Manfrotto 536 4-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod

Comments about Manfrotto 536 4-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod:

USES:
-Pro Video work
-Docs, Features, Shorts, Web Content
-Used with new "bridge tech" Manfrotto 504 head

PROS:
-Light weight, minimal vibrations, 75mm/100mm bowl options
-Legs fully extended are amazingly tall
-Legs angle out to get a great low angle, replaces a high hat in most situations
-Amazing versatility
-The legs move independently of one another so shooting in the field is simplified. Shot around a rocky creek bed with ease.

CONS:
-I do wish there was an optional spreader, to keep the legs locked in place. After they're broken in the legs will fall into place, which is good at the end of the day, but makes slight tripod repositioning a pain at times.
-Since there's not spreader extending the legs while the camera is attached is a bit of a balancing act, even with two people.
-Metal spikes did end up scratching a floor, the rubber knobs naturally start to screw themselves up the threading, exposing the sharp points. Wooden floors beware.

Comments about Manfrotto 536 4-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod:

Sturdy, lightweight, and very versatile. The height range is incredible. I am using it with my Canon 7D on a Kessler Hercules Head and Pocket Dolly. Love it!

Comments about Manfrotto 536 4-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod:

I am very pleased thus far with this tripod. It is sturdy and well-made and I am extremely happy with it's height range. I can spread out the legs and get my camera less than 18" off the ground or extend the legs all the way and scrape the ceiling.
They are very light and the payload weight limit is generous. The leg locks are clean and positive and feel sturdy.
The overall light weight, versatility and very small and compact closed length make this an excellent value.
Did I mention the alluring good looks of the carbon fiber and magnesium fittings?
I paired this with a Cartoni Focus HD head (4.4 lbs) for the best all-around performing and light-weight package. I also easily mount a 15lb. IndiSliderPro for smooth tracking shots.

Only negative might be they are not nearly as fast to set up as a Hot Pod or other news type stix. The leg levers are a bit tight at first but are breaking in well and smoothly.

Comments about Manfrotto 536 4-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod:

Im very impressed with the Manfrotto 536.
I chose it for height. Getting the camera way above crowds at conferences or sporting events give much better shots.
Being carbon fiber its light to carry.
I would like to get a bubble level for it.
There is a level in the head but its good to set the t-pod level first so that the tripod is more symmetrical, stable & not working against gravity as much.

Where can i get a bubble level for the Manfrotto 536 ?

Comments about Manfrotto 536 4-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod:

very smooth tripod, solid construction, easy to manuever

Comments about Manfrotto 536 4-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod:

It's tall--very tall--dark, and stable. It works low as well. Is there anything it can't do? I don't know, and I don't want to know--I'm in love with this thing!

Like my review of the Cartoni Focus head, I won't knock this tool for being "heavy." It's stable--not heavy. If I needed something that I knew I'd be hauling over the Andes on my back I'd MIGHT use the smaller, shorter 3-section Manfrotto 535--which I also own-but I'd miss the stability of this one. For 99% of my (documentary) work, this tripod is no-nonsense perfection.

Comments about Manfrotto 536 4-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod:

I love this tripod, it's only fault is it could be a little heavier and use a floor spreader for studio video work. I guess that's not much of a fault though as I bought it to go run and gun. It's a great tripod and extends over my head when fully raised, yet goes to a distance below my knees when at it's lowest. A great option for any DSLR shooter.

Comments about Manfrotto 536 4-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod:

I use this tripod with 504HD head. Gorgeous, Carbon Magnesium, Single Leg, 3-Section, Long, Steady and fast in application.

Very happy with it.

Comments about Manfrotto 536 4-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod:

These legs are pleasantly versatile giving you the ability to shoot from 10-inches from the ground to about 7-feet. They are bulky/sturdy and yet light-weight. This is definitely a good option for photographer/videographers with dSLR video rigs. If you would be inconvenienced by the lack of a spreader then obviously this isn't for you. My only issue is that my rig is not heavy enough to make the legs and tripod sturdy when panning at high resistance. Added balast is required.

Comments about Manfrotto 536 4-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod:

I use this Tripod for event videography and music video work, The Height that you can get out of these sticks is amazing and they are very stable at max height. They also open up to a very low setting so you can tripod the camera about a foot off the ground.

Comments about Manfrotto 536 4-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod:

The heigth range of those legs is incredible. I can place the camera lens from my knee to above my head (in fact I can stand under the legs and I'm 5'9"). I love the design without spreaders as I think they get in the way more than they are usefull (I used both). The ability to use either 75mm or 100mm bowl head is a huge plus in term of flexibility. Not the fastest to set up but quickly forgotten because of the huge heigth range (I'm spoiled having used O'connor legs with a quick release that let you adjust all three legs in one move).

