Home > Consumer Reviews > Manfrotto 728B Digi Compact Tripod with Integrated 3-Way Head and Carrying Bag (Black)

This tripod is sleek and light and I like it. I'm not crazy about the fact that the very top of the head, the part that locks onto the part that attaches to my camera, is not flat on top. This means I can't rest or perch things on top of it. Everything must be screwed down.

I purchased my DSLR w/ grip two years ago and purchased this tripod one year ago. I'm not a professional. I just wanted something that would get the job done without breaking the bank. It doesn't have to be the lightest, most compact, most functional tripod on the market; I just need it to work. And it does.

It's a very well rounded tripod in my opinion. It's well built and sturdy, extends enough for me to stand straight up while shooting both portrait and landscape (I'm 5'10"), and doesn't weigh a ton. I do a lot of long exposure night shots, so I can take time to get the camera exactly where I want it, though I'm sure with a good ballhead I could get the framing a few seconds faster (though I've heard cheap ballheads tend to slip as they get older). I'm able to go from fully compact to fully extended and locked in about 20 seconds and then back to compact in about 15 seconds (not trying to blaze through it, just average speed). It's small enough and light enough to fit perfectly against my Lowepro Flipside 300 Backpack (Black), and I will happily be traveling with it to Guatemala next month for a week of taking pictures.

In summary: I'm sure there are quicker locking mechanisms, lighter carbon tubes, more compact legs, and nicer heads on several other nicer tripods, but I enjoy purchasing just what I need and utilizing it to it's full extent. This tripod is not top of the line, but it's not a cheaply made entry level gimmick. It's a great all around tripod that just gets the job done, and that's exactly what I wanted.

I have never felt limited/handicapped in taking pictures by the functions/quality of my tripod.

After being asked to pay an exorbitant fee at the airport to place my old tripod in the hold, I knew I needed something more compact. This tripod is great. It fits in my check-in bag just fine. The model is steady and expands enough that even six-footers can use it easily. It can be set up in almost no time at all. The case can be carried over the shoulder easily until the unit is needed. Light-weight and very mobile. It is so responsive I can follow a flight of birds with my 20x spotting scope. Very glad I purchased it.

I trusted this tripod with my Canon XHA1, and it didn't let me down. Purchased for a media fam trip to France, it fit perfectly in my camera case. Bungee cords worked well to tie the tripod down to the case when in operation in the field. Tripod setup and adjustment were fast and easy.

I put this tripod through a "professional duty" workout, and it performed nicely, much better than the cheaper compact tripods.

I have an Olympus Evolt 500 and this tripod works fine. This is a great tripod for a $100.00. For anyone on a budget this makes a great addition to their photography equipment.