I have been using the Manfrotto Befree for 3 years and travelled to 10 countries in that time. It has never let me down. Light, stable and reliable, awesome travel tripod. Cheers Matt.... Another awesome vid.
I bought Pantan Q6 Plus Big Size Professional Aluminum Magnesium DV Tripod last month on Amazon, I am so impressed by its high performance and solid quality, one amazing tripod I must highly recommend to all since it only cost at 99.99$.
just got one, was going for Befree Advanced, but this one was cheaper, so fine for video and stills. Keep in mind, if you want professional smooth shots, you have to bring the fluid head that weights more than BeFree Live all together. With Befree Live head you don't really have a lot of tension, you need to get 4-5 takes and be very careful. On the other hand this tripod is not a pain to take wherever you go, it will help to do some timelapse, some long exposure, and maybe some video. Out of travel tripods this is one of the best ones, and it's better to have it with you, than have good and heavy one at home.
Picked up one of these after years of using the behemoth Manfrotto 509HD head, and switched from a professional cinema camera to consumer camcorder camera for travel. For it's size, this thing is fantastic - I can fit the tripod, gopro, camcorder, DJI Mavic drone and accessories into one half of my carry on suitcase, and 10 days of clothes + editing laptop into the other half. Because of this tripod I don't have to check bags when I'm in dodgier airports around the world.
My favorite tripod is “HILLPOW Q6 plus tripod”,I felt safe with my camera on it. The legs are easy to extend and tighten,the head is very smooth in all directions. I encourage your guys to buy it.Price lower than 80GBP.
of course,the link is: www.amazon.co.uk/HILLPOW-Professional-Aluminum-Magnesium-Recorder/dp/B01LYKGPX8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1477619986&sr=8-2&keywords=hillpow
I used the BeFree with an RC2 ballhead last year for a month in south india. Worked a dream! VERY good tripod and can fit easily with the sports active backpack! I'm going to buy the fluid video head for videos now.
I own a BeFree, easily the best travel tripod I've owned. Also, there is a carbon fibre version - SKU MKBFRC4-BH you'd have to swap the ball head for a video head, but, you can get one...
I have a BeFree tripod too. Love it also! Finding heads that let you fold the legs up is kind of a pain though given that's the big selling point of these things. They fold up super tiny for a relatively tall tripod. Not that they're massive even when not folded up, but still!
I am a backpacker and a photographer, and I use this tripod (with a different head), and it's great for the price. You can get much lighter travel tripods made of carbon fibre, but they were vastly more expensive.
I’ve got a “HILLPOW Q1 tripod”from my boyfriend. It’s great for beginners. It’s lightweight but can load 5kg,3-section legs with locks that can be adjusted to several different angles. I love it so much.
Thanks for the video. On my screen the panning footage actually seems a little jerky. I wonder what could have caused that. Is the head just not quite as good as one could have hoped for, or is there some image stabilizer switched on, that creates the jerkiness? It could either be in the lens, in the camera, or possibly on TH-cam ... or ... maybe elsewhere?
I have a small Gitzo video head like this too... at this size video heads all suck! They will never give you a proper fluid head's pan or tilt. That's been my experience after having bought a bunch of them. I keep realizing that I have to use a heavy duty fluid head which defeats the small weight issue... it's a dilemma.
Well, in that case I'm glad I bought a Manfrotto 128RC video head, which works very well, I think. I saw that it's recommended by many bird photographers, and it's fairly inexpensive. Unfortunately it's considerably bigger than these small travel heads, but a lot smaller and lighter than the heavy duty heads, so probably a good compromise.
***** I've tried that. The problem with these types of travel heads is that they are too light and are not true fluid heads and work merely by friction. As a result, rubber band or not they're not as fluid. Would be nice to see a tutorial on how to make these smooth. Matt's pans were not acceptable for professional camera movement in this example and reminded me exactly of my many attempts at buying light weight, small, video heads. They're just not worth it.
