Manfrotto Compact Advanced Aluminium Tripod with 3 Way Head, Black

As I started to film weddings, I needed to find a high-quality tripod that was a good height. I also wanted something that I could take travelling that didn’t take up too much space or too heavy.My favourite feature has to be the easy quick release plate. As you can see in the top of the tripod, it’s just a smile, small plate the size of a penny that attaches to the bottom of your camera. The reason I love this is because it makes it really easy to change batteries without having to remove the plate and also makes it easy to quickly switch to handheld shots.Another great part is the hybrid head this tripod comes with. It’s great for getting smooth panning shots, while also easily being switched to a fixed position for landscape or portrait photos.The height, size and weight are perfect for me. It’s nice and compact so easy to carry around with the included bag. It’s a very lightweight design that makes it easy to carry other great with. Also, it can be raised to 155cm, with the fact it’s so compact was quite surprising.Overall, the tripod has exceeded my expectations and has been very useful so far. The only thing I would like to see added is a way to lock out the legs when spreading the three of them apart. However, I love all the features I talked about and has made my life a lot easier. It is a tripod I would recommend to others.

For the price of this tripod you really get value for money. It's very sturdy and extremely reliable. I have used it countless times and it has never fallen over or even moved an inch once. Also the quick release plate that it uses to mount the camera is perfect. I usually leave the plate screwed on to my camera and can the mount and unmount it within seconds - no more wasting time screwing and unscrewing!The twist levers for tilt and pan control feel very solid and don't show any signs of slipping. They stay locked in place and won't budge unless unscrewed. I did have one issue where I was hiking through a forest and realised when I got to the end that one of the levers had come off ( I had to trek back a good distance to find it, which was difficult as the light was fading) but this could be down to me not screwing them on tightly when folding up the tripod.The legs extend to a nice height of around 4.5ft and then the centre pole can also be extended further again if needs be.Lastly, it comes in a nice drawstring padded bag that you can transport it safely in if you're afraid of your tripod getting scuffed or damaged. A nice touch.Pros: *Lightweight*Portable*Sturdy*Easy to use and quick mounting plate*Has a spirit levelCons: *Panning could be better if being used for video although I get that this is not designed for video

This is a great tripod. I have found it very smooth and easy to use, and although I only use it for stills I'm sure it would be great for video too. It has more than enough height (I have to stand on my tip-toes to see through the viewfinder at its full height) and is stable, especially for it's weight and size. When fully extended it can be quite shaky at longer focal lengths, even with lightweight cameras, but I find that turning on vibration reduction/image stabilisation solves this problem.It is very lightweight, compact and easy to set up/take down, so is perfect for taking out on trips. It is well made and does everything that I need it to do. The only fault that I can give it is that it's a bit expensive (yet this is one of Manfrotto's cheaper tripods!), and that it gets rocked around a bit when it is windy, and there is no hook to give it extra weight (but this isn't a big deal for me).I have also attached some photos of the tripod with a banana for scale.

I needed a fairly basic and cheap tripod but didn't want to go so cheap that I'd end up regretting it and having to buy something better a little later on.This tripod is ideal. It folds down to a fairly compact size (45-50cm) and is supplied with a fairly decent carrying pouch. The reason I opted for this tripod was for the adjustable head and the quick release system which both work really well. It only takes a second or two to attach your camera to the tripod and the adjustment of the head is flexible and smooth enough for my purposes.The tripod seems stable enough, even though it is lightweight. The legs also have a good range of extension and are easy to extend and collapse. Another reason for selecting this particular model is that it's centre pole is quickly extendible so if you just need to adjust the height slightly you can extend that instead of adjusting all 3 legs. The centre pole can also be reversed to enable you to mount your camera inverted to get some really low to the ground camera shots.Overall, for the money I am really pleased with the build quality and features of this tripod and would recommend it to others.

I shouldn`t have actually bought this, as I wanted it to help me record vlogs whilst I was wild camping, where size and weight are ofcourse vitally important factors, and it`s too big and heavy if your trying to save on pack weight like I always am, so, I actually sold it on eBay, but I have to say, it really is a great tripod.... Lovely smooth operation and you can feel the quality when handling it, I was really impressed by it, it just wasn`t conducive my personal very small and lightweight requirements, but it really is a beauty. Recommended.