The MT055CXPRO3 is Manfrotto’s top of the line tripod for still photography. Like all Manfrottos, it is quite affordable compared to the high end tripod brands. It is built more like an all purpose tripod than the modular systematic lines, but includes a number of unique features such as the horizontal center column. As we can see below, the MT055CXPRO3 performs very well for its price, making it one of the best value tripods available.
Name | Manfrotto MT055CXPRO3 |
Class | All Purpose |
Yaw Stiffness | 847 +/- 4 Nm/rad |
Yaw Damping | 0.367 +/- 0.037 Js/rad |
Pitch Stiffness | 2698 +/- 14 Nm/rad |
Pitch Damping | 0.408 +/- 0.041 Js/rad |
Retail Price | $340 |
Weight | 4.26 lbs (1.933 kgs) |
Manufacturer weight rating | 19.8 lbs |
Maximum Height | 55.1 in (140.0 cm) |
Minimum Height | 11.5 in (29.2 cm) |
Max Height with Center Column | 66.4 in (168.7 cm) |
Center Column | Yes |
Base Diameter | 2.3 in (5.8 cm) |
Folded Length | 24.8 in (63.0 cm) |
Folded Circumference | 12 in (30.5 cm) |
Folded Volume | 284.0 cu. in. (4.7 liters) |
Leg Material | Carbon Fiber |
Leg Sections | 3 |
Primary Leg Angle | 25.0 deg |
Leg Locks | Flip |
Top Tube Diameter | 29.2 mm |
Second Tube Diameter | 24.8 mm |
Third Tube Diameter | 20.5 mm |
Exchangeable Feet | No |
Foot Type | Rubber |
Bottom Hook | No |
The stiffness and damping data are the averages of 10 trials for each measurement. The reported error is the standard error, except in the case of the damping data. I have set the error in the damping at 10% as the standard error metric does not appropriately capture the error in fitting to the data. All of the reported specifications are measured, with the exception of the weight rating. The tripod is measured at full height, with the center column down.
Bonus Content:
Stiffness vs Height:
Example data for oscillations about the vertical axis of the tripod (Yaw):
Well behaved data.
Example data for oscillations about the radial axis of the tripod (Pitch):
Also well behaved data for the pitch stiffness. The damping is fairly linear as well, giving us more confidence than usual in that fit.