I am settled with an arca p0 ball head for stills. investing in a reliable ballhead was the best decision I ever took. you are using it all the time and it's an important part of your equipment.
I just bought one as same model on amazon www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LYKGPX8 ,it can extend to Max Height 72 Inches Max Load 44 Lbs, high performance and stability will make you love it.
I think it should be mentioned that only the legs that come with the Befree Live Video kit feature the leveling adjustment. The regular Befree tripod for still photos does not. It is a feature of the legs, not a feature of the video head.
Thanks for the video. Like you I have been not using a tripod as much as should for my videos when out travelling - although keep buying them and then find too heavy or clunky to take out. I have one of these and am inspired now to take it on my trip next week and make sure use it !!!!
He means put a rubber band around the handle, then pull on the side of the rubber band rather than the handle itself. The elasticity means a constant pressure will be exerted on the handle by the band and, in theory, will give you smooth motion.
These days I do most of my work hand held or on my Sirui monopod (with feet). It can stand on its own, though wouldn't trust it on a really windy day, and it supports a lot of weight. I think my model is rated at 8kg. There's also a panning option build into the monopod, so you can unlock and rotate without even having a head with that function - though a good head is preferable. They just weigh extra.
Your review inspired me to order exact same thing. I paid $25 more than B&H, Adorama etc. thru Amazon because that's where it is readily available and i'm getting it today (2-day free delivery). I'm going back to DSLR video & photography - i'll need this. It's a bit pricey but i'll use this for another purpose other than photography. This will make a good lightweight compact tripod for a spotting scope or binocular when doing practice target shooting with my rifle. I'm thinking of getting a 3-way MHXPro head for that purpose. Good review. Thank you Sir.
Great overview Matt. This looks like exactly what I'm looking for. As a travel video blogger, I too am on the road a lot and am in need of saving weight and space. I have a fairly compact Manfrotto tripod now, but this BeFree looks about half the size and weight. Thanks again for the great insight.
You know you kind of sold me on it. I already know Manfrotto is a good brand but I wasn't aware of all the details to look out for for in a video tripod in particular.
Thank you for sharing this. It was helpful. I can see why pros might find objection to comparing this tripod to hand held, and why they might insist on better pans than this can deliver. However, you did a great job of explaining your criteria for travel. For my part, we don’t need pro results at this point, so I know that unless it’s easy to pack, setup, and carry, I’d up not even using a tripod. Therefore the comparison to hand-held seems fair for my purposes.
I agree that this is a great little tripod for travel. Some things that i dont like: Ballast hook is fragile plastic, and when folding the Befree, it sticks out and are very exposed for bumping into things = more likely to break. It actually came broken when shipped to me. Also i dont like that the camera release plate itself cannot be mounted on the tripod when folded. Another potential problem is the camera mounting screw, it is not secured in the release plate sliding hole, and could vibrate easy out and get lost. Some things that i think could be improved - field feedback for Manfrotto if they listen in. So Matt, maybe you have some suggestions to counter these problems ?
Bob Lorrimer I agree that his footage doesn't look that smooth. A rubber band / hair band is the shiznit! Had an old garbage tripod, used the rubber band on the handle and dragged up/down left/right and got good butter smooth tilt and pan.
I just got mine in the mail today and have been experimenting with it. Everyone is complaining about shaky panning but I'm not seeing it. Maybe Matt should have been more careful, but my pans and tilts are smooth as butter. Sure, the fluid head is not as full-featured as bigger, more expensive Manfrotto tripods, but it is still VERY good and it fills its role as a small, compact, lightweight travel tripod extremely well. For traveling, its size, weight, and quick setup make the difference between using it and leaving it behind. I freely say that am very satisfied with the product, and I owe nothing to Manfrotto.
I'm not au fait with video heads, but for general use, set against a ball and socket head, the only disadvantage I can see is the ability to tilt the camera sideways or vertically for portrait orientation. Personally, I use an L-bracket for vertical shots so that's not generally an issue. For macro work, I find a three-way head with geared controls the best option, though a video head would work quite well..
