Manfrotto 190Xpro4 £229/$299

An old favourite, revamped and remodelled

Manfrotto’s highly popular 190-series tripods are now split into 190 and ‘190go!’ categories. The latter uses twist locks for the leg sections, whereas the current 190 range has redesigned ‘Quick Power Lock’ levers. Choices include threesection and four-section aluminium legs, with XPRO heads of either 3-way or ball design. Carbon fibre alternatives are only available for the 190Go! series.

In this price bracket, the four-section 190XPRO4 ball head kit (MK190XPRO4-BHQ2) is our top choice. It’s a full-sized tripod that reaches a lofty operating height of 175cm, yet shrinks to a fairly modest folded height of 57cm. That’s despite the tripod lacking swing-up legs.

In this latest version, the 90-degree pivot facility is quicker and easier to operate, enabling you to swap to horizontal boom mode in just a few seconds. The four-way, multi-angle leg lock is also improved, and the new locking levers for the leg sections have an innovative design that enables you to push one side of the lever or pull the other to release them.

Performance

The tripod legs remain rigid and sturdy even at their maximum operating height, with the centre column fully extended. The real star of the show, however, is the XPRO ball head. It’s absolutely rock-solid, comes complete with an adjustable friction damper and pan only release, plus two bubble levels. Overall, it’s the best head in the group, and the legs are pretty good too. Even so, it’s a pricey kit that omits extras like a set of interchangeable or retractable metal spikes for the feet. But if you want a carrying bag, you’ll have to buy one separately.