I bought the tripod so as to slip it into your backpack and will use it with mirrorless system cameras from Fuji. The pack size is very small and light weight is also great. The maximum extension height I also absolutely sufficient for me. Although I am not a giant with 1,78m but I can without major contortions to work with it. The stand we come with a Manfrotto RC2 quick release plate and a practical bag with belt. The one must normally again buy extra in many other Manfrotto tripods. More Accessories I do not need for the tripod as well.
Why this stand:
I now use for many years and have therefore Manfrotto products despite the more favorable competition from China selected this tripod, because I have had bad experiences with cheap copies. But you should be aware that this is a small and lightweight travel tripod. My 055 PROB from Manfrotto is of course much more stable, but I have no more desire to lug it when traveling. What good is the best tripod if it stays at home because it's too heavy and unwieldy. The Gitzo Traveller tripods from the same group were to me a bit too expensive and the pack size and weight but then very similar.
Handling:
However, the handling a little different from the usual of my Manfrotto tripods. This need not necessarily be negative, but I mention the points times. Next I noticed so far.
- You can not move the camera plate of the ball head tripod when folded. The quick-change system is so cleverly designed that it fits between the folded tripod legs. However, only without camera plate. The you can for Transport also screws on the camera, but I laid something like and why I keep the camera on the tripod plate normally. However, since it saves a lot of space and the head is not somewhere out depends I think that's positive.
- The quick-change system can not be biased. You have to put the camera with the camera plate and tighten directly. The large RC2 quick release system equipped with a spring the locks immediately when the camera plate is properly seated and the camera is secured. Again, you have indeed the plate again tighten but that's safer still.
- One of each tripod legs must lock manually after you have folded it once. This is probably due to the mechanism but a spring which automatically locks when one flips the leg I find frankly practical and safe. The default mode is also in the middle of which may result in that one lever accidentally turns too far. This then leads that you can fold out the legs on.
- The ball head has no manual friction adjustment, which I do not personally find dramatically. For large and heavy cameras makes sense, but here I really do not need separate friction adjustment.
- The ball head has only one clamping screw which simultaneously blocks the ball and the rotation function. Is not really suitable for panoramic images. However, I find a separate panoramic plate anyway much more helpful because you can thus turn the aligned camera.
Stability:
The stability I can not really judge the moment but in small mirrorless system cameras I see absolutely no problem. However, to me the Manfrotto 055 is for my large and heavy full-frame DSLRs but then significantly better. But you should not do without a cable release or the time trigger. But that is true for all tripod shots with longer exposure time.