Tray vs mono pole pros and cons

[Z Gear]

I have been filming with the mono pole regularly and I find it to be quite good especially when I use two hands. The price is reasonable and overall it is a very practical item. I was wondering,since the Go Pro is a small and compact why negate this aspect by putting it on a tray ,with long lock line arms which hang over each side. Making it even more cumbersome. It seems that it could get some what bulky and hard to manage. Having a more inexpensive set up like a mono pole seems more practical to me but I know there are many who love their tray. Is it because they never tried the mono pole or perhaps they did and got a bad experience, which is it?

How do you fair when having both hands on a tray and a bit of side current or surge? Using the mono pole lets me use my other hand to stabilize at times. I can also view my compass or other gauges simultaneously. Likewise those who like filming with their mono pole, as I do, tell the tray crowd why you like it and why it works for you. I'm sure I am forgetting a few pros about the mono pole.

There some divers out there who are not ready to throw down that much for a full tray set up, especially if there is a more affordable/practical set up like the mono pole.

What do you think?

Frank G
www.zgearinc.com

 

[TONY CHANEY]

I have yet to use a pole and have only used a tray. The reason being that most of our dives, that we video, are in the caves. Since the caves are tight and you really need to be rather close to your buddy, i think that the pole would close the gap too much between you and your buddy. either up your buddy's backside or way too far back to be safe. In the video attached we were using a tray with most of the time it was only in one hand. That was the tray, two arms, Intova HD II, and two BigBlue lights. It is not that heavy and please remember that we have to have one hand free to follow line, signaling, etc. We often face severe flow and have to be able to pull and guide within the cave system. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIskHVV0bNM I don't think that you can mount lights on the pole for excessive dark areas. the poles work great in open water but in very dark areas is another issue.

 

[Z Gear]

I have yet to use a pole and have only used a tray. The reason being that most of our dives, that we video, are in the caves. Since the caves are tight and you really need to be rather close to your buddy, i think that the pole would close the gap too much between you and your buddy. either up your buddy's backside or way too far back to be safe. In the video attached we were using a tray with most of the time it was only in one hand. That was the tray, two arms, Intova HD II, and two BigBlue lights. It is not that heavy and please remember that we have to have one hand free to follow line, signaling, etc. We often face severe flow and have to be able to pull and guide within the cave system. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIskHVV0bNM I don't think that you can mount lights on the pole for excessive dark areas. the poles work great in open water but in very dark areas is another issue.

I am not sure but it seems that it could work if the mono pole was not extended. This would then minimize the gap between you and your dive buddy. You could also use an adjustable mono pole light mount for your lighting solution. This would still be lighter than a two handed tray with two lights. In addition you can have one hand free to follow the line through the caves, or signaling.

www.zgearinc.com

 

[bradells]

So where's your other (hopefully at least) 3 points about pro and cons on trays, as well as cons about poles?

Oh wait, what about a con about your mono poles you seem to sell and are advertising somehow through a very one sided 'discussion'?



BRad

 

[Z Gear]

So where's your other (hopefully at least) 3 points about pro and cons on trays, as well as cons about poles?

Oh wait, what about a con about your mono poles you seem to sell and are advertising somehow through a very one sided 'discussion'?





BRad

Don't you think you are being a little harsh?

I was merely responding to his question reffering to lights being mounted on camera poles. I put a picture of our mount that depicted an adjustable light mount that could be attached to ANY CAMERA POLE. This would have informed him of that since he was not aware of anything of this sort was available.

In regards to pointing out the cons on the mono pole, I don't know any! That's why I like filming with it! It sounds like you are a tray person so why not give us your view (objectively) as why the tray is so much better.

