Manfrotto Tripod and 3 Axis Head - Video Review

[Stone Message]

Hi Everyone

My Christmas present from my wife was a new tripod and head unit by Manfrotto. I did the market research and bought them from a well known high street photographic shop here in the UK and then had to wait until Christmas day to start playing with it.

I am really pleased with the kit, hence the video below:



Peter

 

[Sign Guy]

Tripods are like tools.
The good stuff becomes heirloom and you keep the original box in a closet.
A pistol-grip style is best for me.
The carbon fibre body weighs almost nothing.
Pistol grip is heavy.

 

[Stone Message]

I agree and my box is safely stashed above the workshop.

I looked at the pistol grip but realised that it was not for me - it may be down to the way my wrists work (or rather don't work). The video head with dampening was very nice but just beyond my budget.

Peter

 

[SittingElf]

I used to be a Manfrotto guy with RC2 heads and attachments for my cameras and video.  They were OK, but then I discovered Gitzo.  Like Festool, expensive as hell, but the best there is! [big grin]

Here's my BIG one! Absolutely Rock Solid! Head is a Really Right Stuff BH-50 Ball head. The camera is my Canon 1DX with Canon 70-200 f2.8L II lens.  [smile]
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Collapsed for work down low....
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Nothing more stable in my opinion. I also have a travel version that, while not quite as rock steady, is still phenomenally stable for its size.  [big grin]

 

[Sign Guy]

agreed the Gitzo is heirloom.
Manfrotto is more common guy stuff.
If your heirs draw toothpicks the winner will pick Gitzo first.
I do recall at the time looking at their line and can't recall exactly but Manfrotto was more versatile.
The 2 photos I show and had the edge. Albeit not Rolls Royce quality.
The horizontal mode can also be at 6'. Stand on a milk crate though.
I may stand corrected but if memory serves with Gitzo ball heads you could not tilt a full 90°.
Or with a 15" long lense it would not hold the weight. Can't remember.
I do notice you DON'T have a Gitzo head.
(yellow face guy rolling fingers....)

 

[woodie]

I used to be a Manfrotto guy with RC2 heads and attachments for my cameras and video.  They were OK, but then I discovered Gitzo.  Like Festool, expensive as heck, but the best there is! [big grin]

Nothing more stable in my opinion. I also have a travel version that, while not quite as rock steady, is still phenomenally stable for its size.  [big grin]

I'm a little surprised you're not rocking an RRS tripod, Gitzo's kinda low end in comparison isn't it  [poke]

By the way great review Peter!

 

[SittingElf]

I used to be a Manfrotto guy with RC2 heads and attachments for my cameras and video.  They were OK, but then I discovered Gitzo.  Like Festool, expensive as heck, but the best there is! [big grin]

Nothing more stable in my opinion. I also have a travel version that, while not quite as rock steady, is still phenomenally stable for its size.  [big grin]

I'm a little surprised you're not rocking an RRS tripod, Gitzo's kinda low end in comparison isn't it  [poke]

By the way great review Peter!

Actually, I compared the Gitzo to the RRS legs. The Gitzo won out on a few points.  That being said, RRS heads are "heads" and shoulders over Gitzo's and others. [big grin]

 

[Sign Guy]

did some googling...
seems the Italian guys (Manfrotto) have features the fancy pants (German)brands don't have.
Reviews of the snob stuff aren't exactly warm and fuzzy.
Looks like this thread went straight to how big my wallet is.
The OP was nice and showed the Manfrottos. Which I wisely chose.
For the record no store tag left on mine.

 

[es07Eric]

did some googling...
seems the Italian guys (Manfrotto) have features the fancy pants (German)brands don't have.
Reviews of the snob stuff aren't exactly warm and fuzzy.
Looks like this thread went straight to how big my wallet is.
The OP was nice and showed the Manfrottos. Which I wisely chose.
For the record no store tag left on mine.

I've gone through my fair share of tripods in my career, everything from Gitzo, Feisol, Benro, Manfrotto, Slik, etc…  (I started at the "top" and sold down to what I found i really needed; needless to say, I kept the Manfrotto).  I totally agree with this statement.  Manfrotto definitely offers more of the same features (in some cases more) for the comparable tripod at a lesser price point.  The Gitzo pictured above has no center column and therefore eliminates the possibility of offset mounting…

It all boils down to what you need (for the money), however, as the saying goes: "better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it"

Great choice Peter

Cheers,
Eric

 

[Runhard]

Nice review Peter, as always  [thumbs up]

I just recently bought two tripods. I do not know much about tripods, I don't even own a camera besides my iPhone5C. I was at REI and noticed a tripod that retailed for $470 and it was on clearance for $117, so I bought it for my syslite. It is a Brunton and it seems to be pretty nice. I also bought a flexible Joby tripod for my second syslite. I'm sure that I will buy a camera some day in the future, but if I need a good camera, my wife can borrow one from work.

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