Manfrotto Compact Action Aluminum 5-Section Tripod Kit with Hybrid Head, Black (MKCOMPACTACN-BK)

This is a great tripod. The legs fold into 4 telescopic sections which is very convenient for height adjustments. Not only the the legs adjust for height, but also the center piece you mount your camera or scope. The tripod is constructed out of very durable aluminum and heavy duty plastic of some sort. The only thing I don't like is the way they engineered the mount for the camera or scope. The piece sits inside this whole and has a latch to secure the items. There are adjustments to adjust the tension. I just think it is a shotty design. I would have preferred to have a flat mounting surface to attach your items. The pistol grip is a great help for panning and seamlessly moving the scope or camera. The ball joint has two types of movement that allows for video and for stationary cameras. There is a lot of movement for the needs of most uses and individuals.Update: 16March2019. I have had a chance to use this tripod a few times, so I would like to share my thoughts. I still stand behind my first review, however, I have found that this tripod is only good for cameras and anything that weighs less then 3lbs. I mounted my Leupold Mark 4 Spotting Scope and the scope is way to heavy for this tripod. I ended up having to buy the Geekoto 77" tripod. I await for it to arrive and will do a review on this tripod too. I also had to tighten the leg pivots a little to prevent the legs from closing when I lift the tripod. I still feel it is a durable tripod for picture taking, but not for using a heavy scope.

I was recently planning a vacation in Seattle and wanted something light that I could easily and safely pack around in my backpack and in and out of Uber's.I have several Manfrotto 055 tripods and ball heads, as well as monopods. All work great for the purposes I bought them for, though none would have done great for all conditions like I wanted on my vacation.I have always "secretly" enjoyed pistol grip heads, so when I saw this tripod I was immediately intrigued.My initial frustration of not being able to remove the head and have to buy new mounts was put to ease at the affordable cost and fantastic functionality of the entire unit.Is it rock solid? Nearly. Is it a perfect travel tripod? Nearly.I used it for time-lapse, landscape and night photography in downtown Seattle and it lived up to the awesome Manfrotto name in every instance.Would I use it as a daily driver for professional photography? No. But it is perfect for everything else.

While this tripod if not made of carbon fiber, it is lightweight enough and adjustable enough that it fits my needs in several types of shoots. It weighs only 2.6 lbs., but it has a load capacity of 3.3 lbs., and I have frequently used it successfully with a bit more weight than that. The legs extend in 5 sections, but I can only push the weight limit when I use it in a much shorter position. It is 17.8 inches folded and 61 inches when fully extended. It has a pistol head grip that works like a joystick, and it includes built-in adjustments for both vertical and horizontal movement and locking, and its own quick release plate. Of course, it's not ideal for narrative video work, for which I'd suggest a fluid head if you want smooth pan and tilt, but if you are looking for a compact and lightweight tripod that is durable, pick up this Manfrotto tripod. It's perfect for most situations. I like the fact that I can just throw it in any bag or suitcase without really feeling it.

Super light and sturdy tripod! Really small footprint, comes in a nice little bag, and extends very high. Perfect for eye level on most people. Can easily be attached to a backpack on a hike or something.The ballhead is hit or miss tho, you have to be really deliberate with the locking wheel to create just enough resistance to get a smooth pan or tilt. Ive found if you tighten the wheel some before you pan, it helps create a better pan.The quick release plate sucks, it jingles around in there UNTIL you connect it to something that has a large enough surface area to hold it to the head of the tripod. Kinda hard to explain but essentially you need to screw the QR button to something that has a large diameter than the screw and the hole it goes into. This will sit it securely on the top of the head of the tripod without any wiggle after you tighten it down.You can buy knockoff Quick Release Buttons for this tripod for like 7 bucks on Ebay which is better than paying 20 for a button with a screw thread on it from Manfrotto. Thats what ill be doing as i can see myself losing the one that came with the tripod or needing more than 1.Good tripod overall, i love how small it is and is great for beginners or people with small cameras like me (GoPros work great)

With a one year old child, we are constantly on the move. We needed a tripod that was compact yet sturdy. This tripod fit the bill perfectly. While this is not going to be as sturdy as a full size tripod, it is plenty for most applications. I am using this with a Sony a6000 and have not had any problems with the stability of the tripod with the normal or telephoto lens. I would imagine there is a limit to which this tripod can hold, but I'd say for any small or medium sized cameras and lenses, this will do just fine. We tote this tripod along with us wherever we go with our camera. It unfolds quickly and with the quick connect attached to the camera, we are up and shooting in the matter of a couple minutes. The head pans and tilts smoothly, and I especially like the one motion lock on the handle to secure the camera's position. I highly recommend this for anyone looking for a quality portable tripod.

Manfrotto is well known for their tripods. Super durable quality. Feels strong and not cheap.