Manfrotto 055CX Pro 4 - any alternatives?

Naboo32 · 31 Oct 2011

Hello fellow tripod huggers

!

I've been looking for a tripod which meets some fairly specific criteria and so far I have only really come up with one option - the Manfrotto 055CX Pro 4.

If I list the criteria here, could anyone tell me if I have missed any alternatives strictly within all of those criteria, please :shrug:?

FWIW, I really do like most things about this Manfrotto (from what I've read and seen), so I would be quite happy to buy one if nothing else is available - I just want to ask the experts first, in case I've missed any other good options

.

Any opinions from owners/users of this model (or any Manfrottos like it) are also very welcome here, as I've never owned one before (I mainly use Giottos models). Thanks

!

The (firm) criteria:

Length when closed: Less than 58cm
Maximum height (with CC raised): More than 168cm
Maximum weight: Up to 1.8kgs
Minimum load capacity: 6kgs
Price range: Up to 300 GBP

skiwhiz · 31 Oct 2011

check here for the form for a free head if you do buy one, saving around £100
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-manfrotto-055cxpro4-carbon-fibre-tripod/p1027601

menthel · 31 Oct 2011

I went for this vanguard over the manfrotto. It is very sturdy indeed. However, it did come with a free ball head at the time worth another £90.

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-vanguard-alta-pro-284ct-carbon-fibre-tripod/p1521414

Naboo32 · 31 Oct 2011

skiwhiz said:
check here for the form for a free head if you do buy one, saving around £100
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-manfrotto-055cxpro4-carbon-fibre-tripod/p1027601

Thanks skiwhiz

! I have seen that already and that is where I will be buying the tripod from (unless I find any alternatives that I like better).

The free head (sounds rude

) doesn't clinch the deal, as I doubt that I'd use it very often, but the fact that the tripod is nearly 100GBP cheaper than it is over here does make a difference :naughty:

.

Naboo32 · 31 Oct 2011

menthel said:
I went for this vanguard over the manfrotto. It is very sturdy indeed. However, it did come with a free ball head at the time worth another £90.

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-vanguard-alta-pro-284ct-carbon-fibre-tripod/p1521414

Hi Jim,

Yes, that certainly fits the criteria and seems to be a very worthy competitor

(even if W.E. do describe it as having; "unmatched flexibility". My existing tripod is already too 'flexible' - that's why I want a better one

).

I'll do a little more digging there, as I seem to have missed that one the first time round. I have to admit though, I do greatly prefer the lever type leg locks to the twisty ones and the Manfrotto could work out to be a fair bit cheaper if I sell the head for a reasonable sum :thinking:

. Let's see ...

Thanks for posting

!

menthel · 31 Oct 2011

Naboo32 said:
Hi Jim,

Yes, that certainly fits the criteria and seems to be a very worthy competitor (even if W.E. do describe it as having; "unmatched flexibility". My existing tripod is already too 'flexible' - that's why I want a better one ).

I'll do a little more digging there, as I seem to have missed that one the first time round. I have to admit though, I do greatly prefer the lever type leg locks to the twisty ones and the Manfrotto could work out to be a fair bit cheaper if I sell the head for a reasonable sum . Let's see ...

Thanks for posting !

No problem. The centre column can be positioned in many more ways on the vanguard and I have had no problems with the twist legs at all, even with my manfrotto gimbal an 150-500 on it.

If you can get to look at the tripods in the flesh I would really recommend it.

Naboo32 · 31 Oct 2011

menthel said:
No problem. The centre column can be positioned in many more ways on the vanguard and I have had no problems with the twist legs at all, even with my manfrotto gimbal an 150-500 on it.

If you can get to look at the tripods in the flesh I would really recommend it.

I did look at a couple of Manfrottos last month (the three section 055CX and a couple of 190 series), but I wasn't seriously considering one at the time, so I just picked them up to test for weight :|. The 055 model didn't really seem all that light for carbon fibre, but it was certainly sturdy and well designed

.

None of my local shops have the Vanguard and I need to move quickly if I'm going to buy from the UK (where the best prices are right now), as I need the tripod for a trip to Venice in a couple of weeks.

I appreciate your input though, Jim - even if I do end up with the Manfrotto, I'd like to know that I had properly explored all of the options

.

gphotography · 1 Nov 2011

I have used the same 055 for the past 15 or so years with the same ball & socket head & I have no complaints. It does what it was designed to do & take a punishment along the way.

Naboo32 · 1 Nov 2011

gphotography said:
I have used the same 055 for the past 15 or so years with the same ball & socket head & I have no complaints. It does what it was designed to do & take a punishment along the way.

Wow, I didn't realise that the 055 series had been around so long

.

Naboo32 · 1 Nov 2011

Well, having done as much research as I could be bothered with, I decided that the Manfrotto represented the best choice for me on this occasion. So, I have just placed the order (with Warehouse Express). The cuurent price is extremely competitive and the fact that they are giving away the 324RC2 joystick head with it for FREE is nothing less than amazing

.

Thanks a lot those who responded, as well as to all of those who read the thread and didn't post a response because they couldn't find any other tripods which matched my criteria (I'm sure that more than a few of you tried

).

I'm looking forward to getting my hands on it and taking it on my travels with me

.

Andy

User Name · 1 Nov 2011

Naboo32 said:
None of my local shops have the Vanguard and I need to move quickly if I'm going to buy from the UK (where the best prices are right now), as I need the tripod for a trip to Venice in a couple of weeks.

Do you expect to get the head before then or do you have another one you can use?
Also, damn, I am sorry for not seeing this earlier. I have a barely used 055CX PRO 4 with 322RC2 heavy duty grip ball head which I could have sold, with some of the quick release plates.... :bonk: next day shipping too...

Anyway, even if you don't decide to cancel your order and buy mine

enjoy your tripod, it's very good.

Naboo32 · 2 Nov 2011

User Name said:
Do you expect to get the head before then or do you have another one you can use?
Also, damn, I am sorry for not seeing this earlier. I have a barely used 055CX PRO 4 with 322RC2 heavy duty grip ball head which I could have sold, with some of the quick release plates.... :bonk: next day shipping too...

Anyway, even if you don't decide to cancel your order and buy mine enjoy your tripod, it's very good.

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the post (and the kind offer

).

Yes, I already have two suitable ball heads - a large Red Snapper one and smaller Giottos (MH1301), which has been modified to take the Arca Swiss QR plate - it will be the perfect companion to the Manfrotto (for me)

. I know that I will probably have to wait a long time to get the free (324RC) ball head, but I very much doubt that I will want to keep it anyway and may well end up selling it on ebay (effectively reducing the cost of my tripod even further :naughty:

).

As for buying your 055, are you aware that WEX are selling them new at just 244GBP now (as well as giving away 109GBP worth of ball head with it) :shrug:? I imagine that you paid a fair bit more for yours and so wouldn't want to let it go for much less than the price of a new one (although I may be wrong, of course).

Anyway, if your asking price is sub-200 quid, you can always PM the details and I'll keep it in mind in case anything goes wrong with my WEX purchase (unlikely though that is)

. If not, I quite understand.

All the best,

Andy