Manfrotto to the rescue!
I’ve used Manfrotto equipment for over 18 years, using 190 Aluminium and 055MF4 Magfiber tripods with various ball and gear heads.
About 10 years ago I was shooting up in the Lakes when I extended the legs on my 055, only to have a leg fly off in my hand. I’ve always been a bit heavy handed with my kit, focusing more on getting into position to capture the scene. Manfrotto sorted me out sending over an exploded diagram so I could name the replacement parts needed. The cost was minimal and I now carry spare internal nylon stopper rings just in case.
More recently I was out on location when my very expensive 468MGCR4 Hydrostatic ball head came apart in my hands! I bought this head because it could take a lot of weight while remaining stable, without too much droop. Manfrotto leaped to the rescue once again by replacing the faulty head, after a close inspection.
Manfrotto asked me if I wanted the same head with the RC4 clamp as a replacement. After some research I decided to go for the more practical Arca-Swiss compatible clamp. A couple of days later it arrived, making me very happy. I invested in a ‘L’ bracket to aid landscape to portrait composition versatility and a 100mm long plate for my 100-400 heavy telephoto zoom, which now doubles up as a great carrying handle!
My next purchase might be a lightweight, compact Bee-Free tripod. I've looked at all the reviews and it appears to make a great travel companion.
Overall I've found Manfrotto's customer service exceptional and would happily recommend their products to friends and workshop clients.
