfortably, unlike some other monopods I've seen. Of course it has a little hand loop.

The top screw is a wierd 1/4"-3/8" combo screw that I don't like very much. Luckily I bought quick release head for it, the Bogen 3229/Manfrotto 234RC. Sure, that adds to the bulkiness and adds 3" to the height, but having a quick release is very nice. It also allows a 180 degree tilt with a thumbscrew lock. The quick release plate from this one will fit on the quick release on my tripod, which is a Bogen 3030. However the plate from my tripod won't fit this one, because the sides are cut on the 3229 plate. I'll just use the 3229 plate, then.

So, there it is! Too bad that guy will probably never click on my blog again.