As Mentor CherieRenae has noted in articles and blogs, a monopod is a delightfully light and easy-to-carry camera support. It is easy to use, easy to pack, and easy on the wallet, compared to a tripod.

The Manfrotto 680B (shown here, both collapsed and partially extended) is quick and easy to use. The legs extend with a simple 1/4 - turn flip-lock release, and are easy to retract by simply turning it upside down with the catches released.

I'm just over six feet tall ... that's about two metres ... and if I extend this all the way up, I can't get my eye up to the viewfinder. It gives a very stable platform for shooting, though you can't just walk away from the camera as if it were a tripod!

You can get it with the 234RC quick-release tilt-top, and I recommend doing so, as I did. The quick-release comes with a "plate" that is screwed into the tripod socket of the camera, and with the flip of a lever on the head on the monopod locks the camera in place tight.

A great thing about a monopod is the price ... check this out at Amazon!