Basic Shoulder Mount Question – When Do You Use One?
 

I told you it was basic. At first I thought it was a poor man’s substitute for a tripod and a dolly. But if that were the case, companies wouldn’t be able to charge as much as they do for those items.

From what I’ve read here, is seems like you use a shoulder mount during those times when you have to hold your camera for extended periods of time (shooting an entire children’s soccer game, for example) and a tripod isn’t really an option. Is that close?

And as long as you’re answering basic questions, can you give me an example or two of when you’d use a monopod?

Thanks

I use a shoulder brace in lieu of a tripod when the occassion lends itself to doing that. IE; I do weddings, and many times I CAN move around during the ceremony, I do so quietly and small moves but the PD150 doesn't lend itself to handholding for real long periods of time so I use a brace. Maybe at the reception as well, it depends, on both the party and how tired I might be. I carry a lot of stuff on the camera, WA,wireless rec'r mic, cam light, LCD magnifier, so it gets kind of heavy. There are other times I'll use it but thats the 1st that come to mind. As for a monopod, I'll also use that at a wedding reception, I use a QR plate on the camera, of course on the tripod, on the shoulder brace and on the monopod. I'll use the mono like a boom, or a pedestal and get it 5 or 6 feet in the air, and get some overhead stuff of dancing, plus when I get tired towards the end of the night, I can rest the camera on the monopod and still get good steady footage.
Sorry for the long post, hope this helps a little,
Don