Manfrotto 290 Xtra Aluminium Tripod

I have worked as a professional videographer and camera man, but just wanted a cheaper entry level tripod for use at home with my DLSR. I pick this up on sale for under £100. I have been really impressed with the quality and performance of the tripod and head, which lives up to the quality you would expect for Manfrotto and matches and compairs well to much more exspensive tripod and heads in their product range. Build quality is standard Manfrotto, so I should give make years of service. It only has basic features like only one mounting for a control arm and no additional mounting point for extra equipment, but does include a spirt level bubble for levelling the tripod, which is useful and nice. The mounting plate on the head is a standard Manfrotto plate and interchangeable and compatible with there other video heads (I have tested this). It also includes the extra safety realease button to stop the plate sliding out of the mount if you have forgotten to do it up correctly. The head has no adjustments on it, but the locking screw knobs are smooth and progressive, so can use them to give you some control and resistance of movement when using the tripod for shooting video. I was impressed with smoothness of motion for such a cheap fluid head and found the head easy to setup and balance, which made it a joy to use. I also like the flip left/right leg angle adjustment on the top of each leg, which lets you spread the tripod legs out farther for a more stable and lower postioning of the camera. I found these easier to use than the standard ones found on more exspensive Manfrotto equipment. I found the tripod to be light weight and compact in size. This is a realitive thing and compairs to what you are used to. I have seen other reviews complaining that the tripod and head are heavy and Manfrotto themselves make a lighter tripod, but compaired to a professional camera/head/tripod setup that you would use for pro production quality footage, this tripod and head weighs in at a very low weight. I have used monopods which weigh more than this setup. As a final test I used this tripod on a professional job to see how it would compair, filming a music gig. The tripod and head were used with a professional quality Sony camera to capture the action on the stage from a riser halfway down the right-hand side of the venue. Once setup and balanced correctly the setup was a joy to use. All the video filmed was stable with smooth motion and the editor made a point of commenting how good all the footage was for that camera. All I can say is well done Manfrotto for putting together such a good quality package for such a low price.

I bought the Manfrotto to replace a very old plastic tripod which has served me adequately for many years and with which I was happy until parts began to wear and it became unusable. On opening the box I was surprised at how heavy this tripod was. It was also sturdier than I expected, much more so than my old tripod, in fact, it was much, much better than I expected. It was easy to set up and with a little experimentation I was able to achieve everything described in the instructions within a matter of minutes. Mounting the camera (Nikon D5300) was fairly simple. Once fitted the head is secure and firmly held (more so than my previous tripod) and the pan and tilt easy to control. I did not buy this tripod to shoot video but I found that whilst the pan facility worked well, the tilt was a little stiffer than I would have liked, even when fully open and, unless it becomes freer with use, is not really suitable for smooth video. Possibly video enthusiasts would prefer rather longer handles than are fitted here too. Extending and fixing the legs is simple and, once again I was surprised by the height achievable. With one section of the legs extended it is stable but, obviously, at its maximum height with both sections extended and the centre section raised it is slightly less so though usable. There is a hook on which to hang a weight to stabilise the tripod if necessary. The tripod came supplied with a carrying bag with a drawstring closure.

Great tripod. Nice and light to carry, easy to use and smooth movement with the three directional head.

You’re not ready for this review! This is a high-quality, sturdy tripod that immediately feels promising, especially for someone new to photography and videography. Although I haven’t taken it out on a full shoot yet, the build quality alone gives me a lot of confidence. When compared to cheaper tripods under £50, the difference is very noticeable. Those cheaper options now feel flimsy in comparison. At the time I bought them, they seemed fine, but in hindsight, it’s worth investing in a solid, well-built tripod even if it costs a little more. I’ve found that the cheaper tripods are better suited to lightweight tasks such as holding lighting, rather than supporting a camera. The design is sleek, with a clean black finish. The aluminium construction feels premium, and the drag system is smooth. You can easily loosen the drag to achieve a nice, buttery motion, which is great for video work. Despite what some reviews suggest, the clip lock is tight and secure. Height wise, it’s decent not too short and not overly tall. The only minor downside is that it can sometimes make an unusually loud clicking noise when locking it down, but aside from that, it’s an excellent tripod. Overall, this tripod is ideal for beginners. It’s easy to use, feels reliable, and offers great value for anyone looking to step up from budget equipment.

He ain't heavy, he's my brother; so the song goes. Well this tripod ain't my brother and is very heavy. If you ever get bored of photography, keep it cos it would make an ideal defensive weapon. If you want to take pictures at the top of Scare Fell Pike please please order the optional pack horse. So the weights a huge disadvantage? Not really; to get smooth panning video the weight actually helps it stay rigid without the need to weigh it down with your camera bag or a small child. It's built better quality is top notch and holds my Canon 80D and standard kit lens whilst yelling "is that all you've got, bring it on you lemon" So apart from the tripods attitude problem a top top purchase.

Très bon compromis entre prix et rigidité de l'ensemble pour un usage de longue-vue. Avec un peu d'habitude, les boutons de serrage sont disposés de telle manière à pouvoir les manipuler à l'aveugle.

En combinación con el cabezal MVH 500 AH, es un conjunto imbatible; dentro de la categoría de menos de 6kg de caaga soportable. Sólido, fiable y versátil. Sin duda, un trípode de nivel excelente para su precio. El servicio de amazon, como siempre, perfecto... Del todo recomendable.

As a photographer of over fifty years, I have, on several occasions, purchased items from the Orient. These items are first quality goods, the only drawback is that their warranty is only honored by the company you purchased from…so if something breaks or malfunctions, you’re stuck with paying freight to send it back across the Pacific, and without the item for sometimes very long periods. But, if you are careful to buy things that you know to be solid and durable, the risk is sometimes worth the incredible savings. If you can get a lens or tripod for less than 50% of US pricing, and you know that Manfrotto tripods are virtually bullet-proof, then it’s not much of a gamble.

カメラを始めたばかりで、三脚についても初購入ですが、とてもしっかりしたもので使い勝手もよく満足しています。

Great