Leofoto MP-285C carbon monopod

Leofoto MP-285C carbon monopod: when things need to move fast

Sometimes it’s not the camera you’re missing, but a fixed point. You’re standing at the edge of the field, in the crowd, on a slope, somewhere between “it’s about to happen” and “it’s already over again.” That’s exactly where the Leofoto MP-285C carbon monopod fits in. Quickly packed away, quickly extended, stable under load.

With a maximum extension length of 1.53 m it brings you up to eye level without you having to contort yourself. And because the transport length is only 43.3 cm, it disappears in your backpack or hangs comfortably at your side without constantly bumping into things.

Compact on the go, solid in use

412 g in weight, i.e. around 0.41 kg, is exactly the kind of “you barely notice it” in practice. At the same time, the MP-285C supports up to 15 kg of load. That’s not just meant for a lightweight mirrorless camera, but also for a DSLR with telephoto zoom when you’re heading into sports or reportage photography. Travel photography anyway, where every gram counts, but please without the wobble show.

The tripod type is clear: monopod. Not a tripod replacement, not a studio fixture. More like a reliable hiking stick for your camera, only much more precise.

5 leg sections with anti-twist, 4 extensions, grippy twist locks

The MP-285C works with 5 leg sections with anti-twist protection. Meaning: nothing twists unintentionally when you extend it, even if you do it quickly. There are 4 extensions, which you operate via grippy quick twist locks. Open, closed, solid. That’s what it feels like.

The tube diameters are cleanly graduated: 28 / 25 / 22 / 19 / 16 mm. That sounds dry, but it’s exactly the reason why it stays slim at the bottom and still feels stable at the top.

Carbon, 10-layer wrapped: light, stiff, everyday-ready

For the material, Leofoto relies on carbon, wrapped in 10 layers. This gives you high rigidity at low weight, and in everyday use it just feels “right.”

Whether mirrorless or DSLR: for telephoto work, a monopod is often the pragmatic sweet spot. You stay mobile, can pan along with the action, and your setup suddenly feels less like a brick hanging off the mount.

Comfort details: padding, wrist strap, mount at the top

At the top leg section there is comfortable padding. Especially during longer sessions—reportage, sports, city strolls with a camera—that makes the difference. There’s also a wrist strap that gives you security when you briefly change your grip or weave your way through.

For mounting, the connection at the top offers 1/4" and 3/8" UNC. This makes the MP-285C compatible with common heads and direct mounts, depending on how you prefer to run your setup.

Recommended for mirrorless, DSLR, travel, reportage, telephoto and sports

The Leofoto MP-285C is recommended for mirrorless and DSLR cameras, for travel photography, reportage photography, telephoto photography and sports photography. In other words, exactly for the situations where you don’t want to set up a tripod first but still need a stable base.

Because what counts in everyday use: 43.3 cm transport length, 1.53 m height, 15 kg load capacity, 0.41 kg weight.