The Manfrotto 785B is also known as the Modo Maxi tripod. This item is designed with lightweight in mind. Even though it is made of aluminum and technopolymer — instead of being a carbon fibre tripod, which you would generally consider lightweight — the total weight is slightly over 2 pounds.
Therefore, the 785B can be perfect for people who want to take it hiking, general traveling, or to use at arenas or stadiums or sports fields to capture the action. With the lightweight, it will not be ideal for heavy cameras. Instead, think of the 785B as appropriate for compact cameras or for lightweight camcorders of the variety that are now so common for web-quality video (such as a Flip cam). To be more precise, the load capacity is 2.2 pounds. Therefore, you would not be able to support a heavy professional or consumer-level digital SLR or anything with a long heavy lens or flash. This portability, though, does not sacrifice stability for cameras within its weight range.
It comes with the Quick Release 785PL as a standard part, letting you snap on and off your camera or camcorder. The quick release plate will connect your camera or video recorder with the standard screw. It releases from the tripod with just a single button. As with other similar plates, this helps you maintain it on the base of the camera at all times, even when it is not on the tripod. Quick on and off is perfect for your traveling and hiking trips. If you have multiple devices, you can actually just get additional 785PL plates for under $10 and keep them mounted on your camcorder, snapshot camera, and others to flip on and off the Modo tripod. Again, this is suitable for casual photographers on trips.
In addition to the lightweight, this tripod is very small and compact. The total length is just slightly over 17 inches, yet it extends out to 50 inches in height. The folded height, while extremely compact, is actually the tallest tripod in the 785 Modo tripod line from Manfrotto / Bogen. When you extend the center column of the 785B and engage the quick flip leg locks, you can reach 59.25 inches, a really respectable height for a compact tripod. At the top is a built-in head for your camera attachment, as well as a single bubble level so that you can level your shots in uneven ground conditions. The head is a hybrid version, meaning that it can accommodate both the still cameras (generally point-and-shoot varieties) and small video camcorders as described above.
This tripod also has most of the features that you would wish to have in a high-end version. The front and lateral tilts are both 90 degrees, the legs have three different angles to achieve different stability and heights. The center column can reach down to get your camera as low as 7 inches off the ground. Importantly, you can get full 360 degree panoramic rotation with the 785B. With all of these features, it is a great tripod for sophisticated amateur photographers.
