Review on Manfrotto MKCOMPACTACN BK Compact Action Tripod by Larry Morris

First impression. I expected better build quality. It's not bad. I just expected better. The metal isn't as thin as the cheap tripods you can buy at Wall Mart, but it's also not as thick as other aluminum tripods in the same price range. My Neewer tripods are built stronger in the same price range. But the uniqueness here is in the pistol grip. It's plastic. The plastic isn't thick, but it's not thin either. This whole tripod is of average build quality. The ratchet wheel works well and locks well, although the plastic lever flexes a bit. Not tight enough. But it works pretty well. When tightened everything is pretty tight. Does not move. It comes with a carrying case which is nice. Not only is it thin nylon, it has plenty of thickness and padding, but it does have a drawstring waist. It would be cool if it had a zipper and a shoulder strap. I don't know how much money they saved there. Generally happy with it, but I don't see the way people talk about Manfrotto as high quality here. Of course they have better and more expensive tripods, but I didn't expect them to skimp on that. Don't get me wrong, it's worth the money, just expected better. Legs break easily almost too easily. The buckles work well, the derailleur knob seems to come loose. Let's see how this all behaves after some use.