Thanks for the video Matt, I have decided to get the tripod thanks to you. what lavelier mic and recorder are you using for your audio in your travels? Thanks!
Thanks for the review. Some of your pan shots look like you're getting some stuttering. For example the black dog at 12:48 shows it. Was that the head giving you problems or something else?
Don't know if you will get to see this, but I have been watching you since the early days, great videos and I have learnt a lot and spent some money........but........please talk to me, face to face! This new trend of talking to a point off camera is distracting, a modern fashion trend, psychologically unsound and in my view downright rude! If this is making for better quality video then count me out. I love your directness, your Aussie humour and attitude and your honesty, not to mention the excellent content. I do not get the same impression when you are talking to someone off camera.
I'm not a pro, but I want to start doing long exp. shots. I've been looking at this tripod for a week or so now. I suppose I could tie a weight to it if I needed to. I'm using a Sony Nex3 and some ND filters! I also want it to be smooth for video panning, etc.!! Should I just get this one?
Ive just bought this tripod, but looking at your examples of "smooth" panning, well its not smooth at all, you can see it wobbling and you can see it stutter as you pan.
Bad review. I ordered the tripod cause of this review just to find out that this one is really the worst fluid head manfrotto ever put out. Really jerky pan and tilt moves. It tried to love it for two hours but had to send it back. Also tried one in a shop to be sure: same problems, really uneven movements, shockingly stuttering, maybe even worse than my old plastic photo tripod, so Matt what are you talking about ?
Thx for your answer. I saw in the comments here that a lot of people find the movements not very smooth. I can only say that I tested this tripod against my other fluidheads ( some much cheaper like an old Bilora ) and was very disappointed. It was not possible to make even pan or tilt moves over a wide angle without any interrupts. Maybe if you never had a good fluid head before but once you used a good one you never want to go back ;).
After you saying this to Arthur Rimbaud, I don't think I can trust your eyesight. And I will not buy this tripod anymore. Just look at the footage and see the jerky movements. No disrespect but I just cannot believe you are denying it.
You can absolutely pull a smooth pan with this tripod head, that jerkiness would suggest either a) operator error. It's quite common in people who are used to photography and constantly micro-pause to check their framing or b) the tripod is quite light, so sometimes when it moves the legs do lift up which could introduce stutter.Nothing else this size comes close to the smoothness.
Hi Matt, would you recommend this tripod for landscape and astrophotography? The largest lens I have is the Tokina 15-30mm for landscape and astro. with a Nikon D610. I already own a full size Manfrotto MT055XPRO3 Aluminium but it's too bulky for me to ever want to take anywhere.
I used to have a Manfrotto Befree travel tripod, aluminium still version. I bought it mainly for the size, but after using it extensively I found it was simply too small for my needs, doesn't extend up to eye level and wasn't very stable with my 5Dii and 70-200 2.8. I sold my Befree and instead got a Benro Tripod iFoto IF28C+, which also folds up nicely and fits into a decent carry bag, this tripod extends to 165cm compared to 144cm on the Befree and is far more stable. The Benro is not much more expensive than the Befree, it's larger, more stable, carbon fibre and has a removable monopod. I find the Benro suits my needs perfectly.
Hi Matt. Really interested in this tripod. Just curious. Can you change the head to a ball? There's no real information on the web or Manfrotto's site.
Sorry to say but the video pans at the end were not smooth at all. I'm really into the concept of this tripod but if its not smooth then its not going to do what I want. I just watched Loks video and wasn't convinced which is why I watched your video for a second opinion. So yes... a genuinely helpful video but not with the conclusion I wanted or agree with. If it is a camera shutter speed issue then can can you make another video? I'd love to be convinced it works :-) thank you - Tim
Nice vid and tripod. Thx. A travel tripod to me means you're not aware it's on you back, especially after a couple of hours. Btw, you must get a lot of neck pain and missed shots, using a camera without a tilt screen.
