Manfrotto 055CXPRO3 Carbon Fiber 3 Section Tripod with Q90 Column and Magnesium Castings (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)Really, you won't believe how light this thing is until you see it in the flesh and actually pick it up.
It's very nicely made (100% carbon fiber in the legs, and magnesium castings). It's solid as a rock, too. The base plate has a bubble level in it (moderately useful), and three set screws that push against your tripod head to make the head/tripod connection absolutely tight.
The 90 degree column rotation feature works very well. I haven't used it yet, but I'm guessing that it'll be quite useful for certain shots. You can get the tripod very low via the adjustable leg angles.
I use the tripod with a Manfrotto 488rc2. I think it's a very nice combination. Very light and very solid.
One more thing: this tripod is TALL, and that's a good thing. I'm 6'1", and with the legs extended, my Nikon D300 is right at eye level. Why is that good? Well, it means that for most (if not all) shots, I don't need to extend the center column. That makes the entire setup just that much more unshakeable.
400 bucks is quite a bit of money, but I think I got what I paid for.
P.S. I got Manfrotto's 055SPK2 spiked feet (Amazon). They have rubber feet with an extendable hardened aluminum spike in the middle. Very nice. If you get them, be careful during the install--you need to wedge the feet open so they slide onto the tripod legs without catching. A little water helps here too, and will evaporate when you're done.

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Manfrotto 055CXPRO4 Carbon Fiber 4 Section Tripod with Q90 Column and Magnesium Castings (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)Aside from being a carbon fiber tripod from a reputable manufacturer the design of this tripod can be a real problem for photographers who need stability. Not too long ago I stopped by my local photography store to buy a new tripod for a mjor interior photography project. The store only had this carbon fiber tripod in stock.
In principle I was open to buying it, but testing it revealed two problems that were compromising stability. First, the fourth, and last from the ground up, telescopic legs were too slim and flimsy to hold the tripod firmly. Any slight bump and the tripod would shift position. If you do commercial photography that can be a nightmare. Second, the pro head while very convenient in its function introduced too much vibration to the center columns which is prone by nature to be a weak point. The pro system made it weaker.
Given I was happy with my previous aluminum (still own it) tripod design I was happy to buy the carbon fiber version of that tripod which is the 055CX3. That tripod closed length is 61cm, the 055CXPRO4 closed length on the other hand is 54cm. That is a 7cm difference only. The 055CXPRO4 was designed with 4 section instead of 3 to make it close shorter, thus the 7cm difference seems just too small. Given the loss of stability and generally higher price of this tripod I found this to be unacceptable and placed a special order for 055CX3 and just continued to use my older aluminum tripod in the mean time.
Based on my experience I can't recommend this tripod for photographers looking for very stable tripod. That being said if you are still very intrigued by its features you might want to check it out in person first before ordering it. Or if you don't mind the shorter maximum height and the lower maximum weight carrying capacity the 190CXPRO3 is very compact closed and lighter in general.


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Manfrotto 501HDV,546BK Video Kit with 501HDV Head and 546B Tripod (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)The Manfrotto 501HDV, 546B tripod kit was my choice of tripod after having experience with it at college. This tripod has met and exceeded my expectations. If you want to do video work, it's important to have a robust, rugged tripod and fluid head.
I'll begin with the head, the 501HDV. The head is fully adjustable, featuring both pan and tilt locks and tension adjustments. If you need to do a slower pan or tilt, simply increase the friction, and the head requires a little more force to move. There is absolutely zero play in the head. All movements are extremely smooth.
The 546B sticks are as impressive as the head. The spreader is removable, as are the feet. If you are raising the top section of the legs, the footprint stays the same, making it easy for a single person even, to raise or lower the tripod. The only trouble I've had with these legs is the locks have been loose a couple of times recently, but I think this can be fixed with a small adjustment. But this is part of the beauty of these sticks - how adjustable they are.
The bag is excellent, it's rugged and it looks really professional carrying it around. The kit altogether is very lightweight. It's not carbon fiber, but you'll be surprised just how light it is. Often, I lift it, video camera attached, with one hand to move it. The bowl attachment for the head means you can level the camera alone in seconds, where you used to need to adjust legs.
This tripod has served me well filming both events and independent films. It has been one of my best investments because of how reliable it is and how much I use it. I would recommend it to any of my colleagues without hesitation.

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