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112 of 113 found the following review helpful:
 solid yet lightweight german engineeringMar 13, 2008
By E. K. Arnold
"amazon hunter"
the manfrotto 190xprob may be the best prosumer tripod legs on the market. that is to say, if you need more tripod than this, you're either a wildlife pro or a serious amateur with some long prime lenses.
the 190xprob replaced a cheap VidPro with a plastic head that was very creaky and required overt carefulness. the difference is really astounding, and when you factor in the durability -- i expect this to last for many years-- the added expense over the cheapies is well-justified.
at first glance the 190xprob has that mercedes/bmw look: smooth, clean, symmetrical, steely, with style for days. seriously, this is a good looking pair of legs.
the design is top-notch. manfrotto didnt cut any corners in terms of ergonomics or materials. the fliplock leg extenders clamp solidly yet open fluidly. the piece de resistance is the center column, which easily slides up and extends horizontally for macro or close up work at low angles. a press of a button and the legs hyperextend for extreme low angles, and easily snap back into place.
the whole thing looks and feels solid. but it only weighs four pounds -- light enough for a hike but probably not the best choice for a long vacation (although it will fit diagonally into a 22" carry-on if you're that determined).
manfrotto has seemingly thought of everything -- there's a bubble spirit level right where you need it, foam leg warmers on 2 of the sections, and even a hook for a sandbag or similar weight for use in windy conditions. you can get all sorts of accessories too, like spiked feet, an m-bag, etc.
i tested the horizontal column with a nikon d300 w/ grip and a sigma 50-150 -- probably about a good 5-6 pounds. the key to horizontal extention i soon learned was putting the extended arm directly over the front leg to ensure balance. i wouldnt recommend this for non-level ground, though. in horizontal mode, the arm can be swung around, shortened, or tightened instantly. it feels pretty solid vertically, although you wouldn't want to raise it up all the way with a heavy camera + lens combo.
the maximum height is 57 inches or so, and the thing folds to 22". when folded it makes for a compact package that's ergonomically easy to carry, even in one hand. it also fits into the webbing of the canon deluxe photo backpack that's available on this site too.
if you need a lighter, smaller tripod for travel or hiking, check out the velbon luxi which is 12" folded and weighs 1.6 lbs, or the gorillapod slr. if you need a slightly bigger tripod, the next step up, the 055xpro, goes to 72" and can hold 15 lbs., but weighs 5.3 lbs, and has otherwise the same features.
of course you still have to buy a head, and here you have a choice between ballheads, panheads, and action grips. manfrotto makes solid heads -- i have the 488RC4 ballhead and the 3232 swivelhead -- which you can use on other tripods or monopods as well.
the 190xprob gets: one star for design, one star for features, one star for ergonomics, one star for combination of weight and load capacity (11 lbs total w/out head), and one star for price -- it's not cheap but a value compared to more expensive tripods. that's five stars, folks.
bottom line: manfrotto has done it again with an innovative, stylish, and functional unit. at 4lbs., the 190xprob is right in the middle of the support "sweet spot" -- sturdy enough to shoulder a load with confidence, yet light enough and reasonably compact for field work. the price is about right for a quality aluminum 'pod -- the cheaper ones are less well-made and/or can't hold as much, and the carbon fiber ones cost 3-5x as much, and shave only a pound/pound and a half or so off of weight. that would make a difference on a multi-day excursion or a serious hike, but for "serious casual use" this manfrotto is great. it has a 'pro' look and pro features, and for the price it's hard to beat.
recommended for a d300 and up to a 70-200 or 80-400 lens. anything bigger and you're probably looking at carbon fiber territory.
58 of 58 found the following review helpful:
Light weight and does the job well.Jul 17, 2007
By David Gray
"Dave"
I had been looking for a lighter weight, shorter and more versatile tripod for some time. The 190XPROB does the job very well. It provides the versatility I was looking for. As a wildlife photographer I needed a tripod I could set up and adjust the leg height quickly and with the quick action leg locks it works perfectly. It is very stable with my Canon EOS 30D and EF 100-400mm lens. The Bogen Menfrotto 190XPROB is my prime tripod now.
