The Manfrotto 290 Light Aluminium tripod is ideal for video shooting, featuring the new Befree live video hydraulic head and can be used by vloggers and journalists on the go. It is also aimed at professional or amateur photographers who need a reliable tripod to support their equipment when taking photos or videos. It offers the ability to adjust the tilt of the legs as well as their height for flexibility in shooting. The leg locks are adjustable and made of durable aluminum, while the ends of the legs incorporate protective non-slip pads. Additionally, you can achieve smoothness in your shots thanks to the Fluid Drag System that the tripod head features.
Combines excellent performance and innovative design touches with absolute durability. The new befree live video head provides professional fluidity in pan and tilt movements ensuring that you will have a user-friendly tripod that will stand the test of time. Its compact and lightweight design makes it particularly easy to transport.
The user-friendly design includes aluminum legs made to remain fully rigid so you can work with complete focus on your task. The upper casings further increase stability, and the aluminum leg locking levers give you the flexibility to tighten as needed.
This makes the tripod reliable over time, even with heavy use. You have great flexibility to create perfect shots by adjusting the 2 leg angles and the height of the central column. The rubber grip on one leg, designed by Manfrotto, improves handling and makes the tripod very easy to use.
The hydraulic head is also accompanied by the smallest and lightest video head in the Manfrotto series. The Befree Live Fluid Head features a special sliding plate for perfect balancing of the most modern camcorders, DSLRs, or mirrorless cameras with video shooting capabilities and offers amazing fluidity in Pan & Tilt movements thanks to the hydraulic movement system derived from the entire Manfrotto video head series.
It is extremely easy to transport and weighs only 0.38 kg, while at the same time it can support equipment with a maximum weight of up to 4 kg, allowing you to better control your movements during video recording.
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Today I will not write good words. Manfrotto is the company I have been buying tripods from for 10 years. I got it as a second one for video on Nikon. I haven't even used it and I already have complaints.
The head is screwed all the way in and makes small movements, it is not rock solid stable in its position. The pan & tilt is not smooth at all, and finally the plate... It puts the stabilization "nail" so that the plate doesn't rotate on the camera. Perfect, wonderful. But on the Nikon, the point to insert it is BEHIND the screw and not in front. So either I put the camera without the nail or I put it with the nail and have the head control in the same position as the lens. What a HUGE MISTAKE they have made.
Already in tests with 24-70 at home before I even go to work, the camera fell off. I need to have a screwdriver with me to tighten it as much as possible, while on most Manfrotto heads this is tool-free.
The clamps for the head are also made of poor quality plastic.
Let's go to the last negative and perhaps the tolerable one? If you don't have a camera cage or collar on the lens, the camera stays in landscape. I mean, did no one think to make it vertical in the year 2024?
But let's also talk about the positives. Manfrotto's build quality is top-notch for the tripod. It is very lightweight and you can carry two of them with you. To set up on the go, it is ideal, and that's where its audience is. For those who are on the run and want something relatively reliable without spending much money, from a quality brand. It is also a tripod for emergencies. You have it in a closet or in the back of a car, you don't use it much, it doesn't take up much space, and when the moment comes, it saves you.
For more serious work with mirrorless, of course, we go for Manfrotto 190 and above, which are much sturdier, and a 500 fluid head or Nitrotech, which are beasts.
I was looking for a budget tripod, sturdy yet lightweight for traveling with a smooth head AND I found it.. after a lot of searching and asking questions here and there, I believe I made a good purchase, I also recommend Benro. And for a more economical but equally good choice, K&F.