Manfrotto Hybrid 500 Video System tripod review

This chunky tripod and fluid head combo is especially suited for video users

Manfrotto MVK500190XV review

Digital Camera World Verdict

Featuring extensive counterbalancing and fluid-based movement on the pan and tilt axes, the Manfrotto 500 Video System is great for the solo filmmaker. It’s incredibly fast to set up and pack down – as long as you don’t mind a fairly bulky setup that’s not hugely light, it’ll perform well in all manner of shooting situations.

Pros

  • +

    Extremely solid and versatile

  • +

    Quick to deploy

  • +

    Beautifully smooth head movement

Cons

  • -

    Quite heavy

  • -

    Bulky even when folded

  • -

    Some stiff leg locks

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A new tripod and head system from Manfrotto is always a welcome sight. Unveiled at this year’s Photography Show in Birmingham, Manfrotto’s 500 Video System is based on the popular 190 tripod. The fluid-head-and-tripod kit has the model number of MVK500190XV, and is designed for video shooters using lighter camera systems such as DSLRs, CSCs and smaller camcorders.

The video tripod half of the kit is a supremely solid aluminum-alloy model with Quick Power leg locks that can be locked and unlocked with simple, fast movements. The leg angles can be individually set, making it easier to set up on uneven terrain, and the entire system can extend to a maximum height of 173.3cm

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Jon Stapley

Jon spent years at IPC Media writing features, news, reviews and other photography content for publications such as Amateur Photographer and What Digital Camera in both print and digital form. With his additional experience for outlets like Photomonitor, this makes Jon one of our go-to specialists when it comes to all aspects of photography, from cameras and action cameras to lenses and memory cards, flash diffusers and triggers, batteries and memory cards, selfie sticks and gimbals, and much more besides.  

An NCTJ-qualified journalist, he has also contributed to Shortlist, The Skinny, ThreeWeeks Edinburgh, The Guardian, Trusted Reviews, CreativeBLOQ, and probably quite a few others I’ve forgotten.