Manfrotto introduces carbon fiber version of its 190Go travel tripod

@fmian, so are a LOT of car companies, but that doesn't stop certain makes / models from being extremely crappy, and others extremely reliable.

Feb 1, 2016permalink

fmian

That's true @Matthew. It also doesn't stop the one company from making a crappy range of products alongside a higher quality range.
ie. Manfrottos chinese made cheap (but relatively expensive) plastic tripods vs the heavy duty Italian made stuff.

Feb 1, 2016permalink

maximme

what broke ?
sounds sooo odd

Feb 2, 2016permalink

To fmian,

Manfrotto 290, 190, 055 and higher series are still made in Italy.

By the way, Breguet, Tissot and Swatch similarly belong to the same parent company. Different brands for different price ranges. One can assume that quality also differs.

Feb 5, 2016*permalink

1. Only 300g less but twice as expensive?! How come Gitzo succeeds to make similar characteristic's tripods significantly lighter? Maybe there are different types of carbon for different price ranges?

2. What's the difference between the 804RC2 Mark ll and MHXPRO-3W heads?

Jan 31, 2016permalink

ScottTomlinson

I've never understood why anyone would pay 2x the price for a 15% savings in weight. Aluminum is superior if you ask me.

Feb 4, 2016permalink

With these prices me too. I can consider though half weight for twice the price.

Feb 5, 2016permalink

john Clinch

I believe that people pay more for carbon because it has better damping and stiffness. So the camera moves less giving sharper picture, particularly in a strong wind

Feb 8, 2016permalink

ScottTomlinson

John, I've never read or heard that. If you believe what most people post about them the only real advantage is weight savings. I would be surprised if anyone could provide proof that they have any advantages outside of weight.

Feb 12, 2016permalink

photominion

I'd like to see some "exposure" on DPR for the German brand Feisol.

They build amazin tripods at great prices.

Jan 30, 2016permalink

Vaards

Yes, Taiwanese tripod maker Feisol was one of the first Gitzo Knock offs. SLightly better finished than Benro (years ago on forums were rumors that Benro is Gitzo factory, just bussiness project failed and chinese brave people continued that good idea to produce carbon tripods for cheaper price).

But at the moment Sirui outbeat all other knockoffs for price and functionality - be it Feisol, Benro or Induro.

Jan 31, 2016permalink

Kuppenbender

Do you own both Feisol and Sirui products? If not, that's quite a bold statement. I own a Feisol ct3442 tripod and do not know of any direct Sirui equivelent. Similarly I have a Sirui P326 monopod as none of the Feisol Monopods have identical specifications. In terms of quality and value for money both my Feisol and Sirui products are similar. One does not 'outbeat' (great new word, if a little tautological) the other.

Jan 31, 2016*permalink

Sirui and Benro are definitely NOT Gitzo quality products. wherever they're made, or whoever used to own the factory, etc.

Almost all of the knock-off tripod brands are less than 15 years old, save Giottos which claims to have been around since 1988. Feel free to mention any others.

Feisol, from what I can tell, is not a German manufacturer, they're made in Taiwan, and are also less than 15 years old.

Personally, I have lost track of how many knock-off tripods I've utterly destroyed over the years. I'm just abusive of my gear, even when I'm trying to be extremely gentle I'm still doing crazy things with my tripod leg angles, chasing the light, etc.

If anything, generally speaking I have indeed found that the older the company, the better quality they offer. Giottos and Induro, being some of the older ones around, have pretty solid quality stuff. Giottos has even been around long enough that there are fake Giottos tripods being sold on Ebay!

BTW, my favorite? SLIK.

Feb 1, 2016permalink

Basically though, you just have to ask yourself one question: How rough are you going to be on a tripod, how often are you going to use it, and in what conditions? The more gentle you are, and the more tame conditions you're in, the more you can just flip a coin, and buy a pretty colored tripod that matches your wardrobe. Maybe pick between twist-lock leg joints and lever-lock, but that's about it.

However the more you plan to use your tripod in rugged conditions, on a beach or in a sand dune, and the more frequently you plan on doing it, ...you're going to quickly regret almost any purchase under $300, and probably in the long run need to service even the nicest of tripods. A Gitzo or RRS tripod ought to be cleaned after use in salt water or a sand dune.

