YunTeng 60-Inch Camera Monopod REVIEW

It’s really important to research the equipment you buy before you buy it. I’m really glad that I am able to leave a review about this monopod for others to be able to avoid it if it’s not the right thing for them. At first glance, this monopod is inexpensive and useful as a simple stability device. Unfortunately, my experiences with it were less than amazing.

Details

Since the manufacturer does not have a professional website, the only details I can provide come from the product’s Amazon page. The seller, Crazefoto, describes this monopod as a tool for cameras as well as a walking stick for outdoor use. It is constructed from aluminum and collapses down to 14.5″. It only weighs 0.51 pounds and has a universal thread mount for users to be able to attach any DSLR, still camera, video camera or ball head. There is a rubber, non-skid foot built into the base for all terrains. At the top of the monopod, you will find a soft foam grip and safety wrist strap attached to the staff. The monopod is designed with a flip lock four-leg section.

User Experience

The monopod comes in a simple box with limited information printed on the box. Given the information provided on Amazon, I expected to have a different experience than I did. I have broken down the review into a few different categories.

Crazefoto vs. YunTeng: The first thing I noticed was that the monopod while branded as ‘Crazefoto’ on Amazon, has the name ‘YunTeng’ stamped on it. While this doesn’t really affect the use of the product, I wanted to point it out as something that is odd with it. It is the product I ordered — just branded differently.

Hiking or Camera Equipment: The second thing I noticed was that Crazefoto lists this as not only a monopod for cameras, but also a walking stick. While this might be true, I wouldn’t use a monopod as a walking stick and vice versa.

Foam Grip Fail: The next thing I noticed was that the foam grip doesn’t stay in place. It slides up and down the stick without hesitation. This has been the case since I removed it from the box. For something that is supposed to provide stabilization, I don’t like that the main grip might slide on me causing me to lose an important shot.

Twist Lock Break: This is actually one of the biggest problems I found with the monopod. The twist lock mechanism broke on me after using it five times. In between each of the locking levels, there is a plastic seal. One of the seals cracked (pictured) and this decreased the stability of the monopod because it affects the locks.

Can’t Stand the Weight: My main concern with this monopod/walking stick is weight load and balance. The staff is made from aluminum and plastic and while it says it can hold up to 5 pounds, I don’t trust that. First of all, most people weigh more than 5 pounds and would exert more than that while using it as a walking stick. Second, the product description states that you can attach “any DSLR”. I have two Canon DSLRs. The one I use the most is the Canon 5D Mark IV. Its camera body (plus battery and memory cards) is right at 2 pounds. As soon as you add a lens on — especially a larger one — you hit that 5-pound mark rather quickly. In fact, I have the Canon 70–200 f2.8 lens and it weighs 3.3 pounds on its own. As soon as you put those two pieces together, you have a camera/lens combo that weighs over 5 pounds. I tried the monopod out with both the 5D Mark IV and a Canon 70D and both times the monopod buckled under the weight — even with smaller lenses attached.

Conclusions

Because of the issues I had using the monopod and with the problems, I found with its design, I really don’t find this to be a functional monopod for DSLR cameras. That said, I believe it could work well for smartphones (with a tripod adapter), smaller point-and-shoot consumer cameras, and perhaps even mirrorless cameras with smaller lenses. I guess what it really comes down to is that the product is described poorly for potential buyers. If it the product description were re-written for smaller cameras and the walking stick reference was taken out, this monopod would get a much higher rating in my book. I just found the product description — and photos — misleading.

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Originally published at macsources.com on June 29, 2018.