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I wanted a compact tripod and I had chosen this one. I wanted something that was small and light weight with some amount of strength and durability as well. Most of the cheap compact tripods that I have used in the past were garbage. They had no durability and I found myself breaking components on them accidentally and rendering them useless.
The Manfrotto 714SHB has a rigid aluminum construction and feels very solid compared to others in this class. It weighs in at 2.2lbs (1kg) and folds to a very compact 14 inches in length. It reaches to a maximum height of 47" fully extended.
The ball head on this tripod will lock firmly into position by twisting a knob on the bottom of the center column. The tripod boasts support of 5.5lbs of equipment, so I tested it by mounting my Canon 10D with the 75-300 lens and the 420EX flash on this tripod. The tripod was remarkably steady with this amount of equipment on it, and this is much more equipment that I would normally mount on this tripod. The tripod does become a bit top-heavy with this much equipment mounted on it.
The center column on this tripod will also reverse for suspending the camera underneath. This is a feature that is practically non-existent on tripods this size.
Advantages of this tripod:
* Lightweight and easy to transport
* Very rigid for a tripod of its size
* Durable
* Comes with a nylon drawstring carry case with shoulder straps
Disadvantages:
* It will not support a lot of weight without becoming too top-heavy
* The camera mounts directly to the tripod without a quick release
* Not tall enough for some applications
Suggestions:
For the serious photographer, I don't think this would make a good primary tripod. However, I think it is probably one of the best secondary tripods I have seen for quick and simple portable applications. I think this tripod is strong and stable enough to hold all consumer grade digital cameras and the point and shoot 35mm models as well. It will hold a digital/film SLR camera, but caution should be taken when using this tripod for that type of equipment. It does become a bit top heavy, so make sure the footing is solid.
Why I wanted this tripod:
I needed something that I could fit into the saddlebags on my motorcycle and something that was easy to carry into the mountains while hiking. My Bogen 3221/3047 is a bit too heavy and bulky for long trips on foot and it's not small enough to pack on my motorcycle. My camera bag also has straps on the bottom where I can connect the tripod to carry on the bag.
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