SIRUI Camera Monopod P-326 6 Section Carbon Fiber Compact Lightweight Travel Monopod

I'm not a tripod guy. I have them and hate using them. Pain to set up, take down, carry around, total pain on uneven ground. But I sometimes do photo and video of medium long duration (events) where I want stability with long lenses without having to handhold for long periods. I'd seen and heard about monopods — some folks just crow about them like they're the best thing ever — but always been skeptical to try them. Who wants to carry something big and clunky, will pinch your fingers with its clamps, and will likely just break? Well, I discovered that this SIRUI monopod is the answer and, I have to admit, is in fact a game changer. I get it now. Extremely light and compact (for a monopod/tripod), great locking assembly that's easy to expand to the right height without pinching your fingers, nice foam and great build quality that inspires confidence. And I really like the add on features. Nice carrying strap, a nice carabiner for stripping it to a backpack or for attaching things (like a lens or filter pouch), and even a little compass if you get lost and need to read a printed map — thanks, SIRUI! ;) Sure, a monopod won't give you exactly the same stability as a tripod since you, a human, still have to support it. That can introduce a little bit of shake. But it's still much more stable than just handholding, especially over long periods of shooting/filming. I really love this thing.

I have been looking forever for a monopod. The prices vary widely from aluminum to carbon fiber. There are monopods with feet and the ones without feet. I think personally the feet add unnecessary weight. If you get a sturdy tripod it won't be the same as having feet to be able to place it down on the ground but the weight difference is significant. The monopod comes with a hand strap with a sort of cheap compass. I have heard it doesn't work well but I checked it out against the compass on my iPhone and if you hold it flat on your finger it is accurate. The hand strap comes off if you choose to have it less bulky although it doesn't make it bulky enough you'd want to remove it. The monopod comes in 5 sections. Most of the time, at least in the aluminum,the 5 section monopod starts to have some give to it when you have it fully open. This carbon tripod does not have that problem. This thing is very solid. The foot comes with a retractable spike. Don't know what would happen if you have to replace the rubber foot but I haven't heard anyone complain their rubber foot wears out. Think you would have to use this every day for quite a while before it would wear down. Btw here are the specs:Model：P-326 Material: Carbon Fiber Sections: 6 Tube Max Dia: 32mm/1.3inch Tube Min Dia: 16mm/0.6inch Max Hgt: 1560mm/61.4inch Min Hgt: 395mm/15.6inch Weight: 0.4kg/0.9lb Load: 10kg/22lb At 15.6" fully closed and less than 1 lb this tripod hits all the things on my checklist. I'm looking for a ball head a bit down the road or I could use it with the camera attached directly to the monopod. You do have a choice of a tilt ball head which gives you more control on the monopod since it has only one lever and it doesn't pan. You could also use a regular ball head if you find one with only one lever. If you have two many levers you'll be trying to adjust the ball head and the monopod will become harder to handle. Watching the reviews on youtube.com a few people mentioned that the newer models have a two piece tab if you pull it out all the way. The older models evidently have a one piece tab that makes it much easier to remove and reapply it in case you have to take the monopod out and clean it. Also the newer models the neoprene grip is not tightly glued and it does have some play in it. Whether this is an older model or an even newer model than they reviewed this particular monopod I received does have the one piece tab. The neoprene hand grip is a nice little touch though. For aluminum monopods and tripods this is helpful when it's cold. For carbon fiber monopods it does hold a bit of the cold but not as much as aluminum. Nice feature to have just in case. The rubber grips to unscrew are very easy to handle. You could easily get your whole hand around them and turn them all at once. The carbon fiber legs move very easily. My one wish is that the monopod came with a ball head. I realize though it would add to the price. For the price and what this monopod offers it's pretty much a no brainer to purchase this.