Stan Obert, just change out the head. I actually put a QR plate on the bottom of my Benro S2 fluid head, so my arca swiss head doubles as a leveling base.
Great review, Matt. It would also be great to see a review of those small, hand-held stabilisation rigs that are out there. They look to be interesting for video walk-throughs and smoother tracking movements while travelling. Thanks.
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I have been using the Manfrotto Befree for 3 years and travelled to 10 countries in that time. It has never let me down. Light, stable and reliable, awesome travel tripod. Cheers Matt.... Another awesome vid.
Nice, I have had the BeFree for about a year now and would totally recommend it!
Justin Odisho Legs do not lock though...an considering returning it
Sorry to say, but the video not very smooth to my eye.
yeah, nice review, but the panning just does not look smooth
yep, not satisfying at all
Yeah. I can do better hand-holding my Sony AX-53 camcorder that has what they call BOSS.
He's a photographer. Video guys know how to do it properly :-)
Maybe he didn't turn off the stabilisation and this was leading to the jerky behaviour?
I bought Pantan Q6 Plus Big Size Professional Aluminum Magnesium DV Tripod last month on Amazon, I am so impressed by its high performance and solid quality, one amazing tripod I must highly recommend to all since it only cost at 99.99$.
Could you give me the link? I'm interested in it.
+Matt Granger #1 is Capacity ...which is only 8.8lbs. (and it is Tiny!) ...That's why I chose the MEFOTO Globetrotter.
Easiest way to add weight and stability once your tripod is set up, is hooking up your camera bag to the bottom of it, assuming there is a hook there.
I bought my Befree (with ball head) 18 months ago and I love it ! gonna buy the video head soon !!
I can hand hold and pan move around all I want with my Olympus. The 5 axis ibis is amazing for video work no tripod needed. Smooooooth.
just got one, was going for Befree Advanced, but this one was cheaper, so fine for video and stills. Keep in mind, if you want professional smooth shots, you have to bring the fluid head that weights more than BeFree Live all together. With Befree Live head you don't really have a lot of tension, you need to get 4-5 takes and be very careful. On the other hand this tripod is not a pain to take wherever you go, it will help to do some timelapse, some long exposure, and maybe some video. Out of travel tripods this is one of the best ones, and it's better to have it with you, than have good and heavy one at home.
Picked up one of these after years of using the behemoth Manfrotto 509HD head, and switched from a professional cinema camera to consumer camcorder camera for travel. For it's size, this thing is fantastic - I can fit the tripod, gopro, camcorder, DJI Mavic drone and accessories into one half of my carry on suitcase, and 10 days of clothes + editing laptop into the other half. Because of this tripod I don't have to check bags when I'm in dodgier airports around the world.
My favorite tripod is “HILLPOW Q6 plus tripod”,I felt safe with my camera on it. The legs are easy to extend and tighten,the head is very smooth in all directions. I encourage your guys to buy it.Price lower than 80GBP.
Sounds great. Could you send me the link?
of course,the link is:
www.amazon.co.uk/HILLPOW-Professional-Aluminum-Magnesium-Recorder/dp/B01LYKGPX8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1477619986&sr=8-2&keywords=hillpow
It seems cool.I'd like to buy it.Thank you very much.
I used the BeFree with an RC2 ballhead last year for a month in south india. Worked a dream! VERY good tripod and can fit easily with the sports active backpack! I'm going to buy the fluid video head for videos now.
Excellent, likely found the tripod i was looking for. Thanks. First time i have actually really liked the music on a video like this.
I use the Manfrotto BeFree for my travel work as well, just as a stills guy. It's a terrific little tool.
I own a BeFree, easily the best travel tripod I've owned.
Also, there is a carbon fibre version - SKU MKBFRC4-BH you'd have to swap the ball head for a video head, but, you can get one...
