Manfrotto 055 MT055CXPRO3 tripod review

Jul 10, 2023

Something of a stickler for tradition, this Manfrotto 055 series tripod has a conventional configuration. The market is currently awash with ‘travel tripods’ that have swing-up legs to reduce the stowage size. This one doesn't, so it's relatively large when folded down. The upside is that it's remarkably quick and easy to set up, gives a lofty maximum operating height, and delivers rock-solid support. Everything works intuitively, including the pivoting center column mechanism which adds versatility, but you’ll need to buy a head separately, plus a carrying bag if you feel the need for one.

Solid and sturdy

Tall maximum operating height

Pivoting center column

Pricey considering the lack of head and carrying bag

No additional spiked feet supplied

Quite large when folded down

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The Manfrotto 055 series of tripods has become somewhat legendary over the years and, for us, the MT055CXPRO3 is the pick of the bunch. Further down the pecking order, there's an aluminum 3-section edition that you can buy as just a set of legs or as a full kit with an optional ball head or 3-way head. There's also a 4-section carbon fiber edition that folds down somewhat smaller.For our money though, the 3-section carbon fiber version comes up trumps for rigidity and all-round performance, along with ease of use and a reasonably lightweight construction. It's pretty pricey though, especially considering that there's no ‘kit’ option for the 055 CXPRO3, so you need to add the cost of a suitable head, if you don't have one already.

Material: Carbon FiberFolded height: 63cm (75cm with ball head)Maximum operating height: 170cm (182cm with ball head)Minimum operating height: 9cm (horizontal center column)Pivot center column: 0/90 degreesWeight: 2.1kg (2.6kg with ball head)Load rating: 20kgSections per leg/centre column: 3 / 1Leg section diameters: 29.2, 24.8, 20.4mmLocking leg angles: 4 (25, 46, 66, 88 degrees)Feet: Rubber padsCase/bag included: None

The 3-section carbon fiber legs have unusually wide diameters of 29.2, 24.8, and 20.4mm from top to bottom, aiming to deliver excellent stability and rigidity even at their maximum extension, with a maximum load rating of no less than 20kg. Whereas many tripods nowadays are fitted with twist locks for each section, the 055 features flip locks. They’re of Manfrotto's latest ‘Quick Power Lock’ design, and are very quick and easy to use, which we’ll come to later.

Many tripods give the option of three lockable leg angles but the 055 goes one better with four. Splaying the legs to wider angles gives more stable support at lower operating heights, as well as enabling you to adjust to uneven terrain.

A key feature is the pivoting center column, which you can configure in regular vertical orientation or as a horizontal boom. The latter is particularly well suited to macro photography and for shooting with ultra-wide-angle and fisheye lenses, ensuring that the tripod feet don't creep into the picture. However, the center column can only be locked in vertical or horizontal positions, unlike in the directly competing Vanguard VEO 3+ 303CBS, which has a number of lockable angles through a complete 180-degree arc of movement. This makes the Vanguard arguably more versatile and includes the option of shooting right down at ground level, albeit with the camera upside down, whereas the Manfrotto has a minimum operating height of 9cm.

Up on top, the tripod features a sturdy platform for attaching a head, with a large diameter of 60mm. We’d pair the legs with the Manfrotto XPRO Magnesium Ball Head, which is available with either Manfrotto's proprietary 200PL-14 Quick Release Plate, or in a ‘Top Lock’ Arca-Swiss compatible version. Both have a load rating of 15kg. Alternatively, there's the Manfrotto XPRO 3-Way head with more traditional pan, tilt and swivel adjustments, which has a 12kg load rating.

Due to its pivoting mechanism, the 055's center column doesn't feature a weight hood at the bottom for adding ballast. Instead, there's a hook on the spider which doubles as an eyelet for attaching a carrying strap. On the same level as this, there's a 3/8-inch threaded socket beneath a protective cover for adding accessories like a Manfrotto arm for attaching lights, monitors, and other gadgets. There's also a bubble level to aid easy leveling, which is mounted in a panning platform so you can rotate it for the best visibility.

Build quality is simply excellent. The construction is based on top-quality carbon fiber for the leg sections and center column, along with magnesium alloy for the metal parts. The outcome is a really solid, full-sized, heavy-duty set of tripod legs that has a comfortable carrying weight of just 2.1kg. As a point of reference, the aluminum version of the 055 3-section tripod is 400g heavier.

As we’ve mentioned, there's a current vogue for travel tripods in which you fully extend the center column and then swing the legs up for compact stowage. The 055 doesn't go down that route, so it doesn't fold down so small but the upside is that it's really quick and easy to set up for use. The ‘Quick Power Lock’ levers are designed so that they have a pivoting push-pull action, and it's easy to release both section clamps with a single swipe of the hand.

It's similarly straightforward to lock the leg sections in place, with superb stability. Should the clamps ever need adjusting over time, it's a simple job that you can do yourself.We really like the mechanism for adjusting the leg angles as well. At the top of each leg, there's a spring-loaded lever which you simply push in to release the lock and select an alternative angle. With four separate locking angles to choose from, the widest angle brings the legs up to an almost horizontal position.

The pivot mechanism follows suit, with particularly intuitive and easy operation. To switch from vertical to horizontal configuration, all you need to do is to loosen the center column twist-action clamp, and press a button on the bottom of the center column to release the catch and push the column fully upwards. Once you reach the top, the holding section pops up and you can pivot the center column through 90 degrees and push it back through. The single twist-action clamp enables re-locking the center column in its horizontal position, complete with the desired amount of horizontal extension and complete 360-degree panning.

The 055 CXPRO3 entirely lives up to its claims of giving really solid, stable support. Throughout our testing, we found it to be extremely resistant to flexing and vibration. Outright performance isn't just about stability though, as speed and ease of use are factors in the equation. The 055 excels here as well, being wonderfully quick and easy to set up. From the leg section clamps to the adjustable leg angles and pivoting center column facility, everything just works, and works really well in an entirely intuitive way. Ultimately, it's a simple yet highly effective tripod.

Something of a stickler for tradition, this Manfrotto 055 series tripod has a conventional configuration. The market is currently awash with ‘travel tripods’ that have swing-up legs to reduce the storage size. This one doesn't, so it's relatively large when folded down. The upside is that it's remarkably quick and easy to set up, gives a lofty maximum operating height, and delivers rock-solid support. Everything works intuitively, including the pivoting center column mechanism which adds versatility, but you’ll need to buy a head separately, plus a carrying bag if you feel the need for one.

Read more: looking for your next tripod, whatever you are shooting we have you covered, find out more about the best travel tripods, the best carbon fiber tripods, and the best video tripods.

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Matthew Richards is a photographer and journalist who has spent years using and reviewing all manner of photo gear. He is Digital Camera World's principal lens reviewer – and has tested more primes and zooms than most people have had hot dinners!

His expertise with equipment doesn't end there, though. He is also an encyclopedia when it comes to all manner of cameras, camera holsters and bags, flashguns, tripods and heads, printers, papers and inks, and just about anything imaging-related.

In an earlier life he was a broadcast engineer at the BBC, as well as a former editor of PC Guide.