When I first purchased my Gitzo Series 3 monopod I needed a head to hold the camera. At the time I selected a Really Right Stuff BH-40 mid-sized ball head. The ball head was amazing and was perhaps the finest engineered photography accessory I have ever seen in my life.
It works perfectly securing the camera or the lens. The only issue I have with it is the fact that it is too versatile for what I need. The BH-40 was designed to be a tripod ball head. It is designed to adjust on any axis.
The problem with the monopod is that I really didn’t need that kind of flexibility. What I really need is a smaller head with forward/aft adjustments. The other axis is easily adjusted by leaning the monopod rather than adjusting the ball head and trying to keep the monopod perpendicular.
The BH-40 ball head is larger and heavier than what I need for a monopod. Reluctantly I began searching for a monopod head to replace the ball head. I should note that in no way am I unsatisfied with the quality or workings of the BH-40. On the contrary, it is so good that I am now planning to replace my tripod with a new one just so that I can use the BH-40.
As I began searching for a new monopod head I again turned my attention to one of my favorite photography accessory vendors. I went to the Really Right Stuff web site to see if perchance they made a head specifically for monopods.
After perusing their web site I finally found what I was looking for, the MH-01. I say perusing the site not because it is hard to find things there. Rather there is so much good information that I find myself spending an inordinate amount of time reading.
The web site not only has product information but also contains several articles about choosing the right ball head, tripod, camera plates etc. This information should not be overlooked as it gives the reader a very good idea of what they really need and more importantly offers suggestions for accessories or configurations you may not have thought of.
After going through the various configurations I settled on the MH-01 LR with B2 AS II Clamp. I selected this particular configuration, as I liked the idea of having a quick release clamp with the monopod head.
Most of time when I am shooting with the tripod I am doing so at sporting events. When I have to change cameras or lenses I like the idea of just pulling a quick release rather than rotating a knob to remove the camera from the head.
I am usually doing this by touch and since the fore/aft adjustment is already a knob I didn’t really want to confuse the two knobs during a shoot. It’s more personal preference than anything. On the BH-40 ball head I went with the B2-Pro II clamp because I wanted the security of a knob for keeping the camera attached to the head.
The great thing about Really Right Stuff is that no matter which one you choose it is easily adapted to another clamp with just one Allen screw. So if I decide later that I really like the knob configuration of the clamp I can interchange it with the BH-40 to give me the setup I want.
The MH-01 Monopod Head is of the same high quality as the other Really Right Stuff products. It is precisely machined to very tight tolerances. From a user’s perspective it feels well built and works just as you would expect.
With the cost of digital SLR cameras and lenses the last thing I wanted was to trust a cheap ball head to secure my equipment. With Really Right Stuff that is never a concern. The clamps and the head are secure and remain so in almost any condition.
The knobs and adjustments are easy to grasp and turn even when wearing gloves during cold weather. This is especially helpful when in the field and you need to make a quick adjustment to capture the shot.
Overall I have been extremely impressed with the MH-01 and would gladly recommend this product to anyone who is looking for a monopod head that will securely hold your camera equipment. It’s manufactured to the highest quality making it a piece of equipment that will last a lifetime. This may very well be the only monopod head you will ever buy.
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