Manfrotto Befree 3-Way Live Advanced Tripod: Review

[@MrBazReviews]

Amazon - amzn.to/42ltRrb Manfrotto Store USA - amzn.to/3Jzt4Ks You can help support the channel via Patreon - www.patreon.com/mrbazreviews Or via the affiliate links/Amazon USA - amzn.to/3e5k4ga UK - amzn.to/37R34ZP

[@bobgox]

Manfrotto has always made very excellent robust tripods, a bit expensive here in the states however. thanks for the great review Mr Baz !

[@MrBazReviews]

There is a lot of competition in the tripod market, that's for sure. No question the fluid head bumps up the price a bit, though I have seem ball head ones a fair bit less. They're good, but with a few places to improve on as with all brands.

[@jwnrocks]

Very informative, and well done video!

[@MrBazReviews]

Thanks, it does take time to do. It is worth it I try to show as much as I can

[@katasiapa]

Nice review

[@MrBazReviews]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@ladydee3795]

I ordered mine and when it came, the silver part of the legs, where it 'breaks' and reverses got broken and I couldn't reverse it back to the original position. I ordered a new one immediately, but now I'm in doubt should I maybe cancel the order since this part is a weak point and if this happens in a 'field', you can't collapse the tripod anymore. Also, do you think it will handle 200-600 mm lens ?

[@MrBazReviews]

Well that shouldn't happen at all. To be honest this is good enough tripod for most users. But what makers quote for the loadouts in KG don't often match up with reality. Using a longer heavier lens, if I compare if to the SLIK PRO AL-523, both are rated to 6KG I believe, there is no way the Manfrotto is nearly as stable as the SLIK for heavy loads. You have a 3 section v 4 section tripod, it does make a difference. It's very noticeable This tripod is pretty good but I wouldn't use it for wildlife or sports lenses/longer heavy loads. It's aimed at general purpose use for photo/video. It's not that easy to get a really compact tripod that is very stable with heavier loads. You might have to compromise a bit. Or something like the Sunwayfoto T2841CE, it's not too heavy and solid for a 4 section tripod, relatively compact too. I'm not trying to sell you anything, just based on using all 3 of those, the Manfrotto just isn't well suited to bigger loads.

[@ladydee3795]

@@MrBazReviews thank you, I needed an honest opinion. I'm struggling with those damn tripods for a long time now. Since I do my photography mostly when traveling I need a compact, smaller tripod because my equipment alone is very heavy. Will look into those you suggested

[@localremedy]

Thankyou. This looks good 👍🏾

[@MrBazReviews]

It is if you do video, it's more a hybrid tripod, that might work for some users

[@kimyashar-bish8865]

Hi, I am no expert at all but I currently have a XPRO 3-Way Head and also a Manfrotto XPRO 3-Way Geared Head as i was moving between two tripods for portrait and landscape images of each product I photograph (both the images in landscape and portrait are looking down as well as face on so im having to move the camera around quite a bit (ball head not been good as too hard to align straight). I was wondering whether I could use one tripod and just use this Befree 3-Way Live Tripod Head on one tripod if it is easy to move between landscape and portrait with ease and is easy to align etc? The geared head i have is very clunky to move and hard to keep positioning straight from landscape to portrait and back. Would the Befree be advantageous over my current equipment, especially the 3 way (not geared) head as that does a similar thing to Befree, but the Befree looks much more user friendly and less clunky? I take hundreds of image shots of large items on the wall and then on the floor so as you can imagine lots of moving around and aligning! Your thoughts would be very welcome?

[@MrBazReviews]

Are you not better off with a horizontal column model? It might make it easier to get over head shots. There is nothing wrong with this one or the head, I'm just thinking for your specific needs. This is more suited to hybrid users who do stills and video. That's my view anyway

[@kimyashar-bish8865]

@@MrBazReviews hi thanks for such a quick response, sorry i wasn't clear im not doing over head just straight on portrait and tilted to the floor portrait, and tilted landscape, its just that the movement looks smooth on the befree from your video,

[@MrBazReviews]

@@kimyashar-bish8865 The head is pretty smooth you will probably get on well with it.

[@JayRazor83]

Which arca swiss plate is that? I own this tripod and want to mount my new smallrig to it. Which plate do u recommend? Thanks

[@MrBazReviews]

If you mean the orange one that's the K&F magic plate 2 in 1 (phone holder/plate) I did a video on it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJfNnmWEj7JljKM It fits all my arca plates so a smallrig should fit no problems

[@JayRazor83]

@@MrBazReviews sorry. I own a Sony a7iii camera and just bought a smallrig for it and realized that my Sony Alpha specific base plate prob won't fit on the smallrig. I would just like a base plate compatible and good for my new smallrig

[@JayRazor83]

@@MrBazReviews I also meant the first arca that u showed, in black. The little square one. Any other recommendations are helpful thanks

[@MrBazReviews]

@@JayRazor83 That's the plate that comes with it (2 strips on each side rubber). The other one is a Velbon plate rubber all over it (it's not arca but it does lock in) Did you get the Alpha one that has a different plate from what I can see? All my arca plates fit small and large without issue you shouldn't have a problem, well except getting to the battery on some cameras

[@bullmaccaba]

Hi Baz, great review, thanks. I'm wondering if this tripod is robust enough to hold steady a Canon EOS 5D IV + 100-400mm telezoom with x2 extender? I'm shooting landscape, seaview & moon/star views. Do you think my rig will be too "top-heavy" for it?

[@MrBazReviews]

I put about 2.5KG on this out and about in the last week or so, and if anything extra weight helps with stability. The only downside is you'll have to extend the column up for eye level shooting (as it's a travel tripod), I found it alright, but obviously once you get up to the fast big tele lenses (some of those can be that or more just the lens), then I'd go with a larger tripod, for that lens or a 70-200mm F2.8 I think it's fine.

[@danieleriksson556]

Thanks for the review. Do you think I can use it with a relatively heavy Canon 400 mm 2,8 II lens?

[@MrBazReviews]

I've put about 3KG on it, they rate it to 6KG total. That lens is about 3.8KG, so it shouldn't be an issue.

[@danieleriksson556]

@@MrBazReviews Thank you for your feedback. In other words I can perhaps use this as a travel gimbal!?

[@MrBazReviews]

@@danieleriksson556 It's one of their lighter models, and compacts down a fair bit. So I would say useful enough for travel. It is clearly IMO aimed more at video users, v photographers

[@danieleriksson556]

@@MrBazReviews Thanks again for your valuable feedback 👍

[@scottgmaclean]

Thanks for the review. How do you think this would go paired up with a Canon C70 cinema camera? I am looking for a travel/run&gun tripod or monopod solution for that camera.

[@MrBazReviews]

I've used a few KG on this without issue, what I would say it a larger plate for a bigger cameras, obviously it's not for huge tele lenses, but I've not seen stability problems with medium loads. I often use big plates for larger cameras I'd imagine you'd use a bracket with a C70 anyway

[@socratesvela8285]

Thank you for the video. Do you think this will hold a 70200gm to shoot the moon? If so, do you think it will creep?

[@MrBazReviews]

I put a Tamron 70-200mm F2.8 G2 on it, and it's stable with that lens (similar weight etc). If anything a bit more weight does help tripods, that said it's a travel one fine for a lens like that, though obviously big tele lenses you'd want a beefier tripod. Quoted load seems realistic

[@SyamrizalChannel]

I like it

[@MrBazReviews]

It's quite useful if you do video pans often

[@surfearth1]

Nice vid

[@MrBazReviews]

Glad it helped