Motorsport photography

[djb]

Companies like Mannfrotto make quick-release tripod adapters that you leave screwed into the camera, and enables you to take your body on and off a tripod or monopod in a snap. Very handy if you need to go from monopod to hand held quickly, and you don't have to screw around with the monopod getting in the way. The fellow I work with has this, I have a good old fashioned ball head on my monopod, but don't really use it that often to warrant getting the other type.(and I can borrow his if I have to) Thought to mention it in case anyone was looking to get a new head, as it would be worth the extra money if you were going to purchase a regular screw-in one anyway.
With heavy lenses, lens mounts have been known to suffer from improperly supported bodies (no lens bracket tripod mounts) so a word of caution. A bent lens mount is not something anyone would want, and "cheaper" bodies are more susceptible. I'm surprised that your sigma's tripod mount isn't a permanent fixture.

this sort of thing, http://www.manfrotto.com/products/in...?doc_from=home
Manfrotto stuff is pretty well bullet proof, but I'm sure there are other products like it that would cost less.
djb

[brickkicker]

I have got a manfrotto monopod and can say that there are well built and very light it also makes the camera and lens easier to carry as it ballances the whole thing better. Mine is the 681B I havent bothered with the head but I can see its uses, if you look at monopods try pushing them down when they are locked if they push down then they arnt going to be that good the monfrotto can be pushed with all my weight and it wont fold up. If you realy want to spend loads try going for Gitzo these go up to many hundreds but are made by the same company as manfrotto I think.

[bella]

i normally carry my camera. well, i carry the lens, the camera just follows... also got a manfrotto monopod, but since i mislaid the mount thing, it's not been used. i'll have a look for it at the end of june though when the d100 arrives.