Modern professional DSLRs can be customized in nearly every aspect of their operation. My Canon EOS-1D X
While it is fun to play with the settings, I find, in practice, that knowing which settings are most critical for particular types of shots and learning how to change them quickly during a photo shoot is sufficient. In fact, it is simply not practical to fumble through all possible variations of settings in order to potentially find the optimal combination. Most likely, doing so will result in missing a shot.
I find that it is useful to become familiar with just a few camera configurations and to learn (through experimentation) which ones do not work for a particular situation. Having said this, I try to re-visit the manual periodically and to make sure that I am fully utilizing the capabilities of the camera.
is not a substitute for a 
for long exposure shots. It enables only slightly slower shutter speeds than what can be managed by hand-holding the camera. However, there are certain situations where using a monopod is very convenient.
and of course, there is Nikon counterpart: 
). It is important to support a long lens not only to avoid fatigue (these lenses are heavy!), but also to reduce camera shake. At many venues, tripods are not allowed, as they take too much space, but monopods can be used. Sometimes, a monopod can be used as a makeshift stationary camera support in very tight spaces, when it is clamped to some heavy object. I have used it in this way in a research laboratory and also at a sporting arena where tripods were not allowed (by clamping the monopod to advertisement panels that surrounded the pitch).
or using a 
. I tried both methods and found that using a collar is more convenient. In the photo above, Armando has his 
lens attached to a gimbal head. When using a head, it should not be tightened too much, so that the camera can be be turned quickly. An alternative is to attach the lens hood directly to the monopod and tilt the entire system slightly to adjust framing. Since long telephoto lenses have a narrow field of view, small inclinations of the camera result in large changes in the framing. The collar should be kept relatively loose, to be able to quickly change from horizontal to vertical camera orientation. Most telephoto lenses have collars, so monopods are usually sold without a head.
, but this time, I attached the lens to a 
, which was extended to a height that allowed me to shoot from a standing position. Normally, a lower shooting position, such as standing on one knee, is preferable for sports, but I was willing to sacrifice it for extra mobility (no need to fiddle with the monopod – just set it on the ground, point and shoot). I attached the lens collar directly to the monopod, without a 
. To frame the shots, I simply tilted the entire monopod. I kept the collar loosely closed around the lens, which allows me to quickly rotate the camera to a vertical shot position.
body. With the crop sensor, this combination gave him a very long effective focal lens, allowing to shoot closeups of the action from the opposite side of the pitch. Also, low camera position was excellent for capturing the flying pieces of mud being kicked up by the players.
for shooting indoor basketball is that this lens focusses rather slowly. As I wrote in 
, on the other hand, is lightning fast, especially when paired with a built-for-sports DSLR, like a 
lens on a 