The Manfrotto MT190XPRO series is the smaller, lighter version of Manfrotto’s top of the line MT055 series. The construction quality is identical though, making the MT190 a good option for people who don’t need a tripod quite as large as the MT055, but still want one tripod that is competent at everything. It is still a bit too large to be considered a travel tripod, but could be carried hiking without too much fuss. For the aluminum version, the stiffness is acceptable given the price point, but the damping is quite poor. I would thus not recommend the aluminum version for use with telephoto lenses.
| Name | Manfrotto MT190XPRO3 |
| Class | All Purpose |
| Stiffness About Vertical Axis | 348 +/- 1 Nm/rad |
| Damping About Vertical Axis | 0.046 +/- 0.005 Js/rad |
| Stiffness About Radial Axis | 1026 +/- 4 Nm/rad |
| Damping About Radial Axis | 0.124 +/- 0.012 Js/rad |
| Retail Price | $176 |
| Weight | 4.4 lbs (1.995 kgs) |
| Manufacturer weight rating | 15.4 lbs |
| Maximum Height | 53.6 in (136.1 cm) |
| Minimum Height | 11.5 in (29.2 cm) |
| Max Height with Center Column | 63.3 in (160.8 cm) |
| Center Column | Yes |
| Base Diameter | 2.3 in (5.8 cm) |
| Folded Length | 23 in (58.4 cm) |
| Folded Circumference | 12 in (30.5 cm) |
| Folded Volume | 264.0 cu. in. (4.3 liters) |
| Leg Material | Aluminum |
| Leg Sections | 3 |
| Primary Leg Angle | 24.5 deg |
| Leg Locks | Flip |
| Top Tube Diameter | 26.0 mm |
| Second Tube Diameter | 22.5 mm |
| Third Tube Diameter | 19.0 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.
Example data for oscillations about the vertical axis of the tripod:
We can see just how poor the damping is. It simply refuses to do so.
Poor damping makes for a sharp resonance though. No problems with trying to fit this data.
Example data for oscillations about the radial axis of the tripod:
As usual, the stiffness and damping are better about the radial axis, but still quite poor.
Clean data, not problems fitting.