Me and my old 190NAT3 tripod are not going to do much adventuring together for now on. I am retiring it from active duty. All because I fell in love with the new 190 series from Manfrotto.
I’ve an old Manfrotto 190 tripod, the NAT series, (you know, those painted a matte green, ideal for nature photographers) that has been with me, uphill, downhill, for ages. It’s half corroded by oceanic waters, leg locks half-stuck from too much sand and mud (although I clean them, they tend to become hard to lock/unlock with age), and dented here and there. But I love it, and although I’ve had some different tripods through all these years, the 190NAT has been the one I pick for everything.
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A New and Versatile Tripod
Although the 190NAT3 is not a carbon fiber tripod, and it is rather heavy, I’ve tried to take it everywhere with me, when I feel I need a tripod. And to make sure I had it with me when I needed it, I always carried it in the trunk of my car. When people ask me for advice about tripods I usually tell them to get a 190, a version more recent than mine, because they offer some options I would gladly have on my old tripod. Still, I never changed.
Now, Manfrotto introduced their new 190 series, and I absolutely fell in love with it. The marketing blurb says that “The new 190 is a unique tripod that holds compactness and more transportability. It offers ultra-versatile settings that make it easier to release the imagination and creativity of every photographer” and I’ve to agree entirely with it. I’ve opted in for the new series, and this is the reason why my 190NAT3 is going to be put aside. It is still going to be used, in workshops, to make sure participants have a good tripod to support their camera, but I’ve selected the 190 series as my choice for the moment.
As I carry my tripod with me, on my backpack or suspended from my shoulder, I prefer the 4 section leg versions, that are usually more compact (some 10cm less in length), but the version I’ve got has 3 sections, and I’ve carried it along without problems. It is about the same size the 190NAT3, but extends further. In fact, it goes up to 135cm with the center column down, it can take loads up to 7 kg and the carbon fiber version weights some fantastic 1,6 kg and has 61cm length. The specs are similar to the 055 series, meaning that the new series is a step closer to the bigger brother, in fact.
How Low Can Your Tripod Go?
Because I had a chance to compare models, as I’ve a 190CXPRO4 tripod with me, I’ve decided it could be interesting for some to check the data for this model belonging to the previous 190 series. This is a really portable tripod. Again, there are different versions online, but this one offers a length of 50cm closed, extends to 122cm (without the center column) takes a load of 5 kg and has a weight of 1.34 kg.
There’s one value on the 190CXPRO4 that I want to discuss. The tripod can go down to the ground at 8 cm. My old 190NAT3 can only go down to… 41cm. There’s a good reason for it: the 190 series adopted a system allowing for the center column to be moved horizontally, something crucial for a lot of photographers. Manfrotto designed a system allowing the column to be moved from its shaft, and that opened new doors for macro photography, for example. This is a feature I have been living without, so that was a good reason to look with awe at the new 190 series.
In fact, the new 190 model I have goes down to 9cm, making it a fantastic tool for much of the photography I do. Although this and all the other specifications for the new 190 series (and yes, check online the different models and versions, please) are interesting, what was, for me, like the cherry on top of the cake, was the inclusion of the Easy Link system on this tripod.
The Magic of Easy Link
The marketing for the new 190 states that “taking its lead from our professional equipment lines, the new 190 also includes an Easy Link attachment in the top casting, allowing the tripod to expand shooting possibilities by holding a LED light, reflector or other accessory, and turning the 190 into a mobile studio.” It was this Easy Link that made me so much interested in the system. Yes, I want to be able to move my center column horizontally, but the Easy Link takes that option to a new level. And I am not just thinking about using it to support lights, as suggested, something I also tried. I’ve taken it further, to build my field studio for photographing wildlife.
You see, the new tripod made it easier for me build what I call a Field Light Studio, a portable solution that lets me photograph small animals (insects, bugs) on a white table, and at the same time offers me a white background for subjects like flowers. To hold the A4 size acrylic plate I use a JustinClamp attached to a Heavy Duty Arm, a Manfrotto studio flexible arm, 52cm long that attaches to the EasyLink (you’ll need an adapter). The Field Light Studio The Manfrotto 175F Justin Spring Clamp is essential, because it has a small ballhead with a Flash Shoe, meaning you can place a flash on the clamp, in case you need it. For some subjects photographed on the table, the flash offers enough coverage, and fast recycling times, as it is working very close to the subject. The second flash sits on the tripod head, which is a 054 Magnesium Ball Head with Q2 Quick Release, made especially for 190 tripods. Great piece of machinery that will keep your camera/flash steady.
Although the use with the Field Light Studio is a good reason in itself to buy a tripod like this, the new 190 is apt for many other things, as any other tripod. I’ve used it to photograph streams, something I will do quite a bit during this Winter, placing the tripod legs in water, and have had no problems yet. Although the legs became soiled with water and mud, they’ve been easy to clean, and I do appreciate the new Quick Power Lock leg lever design. QPL is ultra fast – all the locks on each leg can be released with one hand and a single movement. It is considerably easier than with the previous 190 models.
Together with the EasyLink, the moving center column makes this an excellent tripod. The new 90° centre column mechanism is, I’ve to agree “an impressive match of imagination and engineering” and explains the new 190’s significantly more compact folded length. The new vertical-horizontal column mechanism is hidden inside the tripod’s top casting until it’s needed. In combination with the brand new flat top disc for the centre column, the new PRO mechanism considerably reduces the overall closed length of the tripod.
Nice Little Touches
There also some little touches that show how engineers looked at the tripod from a photographers point of view. The bubble level can be rotated 360°so it never falls inconveniently under a head locking lever, and can always be positioned where it’s more convenient for the user, something absent from older models and other tripods. Also the new leg angle selectors are more intuitive and more ergonomic, again cutting set-up time while also making the new 190 safer to use.
The 190 is the first example of a new house style that’s distinct, yet still distinctly Manfrotto, with bold, clean shapes and lines dictated by function. The Manfrotto logo and “Made in Italy” feature prominently, and help the new 190 to stand out from the crowd everywhere from point of sale to photo location. I do know that tripods are something most of us buy for life, but if you’re about to buy a new tripod, do yourself a favour and look at this model from Manfrotto. You might be surprised! I was and I am absolutely delighted with the things I can do with this tripod. It is the kind of gear that helps you to make better photographs.
Follow the link to know more about the new 190 series of tripods from Manfrotto