I have a BeFree tripod too. Love it also! Finding heads that let you fold the legs up is kind of a pain though given that's the big selling point of these things. They fold up super tiny for a relatively tall tripod. Not that they're massive even when not folded up, but still!
Get a camera with in built stability really helps. the A72 range drastically improve video pans with the multi axis mechanical stability.
I am a backpacker and a photographer, and I use this tripod (with a different head), and it's great for the price. You can get much lighter travel tripods made of carbon fibre, but they were vastly more expensive.
I’ve got a “HILLPOW Q1 tripod”from my boyfriend. It’s great for beginners. It’s lightweight but can load 5kg,3-section legs with locks that can be adjusted to several different angles. I love it so much.
Thanks for the video. On my screen the panning footage actually seems a little jerky. I wonder what could have caused that.
Is the head just not quite as good as one could have hoped for, or is there some image stabilizer switched on, that creates the jerkiness? It could either be in the lens, in the camera, or possibly on TH-cam ... or ... maybe elsewhere?
I have a small Gitzo video head like this too... at this size video heads all suck! They will never give you a proper fluid head's pan or tilt. That's been my experience after having bought a bunch of them. I keep realizing that I have to use a heavy duty fluid head which defeats the small weight issue... it's a dilemma.
Well, in that case I'm glad I bought a Manfrotto 128RC video head, which works very well, I think. I saw that it's recommended by many bird photographers, and it's fairly inexpensive. Unfortunately it's considerably bigger than these small travel heads, but a lot smaller and lighter than the heavy duty heads, so probably a good compromise.
guys, you should attach a rubber band to the handle and pull the rubber in order to make smooth panning movements. works even with cheaper heads.
***** I've tried that. The problem with these types of travel heads is that they are too light and are not true fluid heads and work merely by friction. As a result, rubber band or not they're not as fluid. Would be nice to see a tutorial on how to make these smooth. Matt's pans were not acceptable for professional camera movement in this example and reminded me exactly of my many attempts at buying light weight, small, video heads. They're just not worth it.
I am settled with an arca p0 ball head for stills. investing in a reliable ballhead was the best decision I ever took. you are using it all the time and it's an important part of your equipment.
Have been using this for a year now, only let down in this tripod is the ability to vertical tilt for head shot!
Nice! This looks ideal for travelling. Need to find one in UK
+SuperSaf TV cheers
I just bought one as same model on amazon www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LYKGPX8 ,it can extend to Max Height 72 Inches Max Load 44 Lbs, high performance and stability will make you love it.
nice tripod...what is the heighest possible height please?because i'm 6f2...thnx
I think it should be mentioned that only the legs that come with the Befree Live Video kit feature the leveling adjustment. The regular Befree tripod for still photos does not. It is a feature of the legs, not a feature of the video head.
That is incorrect .the levelling adjustment bubble is on the video head itself. I have one.
Thanks for the video. Like you I have been not using a tripod as much as should for my videos when out travelling - although keep buying them and then find too heavy or clunky to take out. I have one of these and am inspired now to take it on my trip next week and make sure use it !!!!
Finally someone, who's not just talking about it, but using it also.
To make your panning even smoother, use a rubber band on the pan handle.
how does this work?
He means put a rubber band around the handle, then pull on the side of the rubber band rather than the handle itself. The elasticity means a constant pressure will be exerted on the handle by the band and, in theory, will give you smooth motion.
These days I do most of my work hand held or on my Sirui monopod (with feet). It can stand on its own, though wouldn't trust it on a really windy day, and it supports a lot of weight. I think my model is rated at 8kg. There's also a panning option build into the monopod, so you can unlock and rotate without even having a head with that function - though a good head is preferable. They just weigh extra.
