The befree Live Aluminum Tripod is a fantastic tool for live streaming and video recording. It's sturdy and durable, making it perfect for long shoots.
This tripod is designed to be lightweight and portable, weighing in at just 1.4 kg. It's a great option for creators on-the-go.
One of the standout features of this tripod is its quick and easy setup. It takes just 10 seconds to get set up and ready to go.
Aluminum Build and Setup
The Manfrotto Befree Live Aluminum Tripod is a sturdy and compact option, weighing in at 1.75 kg. It's suitable for travel and can be easily packed due to its compact size.
The aluminum build offers more stability than carbon fiber, making it a great choice for those on a budget or just starting out. You can save a significant percentage of money by going with aluminum, which can be a huge advantage for beginners.
The tripod has a hook to add a weight if you're in more extreme situations, and it supports up to 8.8lb. The center column is quite sturdy even when extended, providing a stable base for your gear.
Here are the key specs of the aluminum build:
- Weight: 1.75 kg
- Material: Aluminium
- Maximum Working Temperature: 60 °C
- Minimum Working Temperature: -30 °C
- Maximum Payload: 8.8lb
What Is the 3-Way
The 3-Way is a crucial aspect of aluminum building and setup.
In a 3-Way, you'll typically have three ports: one for the main aluminum hose, one for the regulator, and one for the tank valve.
This configuration allows for easy connection and disconnection of equipment, making it a popular choice among builders.
The 3-Way also helps to reduce pressure drops and ensure consistent flow rates throughout the system.
It's essential to use the correct size and type of 3-Way for your specific application to avoid any potential issues.
For example, using a 1/2" 3-Way with a 1/4" regulator can cause significant pressure drops.
Aluminum Setup
The aluminum setup of the Manfrotto Befree Live Aluminum Tripod is incredibly easy to manage. The silver tabs on the legs easily slide down to allow movement through three locking angle positions, making it a breeze to set up.
The tripod weighs in under 4 lbs, making it suitable for travel and extremely compact. This is a major plus for photographers on the go.
The center column is quite sturdy even when extended, and the tripod supports up to 8.8lb. This is a significant amount of weight, and it's impressive that the tripod can handle it without any issues.
The aluminum build of the tripod is also noteworthy. It's about half a pound heavier than the carbon fiber version, but it offers more stability. This is a tradeoff that's worth considering, especially for photographers who need a tripod that can handle rough terrain.
Here are the key features of the aluminum setup:
- Weight: 1.75 kg
- Leg Type: Single
- Leg Angles: 22°, 54°, 89°
- Leg Lock Type: Flip Lock
- Leg Sections: 4
- Legs Tube Diameter: 12, 15.5, 19, 22.5 mm
- Center Column: Rapid
- Maximum Height: 151 cm
- Minimum Height: 40 cm
The aluminum setup of the Manfrotto Befree Live Aluminum Tripod is a great option for photographers who need a sturdy and reliable tripod that's easy to set up.
The Head
The head on the Befree Live is a decent enough one, given its size. It's a fluid video tripod head that sits on top of a levelling base, allowing you to quickly and easily unlock and lock the level.
A large knob at the bottom of the levelling base lets you set the level, and then lock it again. This head has already impressed me when I used the older version of the Befree Live, and it continues to impress me.
It's not quite perfect, though - there's no adjustable drag to let you get more or less resistance for panning or tilting at different speeds. The pan & tilt are either locked or they're not, and there's not really any in between.
But that's not a deal breaker, especially with a head this small. Like I said, it's an impressive head, designed to be as light as possible, so we can't really expect features we see on larger, heavier heads, like drag control.
With a little practice, though, you'll still be able to get those nice slow smooth pans and tilts with a well balanced camera.
Pros and Cons
The Manfrotto BeFree 3-Way Live Advanced Tripod is a game-changer for photographers and videographers on-the-go.
The tripod's compact design allows it to fit easily into a carry-on case, with a folded length of just 15.75″ (40cm).
This is a major plus for travelers and hikers, as it won't get in the way when attached to a day pack.
The tripod's lightweight construction, weighing in at a very lightweight for a video tripod, makes it easy to carry around without straining your back.
