Manfrotto 190CXPRO3 Tripod

Contrary to what most people think, my camera is not my favorite piece of equipment – my tripod (and the head) is. The tripod allows me to stabilize my camera and do so in numerous ways, ranging in height from about three inches off the ground to more than 70 inches. It’s very versatile and, no matter how good your camera or lenses, if your tripod can’t stabilize your camera in creative ways, your pictures won’t be sharp. My workhorse tripod has been a Manfrotto 3021N. It’s a fairly light aluminum tripod (a bit over 5 pounds), can go very low to the ground, can go higher than my head, and is very stable. It’s been a fabulous tripod, especially coupled with my Acratech Ultimate Ballhead. Five pounds (without the head), is too heavy for my liking when I go backpacking with my gear, so I decided to take a look at a second, lighter tripod for backpacking trips. I wanted a light, carbon fiber tripod with a smaller footprint than my current 3021N. After testing various tripods at Pictureline in Salt Lake City, as well as online research, I settled on the Manfrotto 190CXPRO3. I’ve taken this tripod on one photo outing and have [...]