Your review inspired me to order exact same thing. I paid $25 more than B&H, Adorama etc. thru Amazon because that's where it is readily available and i'm getting it today (2-day free delivery). I'm going back to DSLR video & photography - i'll need this. It's a bit pricey but i'll use this for another purpose other than photography. This will make a good lightweight compact tripod for a spotting scope or binocular when doing practice target shooting with my rifle. I'm thinking of getting a 3-way MHXPro head for that purpose. Good review. Thank you Sir.
I mean MHPRO-3WG geared head-ideal for minute adjustment on a 35X or higher magnified Spotting scope.
I'm a Really Right Stuff tripod guy personally. Pricey but it will last a lifetime.
I'm sold. I use my camera for sports videos need that fluid moving scene.
Great overview Matt. This looks like exactly what I'm looking for. As a travel video blogger, I too am on the road a lot and am in need of saving weight and space. I have a fairly compact Manfrotto tripod now, but this BeFree looks about half the size and weight. Thanks again for the great insight.
Getting two lightweight video tripods certainly would simplify and reduce weight for many events. Will consider this option. Thanks Mat!
I agree with a small tripod for travel. I like it and use one.
You know you kind of sold me on it. I already know Manfrotto is a good brand but I wasn't aware of all the details to look out for for in a video tripod in particular.
Hey Matt!
You can pan even more smoothly when you use a rubber band to pull of the levers ;)
This video came at the right time
Appreciate the full disclosure. More youtubers (box therapy) should be doing the same
Matt I love your review you just sold me one. I have three right now and I am not crazy about any of them, because of the weight.
I am looking at this old video and how bad are these pans...? Is it this head or his skill?
Thank you for sharing this. It was helpful. I can see why pros might find objection to comparing this tripod to hand held, and why they might insist on better pans than this can deliver. However, you did a great job of explaining your criteria for travel. For my part, we don’t need pro results at this point, so I know that unless it’s easy to pack, setup, and carry, I’d up not even using a tripod. Therefore the comparison to hand-held seems fair for my purposes.
I agree that this is a great little tripod for travel. Some things that i dont like: Ballast hook is fragile plastic, and when folding the Befree, it sticks out and are very exposed for bumping into things = more likely to break. It actually came broken when shipped to me. Also i dont like that the camera release plate itself cannot be mounted on the tripod when folded. Another potential problem is the camera mounting screw, it is not secured in the release plate sliding hole, and could vibrate easy out and get lost. Some things that i think could be improved - field feedback for Manfrotto if they listen in. So Matt, maybe you have some suggestions to counter these problems ?
The size is compelling...but the pan and tilt appears to be disappointing in terms of silky smooth moves ...or it could be too fast.
Bob Lorrimer I agree that his footage doesn't look that smooth.
A rubber band / hair band is the shiznit! Had an old garbage tripod, used the rubber band on the handle and dragged up/down left/right and got good butter smooth tilt and pan.
The main problem he has is moving waaayyyy too fast.It should be smooth with his equipment he is just moving too fast.Good point to bring up thanks.
I just got mine in the mail today and have been experimenting with it. Everyone is complaining about shaky panning but I'm not seeing it. Maybe Matt should have been more careful, but my pans and tilts are smooth as butter. Sure, the fluid head is not as full-featured as bigger, more expensive Manfrotto tripods, but it is still VERY good and it fills its role as a small, compact, lightweight travel tripod extremely well. For traveling, its size, weight, and quick setup make the difference between using it and leaving it behind. I freely say that am very satisfied with the product, and I owe nothing to Manfrotto.
Is it wrong to use a "video" tripod for still photography? I find it easier to use the levers to turn the camera.
no, it is not wrong, just not cool:)
I'm not au fait with video heads, but for general use, set against a ball and socket head, the only disadvantage I can see is the ability to tilt the camera sideways or vertically for portrait orientation. Personally, I use an L-bracket for vertical shots so that's not generally an issue. For macro work, I find a three-way head with geared controls the best option, though a video head would work quite well..
No, use what works for you
No, but the fluid head is great for a nice smooth pan. Anything else and there is a tendency for a jittery pan. Ugly.
