Review on 🎥 Manfrotto MVK500AM Black Lightweight Fluid Video System: Superior Stability with Twin Legs and Middle Spreader by Rich Rickenbaugh

I'm a cinematographer and have had fairly modest tripods for years, usually in the $100-$150 range. For this price you can get some sturdy tripods that are good for photography but not good for filming. In particular, it is not possible to take pan/tilt shots without jerks. I used a couple of old Manfrotto tripods at school and definitely saw value in them so I bought this as my first true "video tripod". I really like him a lot! It's not cheap, but it's very easy to make a smooth-topped pan. You can even do this with just one finger, just gently waving. On my first shoot, we shot two of those scenes, and they both worked great. The camera also works very well for other static shots. It's very solid and climbs quite high (6ft) and the quick release mechanism works very well (although it takes a bit of getting used to). I use it with Canon XA10. The only thing that bugs me about it is trying to line it up for a "normal" static shot. The ball joint mechanism is actually a bit awkward to straighten out. It has a spirit level, but it's in a very awkward position, making it difficult to see, especially in less bright conditions. However, this is a brilliant tripod. Some of the other cinematographers I worked with on this project also thought highly of him and said they really enjoyed working with him.