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Wow....................
I think Jack just swept the board with that lot.
Don't think I can add much, he seems to have the lighter systems pretty well wrapped up.
Monopod:
If you already have one, it'll probably have the usual dual 1/4": 3/8" sleeved mount screw. This will take just about any of the heads from the really light still camera tripods.
I use the pan/ tilt/ flip head from an aged and decrepit Velbon still system (only because it was already in my possesion). The pan/ flip is useless for video and thus wasted weight but the tilt function is invaluable.
I've found that the HV20 or XH A1 mounted on the closed monopod allows for vastly steadier hand held shots.
If you don't have an appropriate head to hand, Manfrotto & probably Gitzo have a huge selection of still heads, many with quick releases, one of which should do the business.
Can't do a lot in the tripod department. Everything I've thought of is too big, too heavy, too expensive or all three together.
There is one option if you were prepared to use your Sachtler head, but it's still too expensive, and that's the Manfrotto 350 MVB.
It's a 2 stage, twin dual tube construction and one of their better offerings.
The basic 350 is well over $400 new, but may be had S/H.
The next hurdle is it's way too long when folded for transport.
The neat bit of the 350 is that it's really a tripod kit. Manfrotto don't sell it as such, but it is, nevertheless.
Judicous use of an Allen key allows it to be dismantled into it's component pieces very easily.
From there you can go two ways:
1. Put the original tubes aside and source replacement high tensile alloy tubes to build a tripod any height you want - not hard to do, especially if you do, indeed, live in LA or any other large US city.
2. Use the original tubes and some carefull application of a tube cutter to cut the tripod down to any finished size you want. Re - assemble and voila, you're down to your 24" finished height.
Being only two stage means the full height won't be more than about 44", which could be too low, but at that height with the shortened tubes it is amazingly rigid.
Manfrotto did actually do this themselves until last year, when they withdrew the 350 SHMVB to rationalise the product line.
That gets you as close to a true pro setup that fits your travel requirements that I can think of.
Reckon that with all the other great suggestions here from the guys, you gotta be able to get pretty well a perfect system.
CS
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