Manfrotto X-PRO 3-way head review: tilt, pan and swivel in fine style

Manfrotto is a name that’s synonymous with top-end tripods, tripod heads and other supports. Products are typically built as well as designed in Italy, combining flair, practicality and robustness. Honing in on the XPRO range, I think that the Manfrotto XPRO Ball Head with Top Lock is arguably the best ball head on the market, while the Manfrotto XPRO Geared 3-way Head is a very good (although not entirely perfect) geared head.

Without the spinning wheels of a geared head, this more conventional 3-way head has all the requisite tilt, pan and swivel movements required for stills photography, with a couple of extra design flourishes that make it stand out from the crowd. All in all, it aims to be one of the best 3-way heads on the market.

Manfrotto X-PRO 3-way head: Specifications

Manfrotto X-PRO 3-way head: Price

You often see the same actual numbers quoted for the price of photo gear on either side of the Atlantic, whether the currency is in US dollars or UK pounds. That’s certainly not the case here, as the Manfrotto X-PRO 3-way head costs $220 in the USA, £129 in the UK and AU$289 in Australia. Suffice it to say that it’s good value for money in the UK, less so in the USA.

Manfrotto X-PRO 3-way head: Design & Handling

3-way heads are a pain, right? Compared with the speed and ease of adjusting a ball head with it’s single locking knob, there are no less than three locks to contend with on a conventional 3-way head. But hang on a minute. You can often find there’s a bit of sag with a ball head, once you tighten the knob and let go of your camera. It might still be perfectly positioned on one axis but not the other (or other two). Getting all three axes exactly right with a ball head can end up being a time-consuming chore, and a bit like a game of hit and miss – mostly miss. When precise positioning is called for, it can often pay dividends to adjust each axis individually so that everything’s exactly as you want it. That’s where 3-way heads come to the fore.

Typical of the breed, this Manfrotto has individual lock/release knobs for tilt, swivel and pan. Better still, the first two for forward/backward tilt and landscape/portrait orientation swivel feature locking knobs that are mounted on retractable shafts. You simply pull them out to enable greater leverage and easier fine adjustments when in use, and push them back in again to reduce the stowage size. That neatly avoids the criticism of 3-way heads having long levers that stick out and demand greater storage space.

And there’s more. The tilt and swivel clamps come complete with adjustable friction dampers, which is somewhat unusual in 3-way heads. The bonus is that you can adjust the torque needed to make tilt and swivel adjustments when the locking knobs are released. This effectively makes the head easier to use, and with greater finesse, tailoring it to different weights of camera and lens combos. And the maximum loadbearing ability of the head is pretty strong, with a payload rating of 12kg / 26.5lb.

The panning knob is a more straightforward affair. As I’d expect, it has neither a retractable design nor an adjustable friction damper, which is fair enough. Unlike the tilt and pan adjustments, however, it does have rotational scale marked in 5-degree increments. That can be handy when you’re taking a sequence of shots to stitch into a panoramic image and want to make precise incremental changes.

To help keep things on the level, there are no less than three separate spirit levels. These are arranged so that you can use two out of three to ensure the camera platform is level in both forward/backward and side-to-side planes, whether you’re shooting in either landscape or portrait orientation.

Up on top, the head features a Manfrotto 200PL-14 quick-release plate. Some might be upset that it’s not an Arca-type fit, especially with more and more large lenses being designed with tripod mounting rings and feet that are directly Arca compatible. However, the proprietary QR plate is featured in a huge range of Manfrotto heads and has definitely proved itself over many years.

Down below, the base plate has a circular profile and a 60mm / 2.36in diameter. This makes it a great fit for many heavy-duty tripods, from all sorts of manufacturers and of course, from Manfrotto itself. The platforms of many tripods feature grub screws which can lock the head in place. The main attachment thread is the usual 3/8-inch variety, which you can use with a 1/4-inch adapter if your tripod legs use the smaller size attachment stud.

Manfrotto X-PRO 3-way head: Performance

I remember buying a heavy-duty Velbon Sherpa Pro CF-630 carbon fiber tripod kit from WEX about 20 years ago. Nice legs, shame about the head. I phoned their customer support line, complaining the quick-release plate felt spongy and they offered to exchange the head for a Manfrotto that featured a 200PL-14 QR plate. I’ve been a fan ever since, as it gives really solid support. That’s certainly the case when used with this X-PRO 3-way head.

Adjustments are smooth and effortless through the entire range of -30 to +90 degrees of both front/back and lateral tilt. The same goes for the 360-degree panning facility. I found that the click-steps for the two adjustable friction dampers enabled a better feel with varying kit of different weights. And when locked off, clamping is really firm and solid in all three tilt, swivel and pan axes. The three spirit levels help with leveling the camera but, to be honest, I found it easier and more accurate to use the camera’s own virtual horizon.

The head feels easily strong enough for its 12kg payload rating. To test the firmness and stability of the head, I loaded it with a Sony A7 II body mounted with a Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.4 Pro lens. The combined weight is 1.4kg / 3.2lb and, as the lens is quite heavy but doesn’t have a tripod mounting collar, the combination is quite front-heavy and a stern test. I switched the camera to manual focusing and turned of image stabilization, then used maximum magnification for image preview. This revealed that the head was indeed very resistant to wobbling and vibration.

Manfrotto X-PRO 3-way head: Verdict

I feel that the Manfrotto X-PRO 3-way head is simple and intuitive to use. It enables a good range of movement with very precise positioning, and is rock-solid when locked off. I like the adjustable friction dampers which work independently for tilt and swivel, which is quite a rarity for 3-way heads. I also like the retractable handles, which save space for stowage. The proprietary rather than Arca-type quick-release plate won’t be to everybody’s taste, but I’ve always found it to be a high-performance item that’s quick and easy to use. All in all, this is a very clever head.

Alternatives

As its name suggests, the Manfrotto XPRO Geared 3-way Head has a similar range of independent tilt, swivel and pan adjustments but this time with helical gears that enable ultra-precise adjustments. A clutch is also fitted to each knob for making quick, course adjustments. It’s made of technopolymer (plastic) rather than aluminum.

The Manfrotto XPRO Ball Head with Top Lock is an absolutely fabulous ball head. It features an independently adjustable friction damper and a pan-only lock/release knob, so you can pan the camera while keeping the tilt and swivel axes locked off. It’s made from magnesium alloy and an alternative version is also available with a 200PL rather than Arca-type quick-release plate.