The Sirui P-326 is a handsome stick with impeccable workmanship, quality materials and smooth moving parts. Amazon's product images on don't do it justice. And it's perfect for travel and hiking: at .88 LB (400g) and 15 inches retracted, it easily fits in a carry-on, messenger bag or daypack. I was concerned six leg locks would be a hassle but a few seconds of twisting and it's fully extended. I have small hands but can twist three open at once! The rubber twist rings are smooth turning and easy on the hands. This is a solid stick: no flex, slipping or play in the leg sections. I don't have gear near the 22LB rating, but it has no problem supporting my EOS 6D and EF 300 4L USM. I'm 5'8' and, when fully extended, the P-326 is too tall with DSLR attached, so I leave the smallest section retracted. For surfing and track sports I use a small quick release clamp so I can quickly mount/dismount my camera. The SUNWAYFOTO Discal Clamp DDY-58 DDY58 ARCA Compatible is a nice match for the P-326, being the same color and diameter as the monopod disk (58mm). It appears integral to the design. The reversible 1/4 to 3/8 mounting stud and disk with built-in nut wrench make for fast switching between direct camera mounting and a head or clamp. While on vacation, my wife demands constant "selfies" so I use a small ball head, the SUNWAYFOTO FB-28i Mini Tripod Ball Head Arca Compatible . The P-326/FB-28i combo is light enough to hoist her Canon SL1 and kit zoom 5 feet above our heads and take in plenty of background scenery with our smiling mugs nestled in the corner. Plus, the ball head is great for shooting in museum and churches. The Sirui comes with a hand-strap, tiny compass and aluminum keychain carabiner. The strap threads into an aluminum retainer beneath the disk and is easy to change, remove or upgrade. If you use the carabiner I recommend upgrading to a stainless steel locking model so you don't lose the P-326 on a trail or sidewalk. For city trekking I use a MAGLITE ASXD036 Plain Leather Belt Holder for D-Cell Flashlight, Black flashlight holster: loose enough to quickly draw or holster, more stable on my leg than a carabiner and holds securely as long as I don't do handstands. At $5 it's a bargain, especially compared to the bulky Gitzo GC5330 Series 1-5 Monopod Holster selling for $40. My wife informed me a monopod on my belt looks nerdy but it sure is handy. The P-326 is the best stick I've ever owned and highly recommended!

I bought this monopod on May 29, 2013 and it has lasted me up until this January. I wont list the exact measurements because you can find those somewhere on this page, but a very compact and lightweight product. Lightweight to the point that having an aluminum ball head on this thing doubles its weight, and small to the point that it can be easily fit into a backpack. When fully extended not only is it surprisingly tall, but it is also extremely rigid. It feels much too strong for its weight, but ey, that's carbon fiber for ya. I used this monopod for some freelance video work with "run and gun" style shooting. The twist-able extension grips were fast and easy to use, and have a confident locking friction that feels very high quality. The fact that the sections don't rotate within their shafts really does make a world of difference when it comes to accurately and quickly adjusting height, and its easy to get to a point where you can fully unlock all of the legs sanctimoniously with one hand. I knocked one star because like I said this lasted up until this year. I am very respectful of my gear and treat it nicely, but the bottom most section still somehow disconnected on the inside of the monopod and now falls out of its sleeve. I think it has to do with twisting the friction locks, which work against the connecting mechanism that keeps the sections from rotating independently. The torque caused by this twisting constantly works against the pin/rivet/nub holding the legs in line, and that piece is not robust enough to handle extensive use. Its a shame because every aspect of this monopod is built with precision and seemingly high quality parts, but its Achilles heel is a small connection joint made just a hair too brittle. Would I buy it again? I'm not sure that I would, only because I may as well try another brand. But what I will say is that this product taught me exactly what I like to have in a monopod, and the next one I purchase will have specs as similar to this one as possible. I would definitely recommend this to a friend.

Don't look any further. This is the monopod to get. This is an excellent monopod. Very light and very sturdy. It is very stable with no flex if you open it properly. No monopod is meant to be extended all the way. The proper way to extend a monopod is to extend each section about 95% or less. This will eliminate the possibility of flex and increase the rigidity. The carbon fiber material makes it very light weight vs other monopods made out of aluminum. This model has been manufactured and been around for many years. This model has been used by many professional photographers over those years. I am a retired professional photographer. I have been an avid user of tripods and monopods. Both tripods and monopods have a very important place in professional photography. Monopods are also used as walking sticks and trek poles for hikers and climbers. This monopod is an excellent choice for a walking stick and trek pole. It is also great for the elderly to increase their walking stability. The design is very similar to the Gitzo monopod that sells for four times the price.

I love the compact size and light weight of this monopod. Initially, I would have preferred quick release latches for the monopod sections rather than the twist mechanisms, but these twist locks work really well. They are very secure and it's easy to twist multiple sections at one time. The monopod is rated for 22 pounds, and it will easily accomodate my Canon R5 and 100-500mm lens. Even though there are 6 sections, it does not feel wobbly at all. There is a nice little carabiner that I can use to secure it to my daypack. Great quality and value at this price!

