Manfrotto 290 XTRA Kit 3-Way Head

It is a tripod that is solid and stable. First test with night photos of +- 20 sec was really sharp without movement. It is also important that it is not a disposable product if something is broken. The head can be changed and the camera foot can be ordered. The three-part legs are extendable by means of a clamp, which, if the tension is no longer right, can be adjusted with the supplied key. The height, without extending the middle tube, is ideal for me. When extending that tube, it can become more unstable, but in some tests it is firmly in place. With my previous tripod I stood with bent knees because it was a bit too low at its max. position. The tripod is mainly taken along on a walk and I consciously chose not to take a "tractor" tripod. The more intermediate pieces and movable parts, the more unstable it becomes and more likely to break parts. This is good value for money. It is better to buy a decent tripod than something you will regret later and it will end up being much more expensive. This Manfrotto is also not in the more expensive price range, but if you don't use them professionally on a daily basis, they don't really have any added value and it is better to invest in a new lens.

The tripod is very stable and sturdy, even in strong gusts of wind. It can be set very high, but also low. The weight is good, you can easily carry it with you on a walk. I am very satisfied and know that this will provide me with a lifetime of quality!

I was looking for a solid and versatile tripod for my (weighty) D7000+17-55mm f/2.8 combination. I'm not a fan of ball heads because I also want to use my tripod to shoot panoramas, and with a 3-way head it's easier to stay nice and horizontal. The fact that you can fold up the legs individually helps very well for macro photography.