Comments about Manfrotto 536 4-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod:

I use these sticks for live events such as concerts, weddings, corporate, interviews, etc. I did not realize how tall and sturdy these were until I opened the box and quickly adjusted to full length! These things will clear any crowd, you can shoot over a wall if you need to. They are sturdy, no twisting of the legs like my last set. Very well made and give you confidence that they will last a very long time.

Comments about Manfrotto 536 4-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod:

I specialize in wildlife videos shot with Canon dslr's and heavy Canon telephoto lenses. With all the peripherals (external monitors, audio recorders, mics, etc.) the overall weight overpowered my former video head/tripod combination, so I upgraded to the new Manfrotto 504HD video head and the Manfrotto 536 4-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod. An excellent combination in terms of strength, durability, and toughness. Since I have to pack all this stuff into the field, the lightness of the 536 is vital. The carbon fibre technology also noticeably absorbs vibration very effectively compared to my previous aluminum tripods. The only "con" I can think of is minor -- it doesn't ship with a kevlar carrying case.

Comments about Manfrotto 536 4-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod:

This is a really good tripod. I checked it out at NAB 2010 in LasVegas, and found it to be very sturdy - especially for a tripod with no center support triangle or spreader. The Carbon Fiber makes it very light, which is a plus in carrrying around lots of gear. I use the 504 Head on the regular trpod sticks for most of my shooting, however there are many times that I want to get a higher angle shot. This trpod is the ticket./ It's increased height helps out greatly when you have to fight mininum focus distance with so many of today's video cameras.

Comments about Manfrotto 536 4-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod:

I use this tripod to video when I need height for filming advantage. It is tall and very stable! The legs slide out smooth for quick set up.

I never realize carbon legs heat up at high altitude on a sunny day! It does get hot to touch after hours in the sun! 90 deg F weather.

Despite heat from the sun, carbon is very stable. I did not notice any change in performance characteritics on this tripod.

Other than its weight to haul around for outdoor filming, I love it!!

Comments about Manfrotto 536 4-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod:

I use this tripod for my job as professional videoman. It is terrific to perfoem the job, with 4 stages you can adjust the heigh, independence legs you can make any angle... Overall, it is so good!!!

Comments about Manfrotto 536 4-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod:

The Manfrotto 536 was exactly what I was looking for in a (relatively) low-cost tripod for my Sachtler fluid head. A primary difficulty for my work was getting enough height from traditional video tripods, and crank-up center post tripods wobble since you're actually on a monopod once raised. The 536 goes so high I have to stand on a box to mount and run my Sony XDCAM EX, yet it can still drop to lower than 15" off the floor if needed. The 100mm half bowl with 75mm insert offers flexibility for using different fluid heads down the road without changing tripods. The carbon fiber keeps weight manageable while remaining a very beefy support capable of handling a larger camera rig or rail-based system.

On the downside, there is no bubble level or spreader. Considering that many halfbowl-mounting fluid heads have their own level, and you can add a ground spreader or dolly, that's not much of an inconvenience. Each leg can be fully adjusted for height and angle independently, a feature tripods with built-in mid- or ground-level spreaders often don't allow. I have both styles, and I prefer the flexibility of tripod adjustment over the stability a spreader offers.

Overall, this tripod far exceeded my expectations at its price point, and has pretty much replaced my Sachtler SpeedLock carbon fiber tripod for general use. Mounted on a Manfrotto 127VS dolly, I've used it with camcorder raised to over 7 feet while maintaining a footprint of only about 30" diameter, and it was still very stable when panning. Highly recommended at this point. Time will tell if it lasts under heavy use, but I see nothing that should cause problems.

It's simple, it looks very professional (if your client has such concerns), it's lightweight for its extreme range of height capabilities, and the money you save over "big name" tripod legs will pay for a "big name" half-bowl mount fluid head to put on top of it.

Comments about Manfrotto 536 4-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod:

Incredible!
This 536 of 100 m/m bowl and carbon fiber tripod is THE BEST, and it's so worth the value.
Stabilizes greatly and works excellent with TSN-774/TELEPHOTO and HVR-A1J for capturing wildlife in Central Park.

Comments about Manfrotto 536 4-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod:

I cover various events from news to feature with a Sony EX-1 video camera. This tripod will get you above the crowd and give you the stability you need for video. I was surprised at how light it was even after knowing before ordering.