I have had this monopod for just over 10 years. It is 99% as functional as the day I bought it. The metal spike tip no longer rotates out and in due to too much crud that has gotten jammed into the mechanism but this is an insignificant issue. I did look into buying a replacement but you have to buy the whole bottom section and not just the tip so I simply attached a Walgreen's rubber walking cane tip and it is actually better than original equipment. (By the way, the customer service at Sirui is fantastic.) I would not go in the field without this Sirui. The only photography I do is landscapes and occasionally wildlife so I am hiking in mostly wilderness areas. This is a great tool when shooting wildlife. I mounted a Manfrotto ball head to the top which gives added flexibility when shooting on uneven ground. But more often I use it as a hiking stick and do my still photography on large and heavy Gitzo tripod. When I visit Big Cypress National Forest (nearly monthly) I am walking in 6 to 12 inches of water with uneven footing and lots of prairie grass clinging on to my boots. Inside the cypress domes the footing is less stable with lots of fallen branches in the darkened water. On more than one occasion this stick has braced me and prevented me from going down. The stability this stick offers is great. If something should happen to this monopod I would replace it immediately with the exact same model.

There is very little that one can say about a Monopod, so I will keep this brief. I really had no need for another Monopod, and have never spent $100 bucks on one. But as a professional photographer of many years I have tried many products.I recently tried the SIRUI K 20 ball head. I fell in love! I kept the K 20 for my Dollica Monopod, and ordered the K 30 ball head for my tripod. They (K 30 & K 20 ball heads) are nothing but "Precision Sweet"! I was so impressed with this product line, that I went ahead and ordered the P-326. I have a slight back problem, so I carry a monopod with me at all times as more of a walking stick. I also ride a MT. Bike daily and use bungecords to secure my gear to the frame of my bike. Since this Monopod has a 15" retracted size it appealed to me. When it arrived I was really impressed with all aspects of it. In another review I read where it was "QUIET". And unlike other Monopods I have had, it dose not "rattle" when you are walking with it. A good thing! It is extremely light weight, and very strong. I have put a lot of my own body weight (not abusing it) on it and it has never slipped or collapsed as some others I've had. It is quick to extend to the height I want and locks into position with very little tightening of the twist locks. Side Note: I always put a round rubber protector (Like the ones you put on the bottom of a typical walking cane) on the bottom of my Monopods (available at any hardware store) to preserve the factory installed shoe since I use this all the time, and remove it if I have the need to extent the Stainless Steel point for icy or slippery conditions. Just a bit of advice! Like the SIRUI Ball Heads, this is without a doubt a professional piece of gear, and I believe it is one of the highest quality photo related gear I have ever used. I recommend this product line very, very highly. Thanks, Shooter Boone.

