Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsExpected better, too wobbly and plastic parts for the price
Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2023
Really wanted to love this tripod and I did a lot of research before buying it. Unfortunately it doesn't measure up and won't work for me. It is not an unusable product by any means, but for me and the way I use it and for the name brand and price, I just expected it to blow me away with the fit, form and function.
**Pros:
At firs glance this tripod felt decent and looks well-made. The leg clips are very nice and snap into place and allow adjustment if they get loose in the future, which I really like. The legs extend and retract well and the bag was decent quality and fit well. The ball head has a dual tilt adjustment which allows it to be moved while "snug" then tightened down from there, a nice feature to keep your camera from dropping like a free weight. It does fold down to near 16", which is very compact.
**Cons:
When I first extended the legs I noted that it was "spindly", meaning that with any weight it could wobble or shake. I included a picture of the bottom legs on the Manfrotto and next to it a budget tripod I own that was $59. The Manfrotto legs are simply too thin and not stable enough when extended. I thought I could overlook it and talked myself into simply hanging a sandbag onto it to help stabilize it. That's when I noticed the bag hook was not only off-center, it was plastic. I work in the cold sometimes and the plastic hook will undoubtedly snap when under stress from a sandbag and cold, once bumped. Also, the adapter plate is too fiddly. It should simply drop in and tighten down (or snap in), but this one needs a simultaneous tilt of a release tab and a rotation of a clamp while simultaneously trying to line the plate up blind, because it is under the camera, then release the tabs to lock it in place. I'm certain with practice this would get easier, but one shouldn't have to practice this. Lastly the extension tube lock is odd, takes a lot of turns to release it and then it can be pushed down or up, but it is sticky and clunky while moving, just feels cheap. Then it needs a lot of turns and once it "feels" tight, you need to keep tightening or it will slowly slip down.
So overall I'm sure it will work for someone who needs portability over everything else and maybe uses it for a cell phone indoors. But for me using heavier varied equipment in outdoor conditions with uneven ground, wind and cold, this simply won't work, and the price is too high for me give it's capabilities. Hope this helps!