66 of 68 found the following review helpful:
 190XPROB vs 055XPROBOct 21, 2008
By tabhastal
Having tried both the 055XPROB and the 190XPROB, I chose the 190. I liked the lighter weight and shorter height of the 190 and it was sturdy enough for my camera and long lenses (I have a Canon 40D). Here are the differences with the 190 listed first:
Weight: 4 lbs vs 6.4 lbs
Height w/out extension: 48" vs 60"
Max height: 57.5" vs 70"
Max load: 11 lbs vs 15.5 lbs
Everything else is pretty much the same. FWIW, I am 6 ft tall and the 190's max height (center column extended) put the eyepiece just at my eye level. The unextended height of the 055 is just a bit higher; I would have to stand on a brick to use its extended height. The 055 is just too tall for me. Alternatively, it you are taller than 6 ft, you might not be able to use the 190; go for the 055.
So, the 055 is heavier, taller and can carry more weight (camera and lens).
Two negatives with both: First, the center column can go horizontal which is handy in many situations. However it is hard to set in an exactly horizontal axis (it sags). You must have a ball mount to adjust your view to a true horizontal. Secondly, they are not ruggedized. If you use it inside, all's well. But if you go into the woods or the rocks, they will get scratched pretty easily. There also is a lot of plastic that will probably break and the legs have rubber feet (not that useful when you are trying to use it on rocks, cement, etc.)
Definitely go with a ball mount (I have the Manfrotto 488RC2). Unless you shoot in a studio you will be shooting from some very unlevel places. The ball allows you to get a horizontal view in your shot regardless of the configuration of the tripod. The head I use also has a pan lever which allows me to lock the ball into place and then pan along the horizontal axis.
27 of 28 found the following review helpful:
Fine tripod for mid-weight camera and lensAug 17, 2007
By James D. DeWitt
"Alaska Fan"
This is a durable, light-weight, sturdy, quick-adjusting and quiet tripod. It supports my 300mm f2.8 lens, even in moderate wind. I have a Manfrotto (Bogen) 701RC2 head that I like even more. I carry a lot of gear in the field, and weight and reliability both matter. This set up has given me both for almost a year. Strongly recommended.
26 of 27 found the following review helpful:
Works well - solid and usableJun 11, 2008
By Damodar Chetty
I purchased this tripod from Amazon as part of a combo set with a head (which was better value for money).
Over the past week, I've had a chance to really use it extensively, and here are my observations.
1) It fit very nicely into a bag that my fold-able chair came in (the kind you use at fireworks displays or soccer games), with room to spare. This meant I could save on buying an overpriced carry bag.
2) I carried it slung across my back (as you might wear a bandolier) for extended periods of time (off and on for 7 hours a day, over 3 days), and never experienced much discomfort.
This was my biggest concern with a heavier tripod than I'm used to, and I'm happy to say that I was able to take this with me wherever it was needed. Of course, as expected, its weight gradually gets more noticeable as the day wears on, but it never got to the point where I questioned my decision to bring it along.
I would've preferred a lighter tripod, but the price difference didn't work very well with my budget.
3) The leg sections don't drop quite as easily as my cheap tripod - adding a few seconds to tripod setup time. I find I have to actually encourage a couple of the sections to come lose. I'm not sure if that's the norm on high end tripods ... so I'll have to visit a local store to check for myself.
4) The leg locks work very well, and never did I find myself worrying about the stability of the tripod or my equipment. Under windy conditions, it also comes with a hook that allows you to hang a camera bag on it for added stability (which I didn't need).
5) I really enjoyed the hand grips - even when it wasn't cold/raining. Lugging this around (when outside of the carry bag) can get tiring, and having the hand grips was quickly appreciated.
6) The whole unit feels solid and stable.
7) It was a real pleasure to finally get myself in on the family pictures, without having to rely on the kindness (and availability) of strangers.
8) The independently lockable legs were also great on uneven terrain, as I could angle them just right irrespective of how rocky the ground was.
I had a hard time before last week justifying the high price for a tripod, but now that I've used it, its a lot easier to defend ... or rationalize :)
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