Just add a photo head if you want to do portraits.
12:48 Dog's like.. "no, don't, no.. damn, he's got his bazooka pointed at me.. shoot!"
That level bubble is excellent. Sold mate!!
that leveler is great
Great job! Great explanation
If you mount the lense on the balance point, ie the lense mount, it will be smoother.
doesnt fit for a 70-200
Really digging the shades 😎😎
Thanks for the video Matt, I have decided to get the tripod thanks to you. what lavelier mic and recorder are you using for your audio in your travels? Thanks!
amazing tripod... been looking for something like that for a while... my regular cumbersome tripod does get left home, or in the car a lot!
Thanks for the review. Some of your pan shots look like you're getting some stuttering. For example the black dog at 12:48 shows it. Was that the head giving you problems or something else?
4 years later I wanna know too
@@angelicaamora11 We may never know.
Nice review Matt. I appreciate your insight on this tripod.
This is perfect for me! Light, Travel friendly, for video And the price is not insane! :D
Man those are cool shades... and tripod!
Don't know if you will get to see this, but I have been watching you since the early days, great videos and I have learnt a lot and spent some money........but........please talk to me, face to face! This new trend of talking to a point off camera is distracting, a modern fashion trend, psychologically unsound and in my view downright rude! If this is making for better quality video then count me out. I love your directness, your Aussie humour and attitude and your honesty, not to mention the excellent content. I do not get the same impression when you are talking to someone off camera.
have been looking for the perfect travel video tripod, this is the best! thank you
You can always use a rubber band and your finger to pan the handle sideways
I do not know how tall you are but the tripod apear the be adjustable to eye level. I am looking for a tripod where I do not have to bend
wow! its my country ... sadly i haven`t been there for 20 years... Thanks Matt for video
Thanks!
looks great !!!
Is the tripod itself the same as the normal befree with ballhead?
good review i want to buy this tripod but i am tall about 1:86 cm what do you think will be comfortable for me ?
great video.. awesome tripod 👍
I'm not a pro, but I want to start doing long exp. shots. I've been looking at this tripod for a week or so now. I suppose I could tie a weight to it if I needed to. I'm using a Sony Nex3 and some ND filters! I also want it to be smooth for video panning, etc.!! Should I just get this one?
Ive just bought this tripod, but looking at your examples of "smooth" panning, well its not smooth at all, you can see it wobbling and you can see it stutter as you pan.
Love those sunglasses!
Doesn't really look like a smooth head. Thanks for the detailed review!
really cool. I have a really similar one. from manfrotto, and it is for video.
just saw this at jb HiFi. was a tad heavy. preferred the lower grade Manfrotto be free light
HI. this is not at JB yet, check back around Nov/Dec for stock in stores
There is to much difference between the aluminum and the Carbon fiber? It is worth to spend almost the double in the Carbon fiber?
I want to buy one. Where should I shop to find it? I prefer to walk in a store.
Matt, you don't mind if I ask a personal question, it's just that I want to get a perspective on how tall the tripod is. How tall are you?
Bad review. I ordered the tripod cause of this review just to find out that this one is really the worst fluid head manfrotto ever put out. Really jerky pan and tilt moves. It tried to love it for two hours but had to send it back. Also tried one in a shop to be sure: same problems, really uneven movements, shockingly stuttering, maybe even worse than my old plastic photo tripod, so Matt what are you talking about ?
+Arthur Rimbaud sorry to hear - I didn't find it jerky
Thx for your answer. I saw in the comments here that a lot of people find the movements not very smooth. I can only say that I tested this tripod against my other fluidheads ( some much cheaper like an old Bilora ) and was very disappointed. It was not possible to make even pan or tilt moves over a wide angle without any interrupts. Maybe if you never had a good fluid head before but once you used a good one you never want to go back ;).