If you claim to be rough on your gear, and claim to have had zero problems with this or that knock-off brand, that's fine, good to know. Personally though, my favorite brands are Slik, Gitzo, Giottos, Induro, and Manfrotto.

Feb 1, 2016permalink

Kuppenbender

That was three questions.

Feb 2, 2016*permalink

Biowizard

a1man is right. Make it 25 comments! I like Manfrotto tripods, and so far have two large ones (one ali, one carbon) and a monopod (ali), together with an assortment of heads (3 ball, 1 pan/video). And i'm still interested in their new offerings. They work SO well, and hold my cameras rock solid.

Brian

Jan 30, 2016permalink

My last manfrotto fell to bits.

Jan 30, 2016permalink

SmilerGrogan

I have a Manfrotto that I got on Craigslist for $15; it's old and missing the crank handle but it's still holding together. Maybe the trick is to buy them used after the previous owner has torture tested it. Mine was owned by a university and you know how kids are with equipment.

Feb 1, 2016permalink

Dont trust used stuff,but glad it worked out for you.

Feb 3, 2016permalink

a1man

Someone said
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/32404006
"Really bad photographers debate the merits of the Nikon F4 and the Canon EOS-1. Somewhat better photographers debate the merits of the Yashica T4 and the Contax T2. The best photographers, though, talk tripods, tripod heads, and quick releases."

Total number of comments for this product is 19 for the first 15 hours after the announcement. That number is 130 in 12 hours for the Sony sensor news. Just an observation about the changing world of photography.

Jan 30, 2016permalink

Maybe most photographers can walk and chew gum at the same time?

Jan 30, 2016permalink

electrophoto

Maybe times have changed a1man?

Back in the film days the body was really less important if it did what you needed (AF or no AF, fast / slow,... sturdy & heavy or lightweight, etc...) but beyond that it mattered more what film you put in and what lens you attached.
And thus I tend to believe the accessories like tripods etc were of a bigger significance.
no longer.
also it's pretty easy to find good high end tripods and heads these days ... it's been done almost to death.
but the sensors still evolve... etc. so naturally, more debate around it.

remember the almost religious talks some tended to have when it came to the type of film to be used?

Jan 30, 2016permalink

I chose the agfa iso rapid over the kodak.Great camera.

Jan 30, 2016permalink

My guess is that one buys tripods/head/releases less often.

Jan 31, 2016permalink

electrophoto

duchamp,
what? you don't change your tripod's head at least once per week... tsss.

Jan 31, 2016permalink

The world of photography is now a largely hand-held experience. ISO and stabilization is leaps and bounds beyond what it used to be, and besides, most people these days are shooting snapshots of each other or clients, not shooting landscapes.

Still, as a nature photographer my two most important tools by far are a steady tripod and a loud alarm clock. Give me those two things, plus the right focal length for the scene, and I don't care what body you give me!

Then again, why not buy the best body, if you already have a great tripod?

Feb 1, 2016permalink

To matthew saville,

I agree with you, though macro and low light still requires a sturdy tripod. A lot of newbies do not realize it. So I will rephrase you because this seems more logical for me: why not buy the best tripod, if you already have a great body? :)

Feb 2, 2016permalink

electrophoto

duchamp, because there's no such thing as THE best tripod. ;)
they all have their quirks and advantages.
but I agree, don't skimp on the tripod and head... after all my tripod has been at work far longer than most of my camera bodies have... so it's good investment.

Feb 2, 2016permalink

To electrophoto,
there's no PERFECT tripod as there's no PERFECT camera.
But I meant that when you've got the best camera you could afford you should buy the best one you can afford.

Feb 3, 2016permalink

Sports Shooter

I have the 190Go! Aluminum and it's a great tripod to travel. I like the twist locks.

Now for 320 grams difference I'd rather save the money and put it towards a set of filters

Jan 30, 2016permalink

Jon555

My standard duty tripod is 1660g so I'm unconvinced by the weight of a lot of travel tripods. (GT2540LLVL in case you were wondering.) Yes mine's Carbon but I'd like to see 1Kg or less for a Carbon travel tripod, along with a reasonably compact size and decent stability.

