Manfrotto 3205GN Legs & 486 Ball Head

8/27/09

I'm going to break this article into two parts, one for the leg set and one for the head so it will be more manageable, and because the parts are interchangeable and not everyone uses the same combination of parts. I can only speak of what parts I use and what works for me. I used my 300 f/4.5 for the illustrations to show it really does hold that weight at all angles with no problems.

3205GN Legs

Build Quality

The Manfrotto 3205GN Leg set is an aluminium leg set with three piece extendable legs. The GN designation means the top leg section is powder coated olive green to better blend in with nature.  The lower leg sections are black and also pretty low key.  The top sections have black foam rubber grips to keep your hands from freezing to the metal in the cold.  Each leg lock is lever action, a huge advantage over the old screw tightening leg locks for two reasons: first, they can be easily operated with gloves on, and second, they can be operated quickly.   Being able to quickly adjust your tripod to the terrain can mean the difference between getting the shot and missing it, especially when shooting birds or nature. 

Adjustable legs rock. Here is the the 3205 at home. Note the different leg angles and height.

Each leg angle is independently adjustable with the push of a switch from the standard angle to 90 degrees, allowing the tripod to be set up quickly on any type of terrain, as well as to get a lower perspective. The bottom of each leg has a threaded foot that can be screwed in to expose a spike. This is to supposedly give more stability in loose terrain. I have never used this, as the rubber pads provide more surface area, are adequately stable, and do not damage the surface more than necessary.  The center column is a triangle shape to keep it from twisting as you pan, and really does make it much smoother when panning or trying to frame something.

Real Usage

I have dragged this tripod literally across continents since I got it 7 years ago. It has seen heavy usage from Hawaii to Maine.  It has been exposed to the salt spray of both the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, as well as the alkaline waters of Mono Lake, and have never experienced a problem with it.  There is some rust on the threaded part of the foot spikes, but I never use these anyway so its really a non-issue. There is also some oxidation on some of the screw heads, but this does not affect operation in any way. If this bothers you, some wax based oil such as White Lightning (for bike  chains) will protect them.  Apparently Manfrotto has addressed even this in the new model with stainless steel hardware.  This tripod really is rock solid, it does not twist at all when pressure is applied at the top. The legs are very tight laterally, and there is no movement from normal use even when fully extended. The entire thing feels very precise during use, every lock pops open and closed with a definitive click and the legs extend smoothly. The leg postition locks can be operated easily one handed, and are large so that they are easy to manipulate even with gloves on. Features like this can be easily overlooked in a showroom, but are extremely important in the field.

The adjustable legs are invaluable in providing the option to get the camera lower for a different perspective, something that standard tripods lack.  This results in the same eye level photos that everyone else using a tripod would get.  Comparing this to some of the cheap tripods out there is like comparing night and day. The cheap ones will twist and move around, especially if it is windy, while the more expensive ones will just hold rock solid.  Just do yourself the favor if you do much low light or night shooting, you won't regret it.

486 Ball Head

Build Quality

The 486 ball head is a great little ball head to carry around day to day. It comes in a couple versions, of which I have the RC2 quick release style.  For me, quick releases are not an option but a necessity as they allow you to move around quickly and change out gear in seconds.  The quick release has a pin to keep it open when there is no QR plate in it, but the minute you stick one in with your camera on it, the lock swings shut.  The lock has a safety catch on it, which will keep the lever from opening again and releasing the camera should you snag it on a strap or your clothes. This catch can be turned on or off, I usually just leave it off since I take my camera off the tripod when I am moving.

There is one lever to control all movement, and two cutouts to allow the camera to go vertical on either side. The lever is adjustable with respect to its direction when tightened so it can be customized to individual preferences. It is also not prohibitively expensive at only about $75.

Real Usage

I have been using this head for quite a few years and never had a problem with it.  I would not go back to shooting on a tripod again without one. With the multiple axis control from just one lever, tripod leveling is history and I can focus on composition without knobs and locks getting in the way of shooting.  It is rated for 13.2lbs, and that is more than adequate for any of today's 35mm equipment, except maybe some crazy telephotos.