Manfrotto tripod - which one?

If you thought that deciding on a tripod was the most difficult part of photography, and because of this just plumped for a brand name that sounded good, like... Manfrotto... Which one would you choose?

Requirements are for a sturdy, heavy duty model with tilt and pan head, you know, not the ball joint type.

Budget irrelevant for this exercise.

Any favourites?


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Ok you need to decide material - carbon fibre is lightweight and sturdy, but expensive.
Then you need to decide how tall you want the tripod to be, without using the centre column. And how low you want it to go. Whether you intend to carry it about with you or is it for home use only. How heavy is your equipment - the heaviest lens you have plus the weight of your camera plus the weight of a head which will take that weight = the minimum weight the tripod must hold. Go for the least number of leg sections you can - more less = sections less stability.
Then look at the Manfrotto site, the Velbon site, the Gitzo site, the Slik site plus any others you can find and see which tripods/heads meet your requirements. You don't have to have a head which is the same make as the tripod.
If you can go to a shop and see some tripods, taking your camera and lens with you to try out. See which one feels right.

I have a Velbon CF 630, which together with the head (a Markins Q ball) cost more than the camera I had at the time, but definitely worth it.

Manfrotto 055 Classic with whatever head you prefer.

It does the job and it's sturdy. I use mine mainly for close up and macro work and I find it reliable and efficient.

Hi Coriander i use a giottos mt9251 tripod with a giottos mh-1000 ball head i have had them a couple of years now.I love em! because they are so industrial and rock solid and still look new after 2 years.Give em a look at http://www.giottos.com/

'Slik The Professional 4' would be my recommendation.

A daft name but a very tall, solid tripod.

Giottos MTL 9351B a very versatile tripod, put on any head you prefer and you should be happy.

Went for a Manfrotto 058 in the end weighs 6 kilos on it's own, but is sturdy. With a big lens, grip, flash, decent head etc, we found our Manfrotto 055 not sturdy enough.

Check my post in the equipment section here, that might give you some ideas.

Just noticed you're in Swindon, if you needed to come over (were in Aylesbury) and have a play to get an idea, you're quite welcome.

I've got an older model Manfrotto 055 and it's been with me through several cameras - it still looks new and I'm pretty confident it'll outlive me!

Whichever tripod you buy get a good one; you're unlikely to chop and change it like you will other equipment and a good tripod will last a lifetime.

I'm taking on board all comments and will look at those suggested. As Hefty1 says, it's best to get it right first time round, chopping and changing would be a pain.

Unlocker, thanks for the offer, I'll bear it in mind.

As expected, a lot of different views on which is likely to be the best tripod and it comes down to personal preference but it is useful to see individuals' comments. I'll get to know what to look for and what to possibly avoid.

It all comes down to playing with them in the showroom to get an idea of the look and feel. Gywn, thanks for the tip about taking my gear along when I try out the tripods

Don't stop posting your comments, all gratefully received.

hi there,
I will also go for the Manfrotto 055, is sturdy enough and is served me well when it needed.
claudio