Manfrotto Befree GT PRO Carbon Tripod Review
Why I Have the Manfrotto Befree GT PRO Carbon Tripod
As I recently mentioned in my review of the Manfrotto PRO Light Backloader Backpack, tripods and camera bags are one of the photographic accessories you will likely replace the least often. A well-made, solid tripod should span the lifetime of more than one camera.
For most photographers the inclusion of one tripod in their kit bag is enough to cover most of their photographic needs. I on the other hand normally need access to a 2nd tripod. This might be a tripod that I carry in addition to my main tripod to allow me to create video content at the same time as taking photographs, or it might be a lightweight tripod I use when hillwalking in Scotland.
Unlike my primary tripod which has remained consistent for longer than I can remember, it's my secondary tripod that I've struggled to settle on. I've found it challenging to find something that is lightweight, versatile and stable. So when Manfrotto reached out to me and asked if I'd like to review their Manfrotto Befree GT PRO Carbon Tripod, I jumped at the chance.
In this blog post I'm going to tell you a little bit about this tripod, and I'll share my real-world experience of using it.
Before I go any further though, I must say that Manfrotto sent me this tripod free of charge in exchange for writing this review. However, they have not asked me to say anything and everything I write here are my own thoughts (good and bad). They will see this review for the first time when I publish it here.
The Manfrotto Befree GT PRO Carbon Tripod high up on the hills around Glencoe in Scotland.
Where To Buy the Manfrotto Befree GT PRO Carbon Tripod
If you'd like to buy the Manfrotto Befree GT PRO Carbon Tripod, it's available just about anywhere, including:
Please note that the Amazon and WEX links are affiliate links. I may receive a small commission if you purchase through those links, but it does not affect the price that you pay.
Features of the Manfrotto Befree GT PRO Carbon Tripod
In this review I'm going to talk about most of the features and specifications of the Manfrotto Befree GT PRO Carbon tripod, but if you want a full breakdown of everything this tripod has then check out all the specifications over on the Manfrotto website. This tripod is also part of the Manfrotto Befree collection so many of the same features in this tripod apply to the other tripods in the range. If you like the look of this tripod but it doesn't quite match your requirements, do check out the other tripods in the collection.
Tripod Legs
The tripod is made of carbon fibre and weighs approximately 1.55 kg (including the supplied head). Closed down the tripod length is 43 cm, extended it is 138cm and with the centre column extended it reaches a maximum height of 162 cm. Closed down the tripod is both small enough and light enough to carry by hand or it can be attached to your camera bag (or inside a checked bag if flying).
The Manfrotto Befree GT PRO Carbon Tripod attached to the Manfrotto PRO Light Backloader Backpack
Each leg comprises of 4 sections that can be extended or contracted using a twist lock style mechanism. The angle of the legs can also be independently adjusted.
Other features include:
The legs have rubber feet.
The tripod supports a maximum weight of 12kg.
There is a hook should you wish to hang something off it like a camera bag.
The tripod has a Manfrotto Easy Link connector allowing you to add accessories such as lights.
A tripod carrying case is supplied.
Tripod Head
My tripod came as a kit which means the box contained both the tripod legs and a Manfrotto Advanced 496 Aluminium Centre Ball Head. The ball head has three controls. There is an independent panoramic knob that allows the head to pan 360 degrees without adjusting the position of the camera on the ball head. The other two controls are for the ball mechanism itself. The first control allows you to adjust the position of the camera on the head, and the other control allows you to adjust the friction level of the head.
You mount your camera to the tripod head using the included Manfrotto quick release plate, the RC2.
Using the Manfrotto Befree GT PRO Carbon Tripod in the Real World
What Is the Real World?
For me, the main function of this tripod is for landscape photography and video content creation. So, it will either be my primary tripod for my landscape photography when I need something compact and lightweight, or my video tripod when I'm creating content for YouTube. As this review will mostly focus on my use of this tripod for landscape photography, I decided to put it to use on a recent trip to the highlands of Scotland. With cold, wet and windy weather, and plenty of hills and mountains to climb, it's a great real-world environment to test this tripod.
Carrying the Befree GT PRO
Closed down the Befree GT PRO tripod is easy to carry.
At just 43cm closed down, and a weight of 1.55kg the Befree GT Pro is easy to carry around. For the most part I had the tripod attached to the side of one of my camera bags. Once on my bag I barely noticed it was there. It's not heavy so I didn't feel it pulling the bag to one side, and it's shorter than my camera bags so it fits neatly on the side as well.
Moving about with the tripod in your hands is easy as well. With the legs still extended it's easy enough to walk short distances, and if I need to walk a bit further it's compact and light enough to carry by hand.
Extending and Closing Down the Befree GT PRO
If a tripod is difficult to extend or collapse and fold away, you are much less likely to use it. I didn't have any problems with the twist locks on this tripod. The locks were easy to twist and unlock, releasing the legs to be extended. I didn't experience any sticking, and I was able to use them with cold hands and with gloves on. I could extend all three legs to their maximum length in no time at all.
The centre column can also be extended, and this has a separate mechanism at the top of the tripod.
Equally, closing down the tripod was a simple affair. It takes slightly longer as you need to turn each twist lock separately, but it's hardly an arduous task. You then have the option of folding the closed legs up towards the tripod head to make it even more compact, but this also requires you to extend the centre column as well. For me, this small bit of extra effort isn't worth the few centimetres in height it saves. It is something I would consider doing if I was travelling with the tripod though.
