Product Description

The 190XB is lighter in weight and slightly more compact. The ergonomics of the leg angle release mechanism and the quick action leg locks themselves have also been greatly improved.

Product Details

• Brand: Manfrotto
• Model: 190XB,486RC2
• Dimensions: 5.00" h x 5.00" w x 20.87" l, 3.96 pounds

Features

• Leg angle presets increase the tripod's stability in bad weather conditions or on uneven terrain.
• Quick action leg locks with new improved design.

Amazon.com Product Description
This Manfrotto 190XB three-section tripod--which comes with the company's 486RC2 compact ball head--is stable, flexible, and easy to use, making it a great choice for amateur and professional photographers alike. The tripod is distinguished by its redesigned aluminum frame, which is lighter than previous incarnations and slightly more compact. As a result, it's more convenient to bring this tripod along on shoots without weighing yourself down. Plus, the ergonomics of the leg-angle release mechanism and the quick-action leg locks have also been greatly improved, making it a breeze to open, position, and close the tripod in just a few seconds. The tension of the locking mechanism is even user-adjustable, so you can find the right tension for your comfort level. And should you need to balance the tripod on an uneven surface, you can set each of the legs to a different spread angle over the tripod's center of gravity--a must for nature shots on outdoor terrain.

The 486RC2 compact ball head, meanwhile, is strong enough to support 35mm SLR cameras with medium lenses and light to medium format cameras. The head is outfitted with such features as a single indexed "ratchet" locking knob for 360-degree pan and +90/-90 degree tilt movements, sturdy all-metal construction, and a compact, rectangular 200PL quick-release plate system with a secondary safety latch. The quick-release system fits neatly under small-bodied still cameras up to SLR (even with tele lenses), or under small video cameras or spotting scopes. In addition, the plate's rubber pad provides a good grip without damaging the camera, while its angled sides help it fit perfectly and tightly into a wide range of Manfrotto heads. The repositionable ratchet pitches in by guaranteeing that the locking lever's action is never blocked through interference with the camera body, tripod shoulder, etc. The photographer simply pulls the lever outwards, freeing it up for a more comfortable position without affecting the locking mechanism. Finally, the head's double 90-degree groove (one on each side) makes it a breeze to switch from landscape to portrait regardless of how you're set up. The 486RC2 also works with the following optional plates: 200PL-38, 200PLARCH-14, and 200PLARCH-38.

Tripod specifications

• Color: Black
• Includes tripod head: No
• Closed length: 21.06 inches
• Minimum height: 3.15 inches
• Maximum height: 57.48 inches
• Maximum height with center column down: 46.65 inches
• Load capacity: 11 pounds
• Material: Aluminum
• Leg cross section: Round
• Column cross section: 3-faceted
• Leg sections: 3
• Bubble spirit level: No
• Leg angles: 25, 46, 66, and 88 degrees
• Center column: Rapid
• Column tube diameter: 25mm
• Attachment: 3/8-inch screw
• Leg tube diameter: 25, 20, and 16 mm
• Suggested dolly: 127, 127VS
• Weight: 3.97 pounds
• Warranty: 2 years

• Color: Black
• Load capacity: 13.23 pounds
• Panoramic rotation: 360 degrees
• Material: Aluminum
• Independent pan lock: No
• Lateral tilt: -90 / +90 degrees
• Quick release: Yes
• Secondary safety system: Yes
• Plate type: 200PL-14
• Attachment (bottom): 3/8-inch female thread
• Attachment: 1/4-inch screw
• Height: 3.93 inches
• Weight: 1.01 pounds
• Warranty: 2 years

Customer Reviews

This turned out to be a great tripod for me!
I bought it with plans of using it on a trip to Alaska. I had it delivered to a friend up there. It was waiting for me when I arrived. I only had a few moments to fondle it before we were off the next day exploring.

The quick release head is just that. Quick! I brought an extra attachment plate so I could switch camera's. The ball head is great for composing shots with no delay. It is also great for taking a series of shots for stitching together panorama's like the one I got of Polychrome Pass. The stitching software is very forgiving nowadays and I think odd overlaps may be even better.

Not all of the shots I captured were with the tripod but I did manage to get pictures of the first wild Brown Bear, Moose, Dall Sheep, and Caribou I've ever seen.

P.S. Before I settled on this model I checked a photography store that carried around a hundred tripod models. I set them up and broke them down and wiggled and lifted. These leg clamps are fast and easy to operate. This seemed a good solid all around model for me.

Great value, easy to use, sturdy
I purchased this product to use with my Nikon D300 with an AF-S VR 700-300 lens. So far I've used it hiking and it is not too heavy, but really sturdy. The quick release is very useful. It seemed perfectly steady with the camera attached in windy conditions, though I didn't extend the center column as a precaution. All in all, it's a great value. It would have been nice to get a case with it, but you can get a cheep one, anywhere, and I tend to attach it to my back pack, anyway.

very pleased overall
I spent a good bit of time researching and trying to figure out what I needed/wanted in a tripod. My previous experience was with one of those sunpack ones I picked up at a big box electronics retailer - what garbage. After finally giving up on the one I had I decided to invest in a good tripod. One I could strap onto my lowepro backpack and also use at home for lightbox type work. I needed to find a good balance for portability, cost, stability and reliability. Overall I am happy with this purchase. I wish it were a tiny bit less heavy but I realize that based on what equipment I have and plan to purchase it was pretty much what was needed for the stability aspect. It is compact enough for me and strap on my backpack without sticking out too much. It sets up quickly - I did not want the screw in type legs.

If I were to make one complaint it would be the head. Granted I have to play with it a little more but vertical/portrait set up does not work as well as I would have liked as it does not seem like it really does a true 90 degree angle. that said, the heads can be swapped out and I do plan to add other heads down the road... this is not really a deal breaker feature and it is a tripod that will grow easily with my needs

Right now my typical set up (heaviest) is a 20d, tamron 17-50mm or the sigma 10-20mm and have stuck a 430 speedlight on it as well.