Respectfully
Frank G
www.zgearinc.com

 

[bradells]

Don't you think you are being a little harsh? I was merely responding to his question reffering to lights being mounted on camera poles. I put a picture of our mount that depicted an adjustable light mount that could be attached to ANY CAMERA POLE. This would have informed him of that since he was not aware of anything of this sort was available. In regards to pointing out the cons on the mono pole, I don't know any! That's why I like filming with it! It sounds like you are a tray person so why not give us your view (objectively) as why the tray is so much better. Respectfully Frank G www.zgearinc.com

I was responding to your original post.

My apologies about the mono pole, by the quick look on a phone it looked like you sold them too.

BRad

 

[nimoh]

I have never used a pole, but from the picture it looks much more bulky than my tray. My tray is about 8" long while that pole looks to be over a foot (fully retracted).

As to one of your other points, many of us don't need our hands to stabilize our position in the water and use our feet to move around. But regardless of that, it is quite easy to hold a tray with one hand. I do it quite often when checking my remaining gas or adding/dumping gas from my wing.

A tray also has much more control for changing the angle since it is closer to your hands. See something interesting on your left, simply rotate the camera over there, rather than swinging the pole all the way over there.

Done shooting video for the dive? clip off the camera on my butt d-ring and it is out of the way. What do you do with that pole?

To me, the only advantage to using a pole I see is to put yourself in the video without having to hand off the camera. Although, from what I have seen, videos generally turn out better when the camera is handed off.

 

[Z Gear]

I was responding to your original post.

My apologies about the mono pole, by the quick look on a phone it looked like you sold them too.

BRad

Brad, I appreciate that.

---------- Post added January 7th, 2015 at 08:33 AM ----------

I have never used a pole, but from the picture it looks much more bulky than my tray. My tray is about 8" long while that pole looks to be over a foot (fully retracted).

As to one of your other points, many of us don't need our hands to stabilize our position in the water and use our feet to move around. But regardless of that, it is quite easy to hold a tray with one hand. I do it quite often when checking my remaining gas or adding/dumping gas from my wing.

A tray also has much more control for changing the angle since it is closer to your hands. See something interesting on your left, simply rotate the camera over there, rather than swinging the pole all the way over there.

Done shooting video for the dive? clip off the camera on my butt d-ring and it is out of the way. What do you do with that pole?

To me, the only advantage to using a pole I see is to put yourself in the video without having to hand off the camera. Although, from what I have seen, videos generally turn out better when the camera is handed off.

Excellent points to consider. I understand some of the pros on the tray you are trying to point out. I just want to bring up one point that you probably are not aware of. Normally I will be filming just using one hand on the pole but there are instances that if I feel like placing both hands on the pole to stabilize I can do so. Since in my situation I am using a light mount that when positioned downward I can actually hold it as a stabilizing handle. It does several things as well, It lets me do what you were referring to. Allows me to rotate the camera rather than just swinging the camera pole.

As far as what to do with the camera pole after you are done filming. Since I believe that most everything you carry should be leashed. A small gear leash attached to the end of the pole is the way to go. The pole is definitely less bulky, lighter and way less expensive than the tray in my opinion.

Thanks for pointing out the selfy aspect of pole, I forgot to mention that one!

Frank G
www.zgearinc.com

 

[TONY CHANEY]

I really do not believe that two video lights and a camera toward the end of a pole and holding on to the other end with one hand is even close to being as stable as a tray. It's about canter of mass. Please share with us a video using the pole extended with two video lights (not a small 2 AAA battery type light such as the mask strap lights) showing how much more stable it is.

 

[Z Gear]

I really do not believe that two video lights and a camera toward the end of a pole and holding on to the other end with one hand is even close to being as stable as a tray. It's about canter of mass. Please share with us a video using the pole extended with two video lights (not a small 2 AAA battery type light such as the mask strap lights) showing how much more stable it is.

Hi Tony, the pole light mount is designed to hold only one light, I think two lights would be two heavy. I will try to post some video later.
Here are some pics from another scuba board member. It depicts how one can stabilize a camera pole rig buy using two hands, or using the mount as a better holding area to film with.

Thanks
Frank G
www.zgear.com