Manfrotto 725B Digi Tripod with Integrated Ball Head with Dove Tail Plate and Carrying Bag (Black)
by Manfrotto
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Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: ManfrottoRelease Date: 2006-04-14
Model: 725B
Product features:
- Lightweight and compact, offers support necessary for high-quality imaging
- Built-in aluminum ball head with a single "ratchet" locking lever, with micro "dovetail" quick release plate
- Quick-action leg locks for fast set-up and breakdown
- Four section tripod legs permit a folded length just over 18 inches
- 64.6-inch maximum height, 7.7-pound maximum load
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Manfrotto 725B Digi Tripod with Integrated Ball Head with Dove Tail Plate and Carrying Bag (Black)
Customer Review: Great Choice, Even for DSLR
Summary: 5 Stars
I recently bought a Digital Rebel XTi and needed to find a tripod to use for night shots, self-pictures, etc. I knew I'd need to spend more than the $20 I would have spent for a tripod to use with my Canon Elph, but had no idea what I was looking for in terms of a more professional tripod.
In the end, I bought the Manfrotto 725B based on price, quality (from various reviews of the Manfrotto brand), and weight and I'm more than pleased with my purchase. Here are my thoughts on several aspects of the tripod...
== Head ==
Arguably the most important part of the tripod, the head is a ball joint system that is locked with the turn of a latch. There is no leveling device on the head, so you'll have to eyeball your shot to make sure you're level, particularly with landscape shots that show a horizon or other harsh straight line.
But, any difficulty making a level shot is easily counteracted by how quick and easy it is to flip the camera from horizontal to vertical shots or vice versa. Simply flip the locking latch, swivel the camera to the desired angle, and re-lock the latch. FAR easier than tripods that have a multi-axis system.
Also, the latch and ball joint system are MORE than enough to hold my Digital Rebel XTi with a Canon 50mm lens. I haven't tried it with more than that, but I've felt the weight of my friend's 70-200mm zoom lens and would feel perfectly comfortable with that on the tripod as well.
== Plate ==
The plate is super nice. I leave my plate permanently attached to my camera and whenever I need to use the tripod, I simply set up the tripod and slip the plate into its housing and I'm ready to go.
The latch that is used to hold the plate in place has a little pin system that works two ways. First, the pin will hold the latch open when the plate is not inside so that when you're ready to set up for a shot, you can just slide the plate in without having to open the latch. That little bit of time savings could mean the difference between getting and not getting your desired shot.
Second, the pin also prevents you from accidentally opening the latch with your camera on the tripod, which could result in your camera plummeting to the floor.
The pin takes a little getting used to, but I've found it to be a great addition.
== Legs ==
To say that the legs on this tripod are easy to setup would be a HUGE understatement. Each leg extends via three flip-style latch mechanisms.
To extend the legs, I simply flip open all three latches, pull the foot until the leg is extended to the proper length, then flip all three latches back to the locked position. Extending all three legs only takes a matter of seconds.
And while the legs feel a bit lightweight, they've performed in many abnormal situations, including taking pictures in Red Rock Canyon and Valley of Fire, with no issues.
== Shaft ==
I love, love, love the shaft that raises and lowers the head on this tripod. More specifically, I love the latch that lets me control the shaft. A simple flip of the latch and you can adjust the shaft to whatever height you want. When you're done, just flip the latch back into the locked position and you're done.
There have been many times when this simple latch mechanism has saved me a lot of time as I adjusted the height of the shaft over and over and over again to get my picture lined up properly. If this tripod used any other locking mechanism for the shaft, I'd be disappointed.
And the locking mechanism held my Rebel/50mm camera/lens combination with no problems.
Also, the little rubber boot at the bottom of the shaft can come off, which will allow you to pull the shaft out and reverse it so that you can take pictures as close to the ground as you want to. Doing so is very easy.
== Size and Weight ==
I have the Canon 200EG Backpack and this tripod easily fits into the loops on the bottom in a horizontal fashion. When wearing the backpack with the tripod, the tripod is about as wide as my arms, which is much smaller than other tripods I've seen. My friend has a tripod that is larger than this one and I would be concerned about situating that tripod in a horizontal fashion for fear of running into things. With this tripod, I have no fear of accidentally hitting anything while its attached to my backpack.
Honestly, the weight is negligible. I've carried the tripod in my hand, on my backpack, and over my shoulder and I've never once had it become uncomfortable. On the contrary, I'm occasionally surprised at the fact that I'm carrying such a great tripod without really feeling it weigh me down.
=====
Over and over again as I use this tripod, the words "easy" and "simple" come to mind. Everything on the tripod is put together in a way that is intuitive and just plain easy to work with. I never find myself questioning why a latch was put in a certain place or why the manufacturer didn't do this or that. Instead, I simply pull my tripod out of its bag (included!), set it up, and use it without even thinking about it.
With so many things to deal with on my camera to take a good shot, not having to even think about anything with my tripod is a blessing!
More Manfrotto 725B Digi Tripod with Integrated Ball Head with Dove Tail Plate and Carrying Bag (Black) reviews:
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Description of Manfrotto 725B Digi Tripod with Integrated Ball Head with Dove Tail Plate and Carrying Bag (Black)
Replacing the 724B tripod, the 725B comes with a micro dovetail quick release plate. This lightweight and compact tripod offers all the rock steady support necessary for high-quality imaging for today s digital and conventional cameras. It includes a built-in aluminum ball head with a single ratchet locking lever, as well as quick-action leg locks for fast set-up and breakdown. Four section tripod legs permit a folded length just over 19 making the 725B ideal for fitting into luggage. The 725B weighs 3 lbs and can support digital (and film) camera s up to 7.7 lbs. In addition, the innovative three-faceted center column design prevents any column rotation and is reversible for low-angle shots. A rucksack-style bag (MBAGD) is also included.Digital Camera Accessories
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