Sirui SVM-145 – Why you need this gear!

Hi, my name is Rich Dyson from Edinburgh. This is the latest Coffee Break Photography, and I will talk about the Sirui SVM Monopod.

Last month, I was at The Photography & Video Show in Birmingham. There was one product in particular that I saw that I was impressed with. I was so impressed that I went out and bought this great piece of kit, the Sirui SVM-145 Monopod. In this episode of Coffee Break Photography, I will tell you why I was impressed and what made me buy it.

I have a question I ask myself when buying photography gear. Will the particular item allow me to do something I can’t do today, and if so, does it make commercial sense to buy it?

The first part of that question boils down to: What problem am I trying to solve when I buy something? So, to show you the issue I am looking for a solution for, I have my existing monopod, which a well-known manufacturer makes.

Using a standard monopod like this has a couple of difficulties. We tend to use monopods because we carry reasonably heavy lenses and need to be mobile. For me, this would typically be at an event or conference, but it could also be as a sports photographer or photographing wild animals.

If I am shooting an event, I’ll often have two cameras: one on a tripod with a large lens and the other on a strap over my shoulder. The problem comes when I switch from one camera to the other. The monopod rests on one shoulder while I shoot with the camera on the strap. It’s not particularly comfortable shooting like this, so will you get your best shots?

The second issue is if I am shooting standing up and then want to switch to shooting from a crouching position. I need to undo a series of clips, reduce the size of the tripod, and then tighten it. It’s not exactly a quick and straightforward operation, so there’s a risk that I might miss a shot.

These two problems are solved with the Sirui monopods. Let’s talk about switching from one camera to the other. At the bottom of the monopod are three small legs. They are stable enough to hold the camera and tripod without any additional support. I certainly wouldn’t trust the legs in a very strong wind as I would with a proper tripod, but for indoor events and conferences, it takes away any need to suspend that heavy lens and camera on my shoulder.

If you’d rather not use the legs, they can be folded away, and there is a rubber foot that can be used as with standard monopods. However, what happens if you are on softer ground? Easy: Just twist the rubber foot, and a spike will appear as if by magic, giving you a solid base to shoot on.

OK, how about changing the height of the monopod? The solution to this is ingenious. It’s a one-handed adjustment using a handy rotating locking system. Twist this collar clockwise, and you can move all the sections of the monopod up or down. When you are at the position you need, twist it anti-clockwise, and the monopod is locked, nice and tight. I’ve found that resting your foot on one of the legs makes twisting really easy with just one hand.

Another benefit of a monopod is that you can rotate from side to side or up and down while shooting. Just release this knob near the legs, and you have all the flexibility of a standard monopod. Tighten it, and you can guarantee shots that are level every time. The ball head, which usually sits between the camera and the monopod, has been moved from the top to the bottom.

There are more things I really like about the Sirui SVM-145. The first is how it connects to the camera. Screw on this bracket to the standard tripod socket. Now, all you need to do is push the bottom of the socket onto the monopod, and it locks securely into place. To release it, pull down on this silver collar and the camera is released. It’s much simpler, and it feels really safe!

Finally, as well as buying a monopod, you also get a tabletop tripod. Down here, at the bottom of the monopod, is another collar. Pull it down, and the monopod comes out, and you can use that same bracket to mount your camera to shoot on a tabletop or from a really low angle. Again, everything feels secure and stable.

If this short review has got you thinking that this monopod will solve some of your problems, then there are a number of options for buying. I’m around five foot eight or nine, and this Sirui SVM-145 is perfect for me at one hundred and forty-five centimetres high. For the taller photographer, you can also buy the SVM-165, which stands at, you guessed it, one hundred and sixty-five centimetres. If there are any basketball-playing photographers who are over seven feet, then you can also buy thirty-centimetre extension rods. So, no matter your height, the SVM monopods will fit how you work.

The SVM range of monopods are available from the Sirui website. You can find the link below this video. The SVM-145 is two hundred and twenty-nine pounds. The SVM-165 is two hundred and sixty-nine pounds, and the extension rods are twenty-nine pounds each.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this product review. Please like and share below. You can also subscribe to Coffee Break Photography by clicking here or using the link under the video.

My name is Rich Dyson from Edinburgh Photography Workshop and this has been an Americano strength Coffee Break Photography. See you next time.

Sirui website: https://store.sirui.com/products/sirui-svm-rapid-system-one-step-height-adjustment-modular-monopod?variant=44766933844194