Agree, you can actually see that in the beginning of this video aswell. noticed that before i read this
After you saying this to Arthur Rimbaud, I don't think I can trust your eyesight. And I will not buy this tripod anymore. Just look at the footage and see the jerky movements. No disrespect but I just cannot believe you are denying it.
You can absolutely pull a smooth pan with this tripod head, that jerkiness would suggest either a) operator error. It's quite common in people who are used to photography and constantly micro-pause to check their framing or b) the tripod is quite light, so sometimes when it moves the legs do lift up which could introduce stutter.Nothing else this size comes close to the smoothness.
Hi Matt, would you recommend this tripod for landscape and astrophotography? The largest lens I have is the Tokina 15-30mm for landscape and astro. with a Nikon D610. I already own a full size Manfrotto MT055XPRO3 Aluminium but it's too bulky for me to ever want to take anywhere.
I used to have a Manfrotto Befree travel tripod, aluminium still version. I bought it mainly for the size, but after using it extensively I found it was simply too small for my needs, doesn't extend up to eye level and wasn't very stable with my 5Dii and 70-200 2.8. I sold my Befree and instead got a Benro Tripod iFoto IF28C+, which also folds up nicely and fits into a decent carry bag, this tripod extends to 165cm compared to 144cm on the Befree and is far more stable. The Benro is not much more expensive than the Befree, it's larger, more stable, carbon fibre and has a removable monopod. I find the Benro suits my needs perfectly.
Impeccable review
6:12 - that moment when you NEED a tilting screen
lol thats why people need a camcorder to shoot video. because camcorder is built to shoot video. not using dslr.
This looks like the most compact form of fluid head available in market as of now.
I hope this isn't a dumb question, but are you able to flip the camera into portrait on this tripod? Or is it meant just for video?
Hi Matt. Really interested in this tripod. Just curious. Can you change the head to a ball? There's no real information on the web or Manfrotto's site.
do you have to but the tripod or you use for you existing tripod
Sorry to say but the video pans at the end were not smooth at all. I'm really into the concept of this tripod but if its not smooth then its not going to do what I want. I just watched Loks video and wasn't convinced which is why I watched your video for a second opinion. So yes... a genuinely helpful video but not with the conclusion I wanted or agree with. If it is a camera shutter speed issue then can can you make another video? I'd love to be convinced it works :-) thank you - Tim
Nice vid and tripod. Thx. A travel tripod to me means you're not aware it's on you back, especially after a couple of hours. Btw, you must get a lot of neck pain and missed shots, using a camera without a tilt screen.
Can you shoot vertical video with it?
Casey is just one!
The pans look a little stuttery to me. Was the resistance consistent or were you just getting used to panning?
the live version seems to have the video head - the normal one not. But I cannot find it in Europe. Any suggestions where?
Is this pretty much a regular Manfrotto Befree with a different head?
for video shooting, why not just use 3 axis gimbal tripod? it's smaller, lighter and smoother!
GOod evening. Can I use this video head on a sirui tripod ?
Any chance that the fluid head can interchangeable with ball head for stills? Carrying two tripods would be a pain. Nice videos!
Yes, the head is separate from the legs!
I bought a fluid head for stills, not sure why people don't like them for stills.
Stan Obert, just change out the head. I actually put a QR plate on the bottom of my Benro S2 fluid head, so my arca swiss head doubles as a leveling base.
Great review, Matt.
It would also be great to see a review of those small, hand-held stabilisation rigs that are out there.
They look to be interesting for video walk-throughs and smoother tracking movements while travelling.
Thanks.
Have you ever considered a gimble?
Its better than nothin, unless theres a tripod that can be just as smooth if not smoother
There are a few befree models. Which one is this? Does it come with this head?
Can you switch out the live video head to a ball head? If so, which one would you recommend?
Great review! Nice to see you in Bhutan :) I am from Bhutan btw!
Great video, thanks. How much do prefer this head over a manfroto fluid head?
Please don't zoom while filming, that just doesn't look good :D