An instant list from some quick internet research, I have the first one listed below, but only use it occasionally...
Joby GorillaPod Focus Tripod with Ballhead X 762g
Gitzo GT1540T 900g
GT0541 1000g
Gitzo GT0530 with head 840g
Gitzo GT0540 with head 900g
Optex DPT175 1002g
Optex T38B 431g
Slik PRO 614 CF 980g
Slik Light Weight Compact 600g
Slik U 5500 1000g
Velbon Ultra Maxi M 920g
Velbon Ultra Maxi L 990g
Velbon P max 800g
Velbon CX-200 1000g
Glanz TR160 600g
Manfrotto 785B Modo Maxi 980g
MeFoto C2350Q2K with Arca-Swiss head 1678g

Jan 30, 2016permalink

Oooh, nice weight data, I might slurp this for my mega-sheet... https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1haC0ojy3dQG_KN3JmuHnjbjsGZwjNafVv4EJd-4P9gU/edit?usp=sharing

;-)

My Favorite, BTW, is the Slik 614CF, I weighed it at 860g w/o a head. Despite being discontinued for quite some time, I procured one on Ebay a year ago and could not be happier considering it's incredible weight-to-strength ratio. I've also used the Slik Sprint Pro II series, which are lighter, but are quite a bit more flimsy and prone to "vibratto" in the slightest wind.

All in all, you're right; for the price I'd rather buy a Gitzo. You can get a "classic" 1228 on Ebay for $300, and those things are lightweight tanks!

Feb 1, 2016permalink

Jon555

Interesting, thanks, although the 1228 at 1540g seems heavy to me. There's also the issue of how much stuff you are putting on top of it, as you definitely want a certain amount of stability, or "not falling over unexpectedly" as you might call it. I'm always a bit worried about how well the locks will work on (ab)used tripods.

Feb 1, 2016permalink

Fazal Majid

It looks comparable to the Gitzo GT1544T, which is $170 more ($570 vs $400). The Gitzo is significantly lighter, folds smaller and has slightly more capacity, but the Manfrotto's center column can be turned into a horizontal boom (good for macro or copy work)..

The good news is, Manfrotto has finally seen the light and ditched its god-awful finger-pinching flip locks. Considering they are probably built in the same factory, a pretty sweet deal.

Jan 30, 2016permalink

davil

ye its amazing carbon fiber is better <a href="http://121photography.blogspot.com/">digital photography</a>

Jan 30, 2016permalink

Valiant Thor

All this talk regarding high cost and arm and a leg chatter seems quite bizarre to me. The average American will pay around one million dollars in interest (mortgage, credit card, car loans, etc.) in their lifetime to criminal bankers (banksters), yet whine about paying $350 to a great company for a beautifully designed and manufactured piece of equipment. Now that's weird.

My Polish immigrant family taught me to work and save my money and pay for everything I purchase and pay no interest which I have done my whole life, so $300 to $400 for a nice tripod is a piece of cake and I get to keep my arms and legs. Just my rant on usury.

Jan 30, 2016permalink

Photomonkey

You must be new here. Whining about price is more popular than taking pictures among this lot.

Jan 30, 2016permalink

"Criminal bankers", hmm? How droll.

No-one is forcing anyone to borrow money from them, it's your own decision whether to take advantage of the service they offer, at prices that are generally pretty bloody good. For most people, the benefits far outweigh the costs.

Jan 30, 2016*permalink

rpjg,
Can you receive a salary without bank?
Than,can you spend any amount of your money via card without being rejected at one point? (usually it happens in the evening,when you deicide to offer a nice dinner to someone)

Jan 30, 2016permalink

You've missed the point, Zoran.

Jan 30, 2016permalink

Sorry,but I don't think so.

Jan 30, 2016permalink

blink667

I'm raging against the machine and paying full retail to prove it.

Jan 30, 2016permalink

Zoran, the (ridiculous) point refers to Valiant Thor's nonsensical and incorrect comment that banks are "criminals" because they offer loans. Loans that people are free to take out - or not.

Your comment was about payment systems, which is an entirely separate (and irrelevant to photography) matter.

Jan 30, 2016permalink

@RPJG. Do you remember what the bankers were up to during the bush times,and none of them went to jail.

Jan 30, 2016permalink

rpjg,
Agree. Sorry,I was not clear enough. Banks are not criminals for loaning us their money,no. But when they limit me how much and when I can spend what I have earned.
...
certainly knowing for more precise description of such bussines behavior I want to give myself that pleasure and call them criminals. And you know what,it tastes good! :-)

Jan 30, 2016*permalink

Over and over the justice department settles massive criminal charges for a pittance.No one admits guilt and no one goes to jail.