This review is for those who want to get serious regarding their photography & this is going to be a long review so please bear with me. I'm not going to say anything regarding the delivery of the product, as it was top notched. So let's start shall we? I'm not a professional though I'm an amateur photographer, & I'm getting into wildlife photography. I must agree, I don't know why these two well reputed companies (SIRUI for SIRUI P-326 & Nikon for Nikon 200-500mm F5.6) sold their products at such a low price! Anyways let me divide it into pros & cons. CONS(We judge negative aspects first)- 1) Opening this monopod to its fullest with a lens like 200-500mm attached, there is a slight shake/wobblieness at the end section of the monopod. (I know, everyone would say why opening all the sections? So for all those, I just wanted to be sure that is it really that good?!) 2) This won't be a deal breaker for some but for me it was as I by chance forgot to remove the attached clip & string that comes with this monopod & while doing bird photography mainly, a slightest of that noise alerted the birds & they flew away. (You can say my fault, though it was). 3) I wished this monopod came with a carrying case, which was a let down for me. 4) I'm not sure, but I'm using Nikon D5300 with Nikon 200-500mm, which this monopod held all the burden like a champ! Don't know about other Heavier Bodies Mounted on it. So it's neither a CON nor PRO. 5) A worthless compass attached to it! It's like a toy which I used to play in childhood. *LOL* PROS- 1) Carbon Fiber! I don't know who made the design of this product, but that man should definitely get a cookie! This monopod is one of the best of all in this department. Carbon Fiber is light & absorbs shocks more properly than all metals! It is a huge bonus for me. 2) Ever wondered why all "PROS" use Carbon Fiber Monopods & Tripods? It's because of their durability & easy handling. It's light weight & compact. 3) I was not sure about this product to reach my height level, but oh boy! It just nailed it. I'm 178cm & this gets even taller than my eye level if you open all the sections to the fullest. 4) It is so compact when folded, that my Camera bag looks bigger than this monopod. 5) I guess this is the only monopod which has a spike underneath the foot(Under 7K). This spike was a huge bonus for me, especially while shooting wildlife. 6) Even the rotating knobs are made out of Carbon Fiber! No cheap rubber! 7) The foam is very well made & prolong usage of it while holding it, sweat is kept to it's minimum.(Depends on your hands). BONUS TIPS- 1) Please never ever open 'ANY MONOPOD' to it's fullest! It's because if some sections would be inside, then it would increase more stability & wouldn't wobble at all. 2) If you are getting into wildlife, get this monopod & a ball head of SIRUI K-10X/ OBEN BE-117. It would definately help you out with panning shots as well as while doing vertical shots. 3) While using heavy lens like Nikon 200-500mm or anyother, always mount your tripod collar with the Monopod/Tripod Screw. 4) Never ever, I mean it! NEVER EVER hold your camera with lens like 200-500mm attached to it. You won't even notice, but soon your mount would get damaged & it would result in an very expensive repair! So always hold your Tripod/Monopod collar which came with your lens. Another thing, NEVER EVER use a camera strap hanging on your neck with heavy lenses attached to camera body.(It's due to the same reason I stated earlier). 5) Always mount the lens first on Tripod/ Monopod & then mount your camera with the lens. Are you people still reading this? Should I give you more explanation regarding this product? It's so good after Nikon 200-500mm that one can't resist buying one! "CARBON FIBER" It's the same material from which Lambos are made! Go buy it right away! Conclusion- If you want to take wildlife photography as your career or want to be serious regarding your photography, this monopod is worth every penny! For any queries contact me. Happy Shooting! *2020 Update* I've been using this Monopod for over 3 years & it's easily able to support both my Nikon D850/D500 along with Nikon 200-500mm. Also, one side note, I was on a trip & I somehow ended having sand inside the monopod legs. It's an advice to clean them instantly as it will be very hard for anyone to remove afterwards (in my case it was). And even after that, the monopod is working the same as I got it in 2017!

Monopode léger et peu encombrant! Il est facile à manipuler

I am new to Sirui as I am a true Manfrotto photographer BUT this little gem is awesome. Very well built and lightweight. Sturdy for my 400mm f2.8. Great buy for the price but really small and portable.

J'ai enfin trouvé le monopode parfait... Je l'utilise en vidéo avec une tête Manfrotto 701HDV pour un camescope relativement lourd (Panasonic AG-AC160 AEJ) et il tient parfaitement la route. Je l'ai aussi un peu utilisé avec des appareils photos (Nikon D800 en photo et vidéo, Nikon D3 en photo), ça a un peu moins d'intérêt, quoique... Mais le plus intéressant est quand on ne l'utilise pas : très court une fois "replié" (le plus court et de très loin de tous les monopodes que j'ai testé ce qui en fait pas mal...), et surtout extrêmement léger. Il tient parfaitement dans n'importe quel sac à dos. Le système de fixation de la tête vidéo, ou de la caméra/appareil photo est très bien conçu avec les deux diamètres utiles sur la vis de fixation qu'il suffit d'inverser en fonction des besoins. Très rapide à mettre en oeuvre, et très facile de très bien serrer cette fixation grâce à l'anneau surdimensionné. Et la "pique" rétractable pour la tenue au sol est très facile à sortir ou rentrer. La prise en main est excellente grâce à un cylindre de mousse (sur laquelle est imprimée la marque) suffisamment épaisse et compacte pour très bien tenir en main et reprendre sa forme ensuite. La dragonne est assez large pour y passer mes grosses mains. La boussole intégrée est un petit gadget un peu ridicule, mais allez savoir si ça ne vous servira pas un jour.... Quant à la robustesse, c'est de la fibre de carbone, indestructible. Bref aucun défaut et de très grandes qualités, légèreté-compacité-robustesse, que demander de mieux ? Ah oui, le prix.... Il y a beaucoup moins cher, mais c'est beaucoup moins bien. Au bout du compte très raisonnable.

Excelente producto , el envío llegó a tiempo y súper bien empacado , solo un sugerencia , expliquen cómo sacar el tornillo para el montaje del cabezal. llegó sin la correa para la muñeca.