Manfrotto 055 Aluminum 3-Section Tripod with Horizontal Column MT055XPRO3 Black

I used to think that I had a pretty good tripod that I used for my product photography...but then I found the Manfrotto MT055XPRO3 Aluminum Tripod and I paired it up with the Manfrotto MHXPRO3W head and now, I realize my old tripod wasn't that good after all. This Manfrotto tripod sets up quick and easy, and is pretty simple to adjust. It is very stable and can be reconfigured in all sorts of different ways. I can make sure that my camera is level all the time, so that I don't have to spend time re-straightening in post I am still learning all the different ways that I can set it up. It is amazing how low to the ground that you can set it up for close up photography as well as changing your prospective on a landscape shot. Yes, it is a little pricy, but hey, if you spend a lot of money on a camera, don't you want to make sure that it is setting on a sturdy tripod? You don't want to want to walk into a product shoot with thousands of dollars in camera and lens equipment and put it on a $19.99 tripod. Not to mention, in post, think of all the time it will save from having to correct a "not so straight" picture. I did a lot of research on this tripod, and couldn't really find too many bad comments about this product. It is a little heavy if you are planning on carrying it around all day. I bought a Manfrotto tripod bag to put it all in (it all fits in there just fine), so I can keep my hands free if I need to. It feels like a good sturdy build, and I believe that this tripod should last me a long long time. I highly recommend watching some of the videos online that explain the different ways to use this tripod. All in all, I think that you will probably like this tripod if you are an enthusiast or a pro. But hey, if you are just starting out and you only want to buy one tripod that is going to last you a long time...maybe this would be a good choice... I hope this review helps. Read more

This is my review of the Manfrotto MK 055. I love that this tripod only has two (solid) clamps per leg instead of four per leg like my older Manfrotto MK C3 lightweight version. There is a very cool feature to expand the legs in an outwards position to accommodate different tripod positions in relation to different surfaces and angles The MK 055 has extremely well built construction to the tripod head, I absolutely love it! There is one knob (on the lowest level) to shift the head left to right, the second knob (on the middle level) to shift the head forward and backward and finally, there is third knob (at the first front and highest level) that shifts the pan-tilt part. The construction is so sturdy that you do not have to worry about your DSLR camera, Battery Grip, Flash and Telephoto Lens outweighing that camera setup because this tripod can handle the weight. Another amazing feature is the ability to elevate the center stem vertically to the top and the stem can be lowered in a horizontal position for ground shots. All pieces are connected extremely well. Practicing shots and learning how to maneuver the MK 055 takes some getting used to because of the various components but it becomes very enjoyable because you know that you have a high quality tripod. Another cool feature is the ability to hang of hook straps or bags to connector plastic piece on the tripod. In addition, you can connect a Manfrotto Arm to a 3/8 screw attachment on the tripod which is sold separately The weight of the tripod over 7lbs, (but can carry over 17lbs, most tripods don't close to this carry capacity) but it does not seem to bother me at the moment. Having a lightweight tripod such as the MK C3 still serves its purpose for certain situations. However, the impressive build quality and user friendly functions makes the MK 055 an absolute winner in my book. Read more

This tripod is simply fantastic. I got myself a Nikon D7000 on December 26th, 2014, and I had previously purchased a $75 tripod here on Amazon, thinking that I was going to be able to save a few bucks. Well, I was wrong. That tripod was not at all sturdy enough for my DSLR. My photography instructor told the class on the first night that we should not "cheap out" on a quality tripod, and he was 100% correct. I decided to put up the money for this tripod, and I could not be happier. It is pretty heavy; about 8#, and it is very sturdy. The leg locks are very strong, and there's no question that they are engaged. The tripod is very tall, too; before extending the center, the height from the ground to the camera plate on the head is 60.25". The head that it comes with can pan and tilt very smoothly without noise. When you pull the center stalk out and use it in a horizontal position, it is very sturdy as well. There's simply nothing that I don't like about this tripod; it is worth ever penny. I am including two pictures of the moon that I took with my D7000, using my 55-300mm lens. The first picture is with the cheap tripod, and the second is this Manfrotto. The difference is night and day; the image with the Manfrotto is cropped closer and much sharper, whereas the image with the cheap tripod is blurry from camera shake. The proof is in the pudding (or images, in this case). Read more