I’m hoping that this month’s
post might help someone who’s been thinking about purchasing a new tripod head.
This is a quick review on Manfrotto’s MXPRO Geared Head.
I’ve been shooting for many
years and have always had pretty nice ball head on my tripod. My problem was
that sometimes when I had a good sized lens on my camera I might get a little
lens creep, most often when I was shooting macro type photography. So when I
purchased the MXPRO geared head I had already been doing my research online for quite a
while.
I’ve always kept up with other photographers in my niche (real estate photography) and almost every one of them said that a geared head should be considered a mandatory piece of equipment in our bags. The main feature of a geared head is that it allows users to frame their images precisely - one micro step at a time if needed - on all three axes and that would help me to be incredibly accurate in my vertical and horizontal shots. I also enjoy shooting landscape photography in my free time and I’ve found that the more I use it out in the field, the happier I am with it. Since owning this head, I can’t see ever using a ball head again.
I’ve always kept up with other photographers in my niche (real estate photography) and almost every one of them said that a geared head should be considered a mandatory piece of equipment in our bags. The main feature of a geared head is that it allows users to frame their images precisely - one micro step at a time if needed - on all three axes and that would help me to be incredibly accurate in my vertical and horizontal shots. I also enjoy shooting landscape photography in my free time and I’ve found that the more I use it out in the field, the happier I am with it. Since owning this head, I can’t see ever using a ball head again.
If you’re a photographer, you
already know that anything photo related can get very expensive, and geared
heads are no exception. When Manfrotto originally released this head, they said
it was an entry level model. I’ve always liked and owned Manfrotto products
and this head even came with two quick release plates. It
was recommended as being ideally-suited for use with lighter systems such
as mirrorless cameras, but I use it all the time for my macro work with a full frame Canon DSLR (with a
battery grip) fitted with a 100mm macro with no problems so far!
The price was very affordable, but seriously, I was very reluctant about a tripod head made out of plastic.
Manfrotto calls the material “Adapto Technopolymer”. This makes the head really
lightweight, only 1.65 lbs. Because of its weight though, I can easily it carry
around on a full day of shooting. The first thing you’ll notice when you take it out of the box is
that it has a very solid feel to it. Because I did my homework, I knew that all
the drive gears inside were still made of metal and I liked the fact it had
quick release handles on all three rotation knobs and three bubble levels. Some
features that pricier models don’t even offer!
I’ve always been pretty easy on my gear, but I’ve dropped this
quite a few times and it’s held up like a pro. Manfrotto has this head listed on
their website at $244.49, but if you show around you can probably save over fifty dollars and you might even get free shipping!
I have to admit that I’m very
happy with this purchase and it’s held like a pro for several years with no
problems so far. Maybe this is something you’d like to have in your photo kit? Click this link below or best price
online, I think you'll love it. I hope you found this post useful. Manfrotto MXPRO
And remember, as always, keep shooting and
have some fun!
