When you're out backpacking, the weight of everything you carry really adds up. I'm always on the lookout for ways to cut back on the weight of things I take with me when out shooting or hiking. One of my heaviest pieces of camera gear which I commonly pack is my MeFoto Backpacker tripod. It's a little shorter than a standard tripod, but its total weight of 2.5 lbs. is comparable to the full size Manfrotto BeFree at half the price. The versatility of the Mefoto is great to have when I know I'll be doing long exposures, but it's just too heavy to take backpacking without a good reason to do so. It also has a tall minimum height, making true low angle shooting a challenge. Naturally I've been looking for ways to remove it from my pack when I found my latest purchase: the Manfrotto Pixi Mini tripod.
Build Quality
The body is a combination of plastic and metal, and overall it feels quite solid. The tripod is hefty enough to keep my D5500 and 18-140mm lens stable on a flat surface. It becomes a little unstable when the lens is extended all the way out to 140mm, but I rarely find myself shooting at that focal length and the Pixi. The 3/8 in. screw on the top of the tripod is designed to fit directly into the bottom socket of a camera as opposed to an Arca-Swiss plate like most other tripods. The ball head can be adjusted by pressing the red button on the front of the tripod and swiveling the camera to its desired position. It takes a lot of force to actuate the button, but the ball head moves quite freely once a camera is mounted on the tripod. Little rubber feet on the bottom of the tripod keep it from sliding around when on slick surfaces like a desk.
Backpacking
My main reason for buying this tripod was to replace my current full size tripod for multi-day trips. After a few months of testing, it seems like a very capable replacement. I used to pack a tripod only when I knew there were waterfalls or other features that I'd need ND filters for, but now I can always have a tripod on me whether on the trail or in the city. Its smaller size saves on weight but makes some shots challenging due to the low profile of the tripod. You have to plan your shot more when using the Pixi and work with the landscape by finding the best vantage point given the tripod's low height.
If there's a shot I want which I can't get at the time with the Manfrotto Pixi, I'll just come back at a later time with my other tripod. The Pixi works in a pinch and saves a ton of weight in my pack, so I'm willing to sacrifice some versatility for an item I use once or twice on a trip. Below is a shot that I took with the Pixi suspended over the stream on a fallen tree.
I've also used it extensively on day hikes where photography wasn't my primary goal for the trip. It fits conveniently in the top of my LowePro camera bag and leaves the side pocket free for a 1L Smart water bottle. I can throw it in my backpack or whatever bag I'm carrying. Since it's so light, I'm more likely to bring it along when I'm just walking around shooting. In my experience, it's better to have a small tripod than none at all.
Blogging
The other reason I chose this tripod as an alternative to my MeFoto Backpacker was because I knew I'd use it for blogging. The minimum height on my MeFoto is 17.3 in. vs. 5.31 in. with the Manfrotto Pixi, so the Pixi has the clear advantage for low angle shots. A lot of the products I review on this blog are best photographed on a table, which requires a tripod with a low minimum height to get up close with my 40mm macro lens. My lighting situation isn't always the best for the products I shoot, so the added stability lets me take longer exposures and achieve a greater depth of field than I could obtain shooting handheld.
Macro Photography
Finally, macro work with my 40mm f/2.8 lens has greatly. I've been working more with intimate landscapes this year and use the Pixi to create "macro landscapes". Bugs don't particularly interest me and my subjects (trees, brush, flowers, etc.) don't get scared off if I'm on top of them with my tripod and lens. The Pixi allows me to take long exposures at f/16 without having to increase my ISO. A lot of these macro landscapes require a low viewpoint, which is perfect with the Pixi. Both shots below were taken with my 40mm f/2.8 and the Manfrotto Pixi.
Summary
If you're looking for a light, low angle capable tripod then look no further. The Manfrotto Pixi isn't a total replacement for a full-sized tripod but it's found a place in my bag on almost every shoot. I use it for intimate landscapes, product photography for this blog, and as a lightweight alternative to my full sized MeFoto. It's handy both as a tabletop tripod and as a hiking companion. It's currently priced at $25 on Manfrotto's website but I bought mine on Amazon. Consider picking one up if you're in the market for a tabletop tripod that's capable of a whole lot more.