The monopod is the least glamorous item in most photographers’ bags and often the most useful — the difference between shooting a long lens for an hour and shooting it all afternoon. Benro has just expanded its range with two new carbon fibre monopods aimed at opposite ends of the spectrum, plus a locking three-leg base and a set of accessories to go with them. You’ll find the range on Benro’s site.
The flagship is the MSD36CB SupaDupa Black Diamond, and its numbers are genuinely impressive: a carbon frame weighing just 0.5kg that supports a 40kg payload. That’s the sort of margin that comfortably handles a pro body with a 600mm attached, which is exactly the audience it’s chasing. The six-section design extends to 165cm and collapses to 42cm for travel. What sets it apart is the locking system, combining all-metal twist locks with a CNC-machined aluminium flip lock so height can be adjusted rapidly with one hand — useful when your other hand is holding several kilos of glass. The base uses a rotating rubber foot with a V-shaped bearing for smooth panning, so you can track a moving subject without lifting the monopod.
At the other extreme is the MiniMax MMX37C, which prioritises portability above all. Seven carbon sections collapse it to just 37cm at a featherweight 0.36kg, small enough to disappear into a daypack, yet it still supports 20kg. It uses a spring-loaded mounting stud offering both 1/4in-20 and 3/8in-16 threads, so it’ll take whatever head or plate you already own. For street photography, travel or fast-moving productions where you want support without carrying a support system, it looks a smart option.
Completing the trio is the VT4 Monopod Base, a three-leg foot designed for sports and event production. Its notable feature is a foot-activated pedal that locks the monopod vertically at 90 degrees — letting you plant it, lock it and let go without the thing toppling over. Anyone who has tried to keep a monopod upright while adjusting a setting or grabbing a second body will recognise the appeal, and doing it by foot rather than by hand is the right call.
Between them these cover the two genuine monopod use cases — heavy glass at length, and minimum bulk on the move — and the fact Benro has released a serious locking base alongside them suggests it’s paying attention to how these are actually used on a sports sideline. We’d want to test the SupaDupa’s hybrid lock system for real-world speed before drawing conclusions, but on paper this is a well-judged expansion.
Benro MSD36CB SupaDupa Black Diamond: Specifications
Material: carbon fibre. Sections: 6. Weight: 0.5kg. Maximum payload: 40kg. Maximum height: 165cm. Folded length: 42cm. Locks: all-metal twist locks plus CNC-machined aluminium flip lock for one-handed adjustment. Foot: rotating rubber foot with V-shaped bearing for panning. Note: a more compact variant of the existing MSD46CB Black Diamond SupaDupa.
Benro MiniMax MMX37C: Specifications
Material: carbon fibre. Sections: 7. Weight: 0.36kg. Maximum payload: 20kg. Folded length: 37cm. Mounting: spring-loaded stud with 1/4in-20 and 3/8in-16 threads.
Benro VT4 Monopod Base: Specifications
Type: three-leg monopod base. Key feature: foot-activated pedal locking the monopod vertically at 90 degrees. Intended use: sports and event production.
Price and availability
Benro has announced the monopods, base and accompanying accessories, but UK pricing and on-sale dates were not confirmed in the launch materials we’ve seen. Check Benro’s site or UK retailers for current pricing, and we’ll update this story once details are available.
