It could’ve been worse.  I could’ve purchased another tripod.  If that would’ve been the case, I would’ve had to have checked into some sort of treatment center given that I’ve purchased three tripods in the last year alone.  But for as many tripods as I have, I don’t have a single monopod.  OK… that’s not entirely true.  One of the tripods that I have has one removable leg that can be used as a monopod.  And that probably would’ve been sufficient for anyone with an ounce of sense and an iota of financial responsibility.  But I’m going to be covering an IMSA race for the BMW Car Club of America (BMWCCA) and I wanted to be able to use a good monopod when I’m shooting race cars with a long, heavy lens.  “Well I don’t really NEED a monopod…but let me just look to see what’s out there…”. Famous last words.  I ended up doing a ton of research on monopods, which led me to discovered the SIRUI P-424FL and SIRUI P-424FS.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

First of all, it can be mildly confusing differentiating between these two model.  It doesn’t help that they are listed on the SIRUI website as the “SIRUI P-424FL/FS.”  So what’s the actual difference between the FL and FS?  If you scroll down on the SIRUI product description page you’ll see this graphic that clears things up…sort of:

The short answer is the difference between the two model variants is their size and weight.  If the above graphic is to be believed (in typical Chinese translation fashion, they appear to have mislabeled the model on the right), the SIRUI P-424FL appears to be the taller, thicker, and heavier model.  If you assume that the model on the right is the SIRUI P-424FS, then it is shorter, smaller in diameter, and lighter than the SIRUI P-424FL.  I actually purchased both models (as you can see in the above photo) so I can attest to the fact that they are identical outside of their size and weight.

At my height of 5’7”, the P-424FS ended up being perfect.  With the legs base attached, the maximum height is 66.8”, or about 5’6” – that puts a mirrorless camera like my Canon R5 Mark II or R6 Mark II just above eye level, so I have to lower the height by 3-4 inches.  Remove the leg module, and a camera mounted on the monopod hits me right at eye level – perfect.  Besides being shorter, the P-424FS is also a bit lighter than the P-424FL at 2.65lbs. vs. 2.75lbs. with legs, and is considerable cheaper.  I’d say the legs module at the bottom adds close to a full pound of weight and the base monopod and head really are quite light on either model.

I purchased the P-424FS on Amazon for $110.00 (I strongly suspect this was a “pre-tariff” price and may go up a few bucks once tariffs are added in) while the price for the P-424FL is nearly double at $199.00.  Because I’m shorter than most, I’d recommend the P-424FL over the P-424FS. After unboxing both the P-424FS and the P-424FL and seeing how well the cheaper FS suited me at my height, I boxed the FL back up for return.  Again, the FL and the FS apart from height and weight are otherwise identical.

This is my first experience with a SIRUI branded product but I was extremely impressed with the build quality and innovative design.  It’s constructed largely from carbon fiber and light weight aluminum components.  The blue anodized components also added greatly to the aesthetic appeal – it never hurts for a tool like a monopod to look cool.  Inside the included plastic bag of Allen wrenches was the combination screw that’s 1/4” on one side and 3/8” on the other for mounting any camera or tripod head.  The P-424FS has a quick release build into the head for mounting the screw which was neat.  Since I use Ulanzi FalcamF38 quick release plates throughout my system, I mounted one of the units to the screw and was all set to test it out.

Historically my problem with monopods is that they are a pretty specific one trick pony and provide zero utility outside of their one trick.  A tripod generally limits your mobility with the camera for maximum stability.  With a monopod, you trade some of that stability for less limited mobility.  The beauty of the SIRUI P-424FS is that it’s configurable to at least three distinctly different uses, blurring the lines between “tripod” and “monopod.”  Firstly, if you want to use the unit as just a simple, straightforward monopod, you can.  There’s a quick release that let’s you separate the head and base unit from the bottom legs.  From there just unscrew the peg/tip from the bottom of the legs, and screw it back on to the head/base unit and you’re ready to go.  Incidentally, that bottom peg piece is rubber but if you’re on a natural surface that requires more stability, twisting on the rubber piece will reveal the spike contained in the peg – love the retractable design.

Rubber tip, spike retracted

Rubber tip, spike extended.

With the legs unit attached to the bottom of the base and head, you have about an “80% solution” tripod.  With the legs attached and deployed, you can successfully perform most tasks that would require a tripod.  This rig isn’t quite stable enough for long exposure photography, (particularly if there’s a breeze) but will perform as an acceptable stand-in for a true tripod for many other types of photography.  With the legs attached to the base unit, you can loosen a screw just above the leg module that allows the base unit to pivot and rotate in place, providing muchthe same mobility you would enjoy with a standard monopod with no legs attached.  I recommend against doing so because it’s not easy to get the monopod back into a “straight” configuration and not leaning one way or the other – even with the levels that are built into the head.  I found it much easier to separate the base and head from the legs module if I wanted to use it as a monopod.

You can also use a quick release to remove the head unit, quick release the legs module from the base, and connect the head directly into the legs module for an instant table top tripod!  It’s super-cool and works really well.  I actually didn’t have a good table top tripod before, but use a cheap mini tripod before from time to time and gotten by.  It’s really nice to have a quality alternative.

I’ll be the first to admit that most products that try to do more than one thing fail at all things. But the SIRUI P-424FS and FL are an exception to the rule.  Whichever model you choose (it really comes down to your height)it’s a really good monopod.  It’s also  a really good table top tripod.  And when you need basic tripod functionality in a pinch, you have that as well.  This is a fantastic product that provides huge value – I wouldn’t hesitate recommending it to any photographer.  It’s perhaps a bit more pricey than a basic monopod, but I’ve seen table top tripods that are more expensive than the asking price of this monopod.

In the above stock photo, you can see the hand strap that’s connected to a steel ring.  Initially, I was a bit put off by the strap because there’s no way to remove it or the spinning ring it’s attached to.  In practical use you realize how much it’s a necessary feature.  If you lose your grip on the monopod (particular if you’re using it without the legs) then it could fall to the ground hard with your camera and lens attached.  So the hand strap really is a good to have as a fixed component.

Check out my video review of the SIRUI P424-FL/FS: