20.5.2016

This was my second tripod, and it's so much better than my first that had a three way head. Being a Manfrotto branded item, you expect quality and a good design, and this tripod doesn't make an exception to the rule. The tripod comes securely in a box, ensuring it arrived here safely and all bits were present. You get a quick release head and an adaptor for some small cameras included. The tripod comes assembled so there isn't any faffing around to do once you receive it.The quality of the tripod is excellent. There are no overcasts on the plastic parts and the metal is smooth and finished in a matte silver. The plastic leg release levers are firm and strong. They have no problems keeping the tripod open,even under heavy wind and after a years use.The head is smooth in operation, I think the other reviewers are leaving the pan handles done up too tight when they try to move them. When they are released enough, panning is smooth and sturdy. Of course, they could have a dud, it's entirely possible, but a little WD40 wouldn't hurt if you are having stiffness issues. After a year of use mine is still smooth and easy to operate and my tripod is used in all sorts of conditions, I use it a lot around seawater which Manfrotto advise against but I have seen no detrimental effects to the tripod yet. I also regularly end up with sand in the mechanics of my head and it still manages to operate smoothly full of sand!The head is very good for precise movements. When I got this, I was torn between this and a ball head. I went for this in the end for how precise you can be adjusting it, and I don't regret it. It's very useful to set up the height of your camera, and then be able to pan left to right without adjusting the height. It's especially got for panoramas or following moving subjects.The feet are small, but secure and I have no issues with it sliding around on hard surfaces or soft. In sand, I tend to dig it in a bit to give it some extra stability. The tripod does suffer from some movement in strong winds, but most tripods will. I find that hanging my 16kg camera bag over the top of the tripod tends to help with that a little. It's worth mentioning that it doesn't have a proper bag hook, but I just put the straps of my bag where the head is mounted, in a sort of cross, and my bag securely hangs there and adds a bit of stability to the tripod.The legs are stiff, as another reviewer has said, but I believe that if they weren't it would make it harder to put it away. When you're finished with the tripod, you unclip all the clips on the leg, push them all back into each other and then do the clips back up. If they weren't stiff, they would simply fall back out and it would be a two handed job and would quickly become tiresome.The tripod is pretty light and it's very compact. It folds up very small and the included padded carrying bag is perfect for keeping it in. The one niggle I have with the carrying bag is that the drawstring strap is just that, a string. It's pretty painful over your shoulder on long walks if you're only wearing thin clothes, or you have your shoulders exposed in the summer. It digs in a bit and can become uncomfortable. Because of this, I have taken to keeping it on the front of my rucksack, and I only struggle with the string strap when I take out my messenger bag.Overall, I would recommend this tripod to anyone. It's pretty cheap, very good quality, has an extended warranty when you register it online with Manfrotto, it's secure and has done me well over the year I have had it. I often window shop at the more expensive tripods, and they look fantastic, but as this one works perfectly, I can't face upgrading it. That says it all.

30.5.2018

There are lots to like about this tripod.It's light, looks good, and seems to be well made. I've had it about 18mths and although I don't use it every day, or even every week, nothing's broken and it's essentially in the same state as it was when new.The head is a funky 'grip' type thing, which has a vertical wheel that's used to tighten or release...it's pretty easy to adjust without the need to look at what your fingers are doing (e.g. if you're looking through the viewfinder).I use it with a Fuji X-T2 and it feels sturdy enough; that said, the smallest set of legs DO feel a touch on the flimsy side, and I always find myself double-checking that everything's secure before I re-focus (no pun intended)

10.3.2017

This Manfrotto Compact Action Tripod gives you the freedom to roam wherever & whenever you like. With its lightweight aluminium frame, it makes a simple alternative to some of the more cumbersome and bulky tripods out there.Straight out of the box the tripod is protected in its own black cover/sack with shoulder strap which is a nice touch as it makes it even easier to throw on the back seat, saving space and time if you're ever in a hurry. The tripod itself feels very nice and well built, It has an adjustable ball head and grip with two modes video & photo which allows you to change from full 360 degrees pan, tilt & shift for video to pan & tilt for photo at the flip of a switch allowing you to accurately compose your shot.

4.7.2016

NOTE: There are multiple versions which share the same product page; this review is for the 'Compact Advanced Aluminium Tripod with 3 Way Head' version.*¨*:·.·:*¨*:·.·:*¨*:·.·:*¨*I needed a tripod for my recent journeys which unfortunately the one I already had wasn't suitable due to its close size still being far too big. It took me a couple of days searching back and fourth for which one I wanted to go for before eventually going for this one.The size when fully closed up was perfect for me (approximately 44cm) and didn't feel too heavy when carrying or when attached to my rucksack.At first I was a little baffled with one of the levers,

28.2.2017

The reviews here are mixed up, with some apparently being for other tripods in this Manfrotto range. This review is for the Compact Advanced: Great quality and well-designed. Quickly set up and packed away. Goes tall (65") and packs small (18"). The head is pretty smooth for panning and tilting and resistance can be easily adjusted by the handles that you are holding. No fiddling around anywhere else on the head. Elevating or depressing the central column is also quick and easy via a wingnut. The quick release plate shows two arrows for direction of the lens to point. One position seems to set the head up for left-hand use which some users will obviously like.

30.1.2019

For the price of this tripod you really get value for money. It's very sturdy and extremely reliable. I have used it countless times and it has never fallen over or even moved an inch once. Also the quick release plate that it uses to mount the camera is perfect. I usually leave the plate screwed on to my camera and can the mount and unmount it within seconds - no more wasting time screwing and unscrewing!The twist levers for tilt and pan control feel very solid and don't show any signs of slipping. They stay locked in place and won't budge unless unscrewed. I did have one issue where I was hiking through a forest and realised when I got to the end that one of the levers had come off (

30.8.2019

This is a great tripod. I have found it very smooth and easy to use, and although I only use it for stills I'm sure it would be great for video too. It has more than enough height (I have to stand on my tip-toes to see through the viewfinder at its full height) and is stable, especially for it's weight and size. When fully extended it can be quite shaky at longer focal lengths, even with lightweight cameras, but I find that turning on vibration reduction/image stabilisation solves this problem.It is very lightweight, compact and easy to set up/take down, so is perfect for taking out on trips. It is well made and does everything that I need it to do.

27.12.2018

Having picked this up on sale for £31.99 its very good for that price hence the 4 stars but at the full £65 I would have been really disappointed and would have given it 3 stars at most. The metal legs feel good quality but the clips and head feel pretty poor in comparison, they work well but I don't see them taking much abuse. The handle had the join in the middle that would have been load better and for the price should has some kind of grip or cover on it. The included bag oddly feel like its from a much more expensive tripod which is both really good and strange at the same time.I have had some tripods and mono pods that sit in between the sale price and full price of around £45 - £55 that feel better in some parts than this one,

27.10.2017

This is the second one I bought, used mine for three years and this is a present for my Gf. The tripod is light and sturdy and can hold securely a good heavy lense and camera body. It deploys quite quick and I find it easy to use. However it is not a top of rance tripod with a fast way of moving your camera to get the frame you need. I mostly use the camera hand held, so this is fine for now, but if you plan to do alot of work with slow shutter or lanscape etc. You may find the two livers that habe to be unscrewed and rescrued for every adjustment a bit of a faff. Build quality is brilliant the only thing missing, thatvwould not cost the hearth is a hook to hang a bag or weight to stabilize it in wi dy conditions.

4.1.2019

This was a present for my father who uses it with his video cam. It’s smaller and lighter than the tripod he uses for his telescope so good for carrying around and the ball head is smooth for panning. It’s small enough to carry in a large rucksack although I would find it heavy carrying it around for a whole day of walking/photography. I have used it for filming at a wedding and it was ideal. Having said that any lighter and it my not be sturdy enough so it’s a good balance. He hasn’t used it for long so I can’t speak for durability although it feels good quality to me. I like the little button attachment for the camera although the size makes it easy to lose, having said that you can buy replacements easily.

8.4.2020

Pros:Didn't want a heavy tripod so this is good as it's fairly light as tripods go. Fairly stable except in high winds.Comes with its own bag.Cons:Bag is great but the string (strap) is quite short so it won't stay on my shoulder and there is no way it would go across body as the string is too short. This is a real shame.Beware of losing the little round quick release screw plate! I screwed it into the bottom of my camera thinking it would be safer there than floating around in my bag. Unfortunately somewhere along the line it must have come loose and fallen out so now I cant use the tripod until I source a replacement - the cost of which seems to be roughly half of what I paid for the tripod

22.5.2015

This tripod has been a great addition to my camera equipment. The quick release plate that attaches to your camera is quite small so you need to be careful not to lose it. That said, I have never experienced any problems. I always have the quick release plate attached to my camera and it never comes off. The tripod itself is of good quality. A sturdy build and it's quite high which will come in handy if you are tall. head can be easily rotated for both portrait and landscape shots using the handle. The handle is easily secured into position. This tripod does not have a spirit level, however that didn't bother me as I have bought a separate spirit level for my camera that attaches to the hot shoe.

2.10.2016

I have been looking for a lightweight tripod for going out and about with for ages. I love manfrotto products so knew I would be ok with them it was just a question of which one to get on a limited budget. It's very well made , looks good and I love the small round base plate. I also wanted a tripod that I could use in horizontal and vertical positions which this one does with ease also.I was a little concerned about its weight bearing capabilities but it holds my canon 7d with 70-200 L series lens nice and tight with no problems. Very impressed so far . Ok in life get winds but I agree with other reviews may not be so good in heavy wind ( I've not tried this though)Overall a def 5 stars from me.

26.10.2016

It's a tripod that helps me to pan more easily than standard tripods. I have a slight disability on my left side and find mounting cameras and trying to pan hard work. This tripod overcomes most of my problems. The only two moans that I have are:that there is only one quick release button supplied. As I have more than one camera and binoculars to mount on a tripod, I find that these quick release fitting are very expensive for what they are. I have found that from Manfrotto, they are £13.95 +p&p and from Jessops £9.95 +p&p. Too expensive for me.My second moan is, the tripod is smaller and easier to travel with and packs up smaller than standard tripods, but the legs are so thin and seem a bit fragile.

17.11.2015

Manfrotto is a leader in the tripod and for its baby of the range it earns its 5 stars. At full height, it stands just over 6ft tall with very sturdy legs. It has at the top a trigger grip which makes it very easy to move around and create good panning shots. Feels incredibly well built and holds my Canon 5D with ease. As its compact it will fit into a normal size backpack with room and it comes with its own padded carry case that it very nice.The quick release is a favourite feature of mine it simply screws into the hold in the base of your camera and with one flick it comes off the tripod.If you need a tripod for starting off spend your money on this one. It's worth it.

Manfrotto Compact Action - Reviews

Info

Analysis

Detail