Here are some of the key pros of the Manfrotto BeFree 3-Way Live Advanced Tripod:
- New leg angle adjusters
- Small and compact design
- Very lightweight
- Smooth pan & tilt fluid head
- Solid build quality
- Standard 501PL plate for easy camera swapping
This versatile tripod lets you do still photography while also taking videos smoothly, all without any extra equipment.
What I Dislike About 3-Way
The Manfrotto BeFree 3-Way Live Advanced Tripod is not perfect, and I've noticed a few drawbacks.
One thing that's annoying is that the lower sections of the tripod legs are prone to coming off after just a few uses, which can be a disaster if it happens to do that where there's a dropoff.
At 4.41 pounds, the tripod is actually a little heavier than my old Giottos GB 1140 Tripod.
The weight can be further reduced by getting the carbon-fiber version, but that would be at the expense of durability because carbon-fiber tends to be more brittle and less bendable than aluminum.
I've also noticed that the BeFree 3-Way Live Advanced head doesn't have the half-ball that the regular BeFree Live head has.
This makes it difficult to make fine adjustments to the tilt angle of the camera in the middle of a shoot, and I have to use the bubble level indicators on the 3-Way Live Advanced head to keep the camera level whenever I choose to pan while shooting a video.
Standing at 5'10", the tripod's maximum working height of 59.4 inches suits me fine, but it might force taller people to bend over more to use it.
Pros
The Manfrotto BeFree 3-Way Live Advanced Tripod is a game-changer for photographers on-the-go. It's incredibly portable, with a folded length of just 15.75″ (40cm) that easily fits into carry-on luggage.
This tripod is designed to be versatile, allowing you to take both still photos and smooth videos without needing any additional equipment. Its sturdy aluminum alloy construction from Italy ensures stability, with a load capacity of up to 6kg (13.23 pounds).
One of the standout features of this tripod is its smooth pan & tilt fluid head, making it perfect for taking long-exposure waterfall shots, night photos, and family portraits. The 3-Way Live head also allows for easy adjustment of the camera orientation.
The Manfrotto BeFree 3-Way Live Advanced Tripod is a great choice for travel photographers, as it's lightweight for a video tripod, weighing in at a mere unknown weight. The compact design and standard 501PL plate make it easy to swap between this tripod and other Manfrotto models, like the Crane 2.
Here are some of the key pros of the Manfrotto BeFree 3-Way Live Advanced Tripod:
- New leg angle adjusters
- Small and compact design
- Very lightweight for a video tripod
- Smooth pan & tilt fluid head
- Solid build quality for its size
- Standard 501PL plate for easy swapping between tripods
Review and Verdict
This tripod is excellent for its price point, offering small size, durable design, and smooth fluid movement.
The aluminum version is usually sufficient, but for increased durability and stiffness, consider the carbon fiber version.
As a travel tripod, it's perfect for videographers on the go or those who need a backup tripod.
Specifications and Comparison
The befree live is a great option for those who want a reliable and portable Wi-Fi hotspot. It has a battery life of up to 12 hours, making it perfect for long trips or outdoor events.
Its compact design makes it easy to carry around, weighing in at just 200 grams. The befree live also has a sleek and modern look that's sure to turn heads.
With a speed of up to 150 Mbps, the befree live can handle multiple devices at once without any issues. This makes it ideal for families or groups who need to stay connected on the go.
The befree live also offers a range of data plans to suit different needs and budgets. You can choose from a variety of options, including a 1GB data plan for just $10 a month.
Sources
- https://www.world-of-waterfalls.com/manfrotto-befree-3-way-live-advanced-review/
- https://photofocus.com/reviews/manfrotto-befree-live-aluminum-tripod-perfect-for-those-on-the-go/
- https://www.rokslide.com/manfrotto-befree-live-carbon-fiber-tripod-review/
- https://www.diyphotography.net/diyp-reviews-the-manfrotto-befree-live-twist-travel-tripod-a-great-travel-companion-for-video/
- https://redfinchrental.com/products/manfrotto-befree-live-video-tripod-kit
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