Jan 30, 2016permalink

jackspra: irrelevant to this discussion. Note that the banks have paid (and are still paying) incredibly large fines for what happened. Proving criminal intent on any one individual is a very tricky task, especially when the negative affects are from actions taken by many. Not to mention that those actions can more easily be titled "stupid" or "risky" as "criminal".

Zoran: no-one limits what you spend, that's also ridiculous and incorrect. There are numerous banks to choose from, and numerous payment channels you can use - not the least being cash.

Anyway, there's too much irrationality and tinfoil-hattedness when it comes to commentary on banking, so I'm out of here.

Jan 31, 2016permalink

http://youtu.be/6xS3R1kUlBI

@rpjg,
I'm saying this from my and my wife's personal experience: we have limit on how much (of our money) we can spend by card. We have accounts in three different banks and all three of them work in same way with slight difference in allowed monthly amount. These are the facts.

Except denial,I didn't have chance to read any facts of yours,nor personal experience,so I'm out of here.

Jan 31, 2016*permalink

James Wages

As a satisfied owner of 2 Manfrotto tripods, I considered yet another Manfrotto branded product while pondering the purchase of a carbon fiber version. But after spotting a recommendation in the comments under another article here on DPReview, I began to investigate (gasp!) a "Made in China" (and designed in China) alternative. Here's my review of what I purchased, with a brief comparison side by side with my Manfrotto tripods:

Here's a follow-up video focusing on the center column:

http://youtu.be/9Lfx4P-2MxY

I still like Manfrotto, but I saved money by going with an off-brand; and the quality, to my eyes, was not sacrificed at all. The AliExpress buying experience is not on par with B&H or Adorama, and the shipping carton that arrives will win no beauty contests, but the product was undamaged and it met my expectations on features, construction, aesthetics, and price. I would not buy an off-brand camera, but a tripod is a different matter altogether.

Jan 30, 2016permalink

Van Spaendonck

On the basis of your review I bought a P303C and I must say that I am very pleased with it.

Feb 14, 2016permalink

BJN

Carbon fiber is also better at vibration damping than aluminum, in case you need another reason to sell that arm and leg.

Jan 30, 2016permalink

tbcass

Carbon fiber is more flexible than aluminum so it may vibrate more from shutter shock or if you touch it. For me Carbon fiber simple isn't worth the money. I have a heavy duty Manfrotto aluminum tripod that is rock solid and vibration free. It works well with my 150-600mm lens and even my 67 power 100mm x 530mm spotting scope. It cost $230 while the CF version cost nearly twice that. Unless saving every possible ounce of weight is extremely important carbon fiber is a waste of money IMO.

Jan 30, 2016*permalink

breivogel

This is just not true.

Jan 30, 2016permalink

@tbcass,

I think you are confusing the stability of sheer weight, material thickness, ...and actual strength, rigidity.

A big fat aluminum Manfrotto tripod, like my big fat (7 pound!) Slik tripod, feels more rock-solid than a lightweight CF tripod because it is just that: a ROCK.

A <3lb tripod, Aluminum or CF, will be more vulnerable to shutter shock, wind, etc

I feel like serious nature photographers ought to forget the whole (Thom Hogan) classic advice of "invest once, spend a fortune, and you'll never buy another..."

Personally, I recommend that a serious nature / landscape photographer give up on one tripod to rule them all: buy two or three different tripods. An ultralight hiking tripod such as the Slik 614 CF that is as rigid as any <2lb set of legs could be expected to be, plus a heftier, heavier aluminum tripod such as the Slik 500DX or 700DX, which is so freaking heavy that it might even outweigh your camera! (Which, in the game of stability, is a very good thing!)

Feb 1, 2016*permalink

tbcass

@matthew saville;

No I wasn't confusing anything and I agree with what you say. I was only commenting on the belief that carbon fiber tripods are inherently more stable than aluminum ones. That's not true if you ignore the weight advantage of carbon fiber. I own 2 tripods, a light portable one and a very heavy one. I don't carry my equipment over long distances so the advantage of CF isn't worth the extra cost to me. I feel a lot of people buy carbon fiber tripods, even if the lighter weight isn't important to them, simply because of the mistaken belief they are "better".

Feb 1, 2016*permalink