Tripod Heads
I'm not a big fan of ball heads as I much prefer the precision nature of a geared head. However, ball heads are often smaller and lighter and therefore they are often a better choice if you are spending the day walking in the mountains. I was pleasantly surprised with the Manfrotto 496 head that is included in this kit. Yes, it lacks the total precision of a geared head, but thanks to the addition of the friction control knob it's possible to dial in just the right amount of friction for the weight of your camera and lens. This means it is a lot easier to control the movement of the head when you do release it. This doesn't make me a ball head convert, but it does make the choice of taking a ball head instead of a geared head a lot easier.
But the good thing about this tripod is that the head isn't fixed to the legs so you can remove it. This opens up a whole world of different tripod heads (with 3/8" mounting) that you can fit to the Befree GT Pro. For me, I was able to use my favourite geared head, or when I really wanted to keep the weight to a minimum, I have an even lighter weight Manfrotto ball head (though it lacks the friction control of the 496 head).
For video work, I can also mount my Manfrotto video head.
Load, Balance and Stability
The primary purpose of a tripod is to provide a stable platform for your camera. If it can't do this then there is little point in carrying it about with you. However, the stability of a tripod is greatly affected by factors such as camera system weight (body and lens), environmental conditions (wind), and the types of photographs you will be taking (e.g. long exposures).
All reviews are subjective, but tripod reviews are particularly so. What is a good tripod for me, might not be for another person. So, bear in mind if I think this tripod provides a good stable platform, that's subjective and based on how I use it. If you shoot wildlife with an 800mm lens, your milage may vary!
With all that said, I used this tripod for landscape photography which means I was using my Nikon Z8 with either a Nikkor Z 14-30 f/4 S lens or Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S lens. This gives me a maximum system weight of approximately 1540g, plus maybe bit extra for filters. All well within the weight limit of 12kg for the tripod.
The Befree GT PRO with my Nikon Z8 and Nikkor 24-120mm f/4 S
In a horizontal orientation I experienced no issues with balance, even with my 24-120mm lens fully extended. With the camera in a vertical orientation, I still didn't experience any issues, though I do tend to be a bit more wary and may adjust the angle of one of the legs to provide additional balance. This is one of the reasons why I prefer my geared head as I can use my camera L-bracket to put the camera in a vertical orientation rather than using the ball head to do it.
For a lightweight tripod stability is good and I didn't experience any wobbles even when the wind was a bit breezier. I was also able to confidently capture some long exposure photographs. But this is a lightweight tripod, and it will have limits. I haven't found those limits yet, but there will be occasions where the wind is very strong and longer exposures will be challenging. In very windy conditions I would avoid extending the centre column to much (but this goes for any tripod with a centre column).
But based on my experience I would be confident with the stability of this tripod in most of the conditions I would be willing to be out in with my camera.
The ability to independently adjust the angle of the legs of the Befree GT Pro provides additional stability on uneven ground like this hillside.
Things I Would Change
No product is perfect, and the Befree GT Pro is no different. There are just a couple of minor things I would change:
Tripod spikes - I would like to have seen Manfrotto include spikes as well as rubber feet. While I believe you can buy a set of Manfrotto spikes, these are a proprietary fit and so you can't use standard 3rd party spikes. I'm a big fan of spikes as these can really improve the stability of a tripod.
Manfrotto 496 Head - Many of the Manfrotto heads require your camera to have an RC2 plate attached rather than the more universal arca-swiss style mounting (such as the one found on my L-bracket). It is possible to attach the RC2 plate to my L-Bracket, and then I attach it to the head, but I don't find this to be a versatile solution. Additionally, if you are shooting vertically, you really need to make sure the RC2 is tightly attached, or you may find the camera slipping on the plate (especially during long exposures).
Long Term Durability
The one thing I haven't been able to test is the long-term durability of the tripod. However, given it's manufactured by Manfrotto, and it comes with a 2+8-year warranty, I can't see any reason why it wouldn’t give me many years of happy use.
In Summary
I am very happy with my experience so far with the Manfrotto Befree GT Pro tripod. It's lightweight, compact, and sturdy. It's the perfect tripod if you are trying to keep your kit weight to a minimum and it easily attaches to my camera bags without becoming a burden. It's even the type of tripod I'd be happy to take out on family walks to capture those special group shots. Nothing bores the family more than waiting 10 minutes as you set up your tripod!
If your camera is mirrorless or generally lightweight, you'll find the maximum payload of 12kg more than enough even to make this your only tripod.
The tripod feels like a quality product and the legs extend and collapse easily making it a tripod you will want to use on a regular basis. The ball head is surprisingly nice to use, and proprietary plates aside, is a good addition to the legs.
The carbon fibre legs provide a stable platform for longer exposures.
As I said earlier in the review, there's no such thing as a perfect tripod and what's good for me, might not be good for you. It's always worth carefully considering how you will use any tripod and what camera you will be putting on it. But for me, Manfrotto Befree GT PRO is the perfect companion for me and my Nikon Z8 and those beautiful long walks in the Scottish Highlands.
I hoped you enjoyed this review of the Manfrotto Befree GT PRO backpack and if you have any questions, please leave me a comment below.