SLR Geek

A personal review of the Bogen – Manfrotto 055CX3 Carbon Fiber Tripod. I’ve always enjoyed Manfrotto products and this one is no exception. It’s extremely versatile and has positive locking features. I purchased this tripod and head for use primarily with my Canon 5D Mark II for video and still capture and for astronomical photography with my Canon 40D and macro shots with my Canon Rebel XTi at work. In all the photos I have a Manfrotto 701HDV video head mounted. Stay tuned to SLRGeek for a future article dealing with this head. Made in Italy the Manfrotto 055CX3 has a very high professional production build quality. The three legs have three sections each made of 100% carbon fiber and the top plate and center column are made of aluminum with die-cast parts made of magnesium. The carbon fiber’s density of 1.75g/cm3 results in a very significant weight savings vs a regular aluminum tripod leg’s 2.7 g/cm3. The magnesium component’s lower density of 1.74g/cm3 vs aluminum 2.70g/cm3 also results in weight reduction for the cast components. In addition the center column allows the head to be mounted above or below the center support for height flexibility. Latches at the top of each led allow the legs to be released out to greater angles for more stability and / or a lower stance.

Despite the light weight it’s extremely stable when setup with your expensive and heavy camera / lens combo with a maximum weight load limit of 17 pounds or 7.23 kilograms. For those who feel the need for extra height it reaches a maximum height of 69.7 inches or 1770mm. I find these specifications as more then adequate for my needs.

Want to get one of those cool night shots with car tail lights running through the photo (red streak in photo below)? A good tripod does this and more!

Accessories:

The Manfrotto 055CX3 also comes with a handy tool mounted on one leg ready to tighten any loose leg latch bolts. A cable release guide is included on the top plate to keep the release down and out of the way. A quick release pin on the bottom of the center column allows the column to be quickly removed.

My Canon 100-400 IS L lens mounted to the Manfrotto tripod and Canon 40D ready for a moon shot:

The resulting moon shot with critical sharpness thanks to the carbon fiber tripod!

Carbon Fiber Advantages:

Carbon fiber tubes are made with vastly different quality depending on manufacturer. Production process and the amount of carbon material can create a difference in the strength and dampening abilities of the tubes. Manfrotto tripods have maximum quality since they use 100% carbon fiber and a special production process (pull winding technology to maximize reliability, performance and resistance to vibrations and loads).

Carbon Fiber vs Aluminum in use:

You only have to go back to your old aluminum tripod once to realize how much of a difference the carbon fiber makes. I had been using a 2 second timer to get most of my tripod mounted photos with my Canon Rebel XTi macro photos and I found this just wasn’t cutting it. The aluminum tripod would still be vibrating slightly after pushing the shutter release. Also vibrations in the clean room would go up through the legs of the tripod causing a slight blurring of the longer shutter speeds. After releasing the shutter with the camera mounted to a carbon fiber tripod the vibration cessation is almost instant! Of course I have to mention the approximate 35% reduction in weight when carrying a tripod any distance. Once you haul a heavy tripod up several miles of trail to get that perfect landscape photo every ounce of weight reduction is highly appreciated.

A sky and landscape shot using my tripod:

Pros:

Vastly superior dampening
Much less flexing under load
Lighter weight, about 30% under a similar sized non-carbon fiber tripod
Resistance to temperature changes, they don’t feel as hot or cold to the bare hands when handled

Cons:

Cost
Can result in a little more top heaviness due to the light weight below

Conclusion:

For those who want the perfect critical sharpness in their photos a stable well made vibration dampening tripod is a must. The Bogen – Manfrotto 055CX3 Carbon Fiber Tripod fulfills this need and then some! I highly recommend it.