Benro’s SupaDupa 72 Is a Rugged Monopod for Your Big, Heavy Lenses
Benro’s new SupaDupa 72 Carbon Fiber Monopod is tall, rugged, and built for demanding photographers with heavy camera equipment.
While monopods have fallen slightly out of favor with photographers as telephoto lenses have gotten lighter and cameras offer better image stabilization, there is still a time and a place for a robust monopod, as evidenced by the sidelines of major sporting events. That’s where the Benro SupaDupa 72 comes in, as spotted by Camera Jabber. It is 72 inches (1.8 meters) tall and can support a payload of up to 17.6 pounds (eight kilograms).
Although it is six feet tall and able to support hefty lenses — Canon’s giant RF 800mm f/5.6 L IS USM lens weighs just under seven pounds, for reference — the Benro SupaDupa 72 is quite a lightweight and compact addition to a wildlife or sports photographer’s kit. The monopod weighs just under two pounds (0.9 kilograms) and collapses to 19 inches (49 centimeters). It even ships with a carrying case and includes a strap attachment near the head.
Speaking of the monopod’s head, the rubber foot has ball bearings to ensure smooth panning movement, which helps photographers more easily track the action and, in the case of motorsports photographers, capture beautiful motion-blurred pans.
The monopod’s head works alongside an Arca-Swiss clamp (included) and includes an integrated tilt head, allowing photographers to easily point their camera up and down to follow their subject. The head tilts 60 degrees backward and 90 degrees forward.
Since sports and wildlife photographers are so often shooting from uneven or slippery terrain, the monopod also has a swappable foot and works with a spike foot attachment.
The SupaDupa 72 has six leg sections, meaning there are five adjustment points. These are “flip + twist lock” mechanisms, so the photographer simply rotates the leg lock to unlock the height adjustment for that section. Benro says that these are easy to manipulate using one hand, so photographers will be able to hold onto their camera while adjusting the monopod’s height. The monopod also has a padded grip to ensure comfort during extended use.
The Benro SupaDupa 72 Carbon Fiber Monopod is available now for $299.95. The Benro SupaDupa Tilthead is also available separately for $139.95 and can be attached to other monopods.
Image credits: Benro
