Magnus VT-4000 Tripod System with Fluid Head
Electronics > Camera & Photo > Tripods & Monopods > Complete Tripods
About this item
- Supports 8.8 lb (4 kg) | 65mm Ball Diameter | 2-Stage Leg Design
- Height Adjustment Range - 27.6" to 59" | Middle Spreader | Fixed Counter Balance
- Fixed Pan / Tilt Drag | +20/-25mm Slide Range | Lightweight Tripods | With Quick Release Plate
- Tilt Angle +90° / -60°
- In The Box: VT-QRP400 Quick Release Plate, Carrying Case, Allen Keys (2), Limited 1-Year manufacture Warranty
Reviews
★★★★★
Style: VT-3000 Pro | Verified Purchase
This Is Worth The Investment (You Tuber)
Hello Everyone,
To start off my review I just wanted to mention that this product was not provided to me at a discount or free and I purchased it with my own funds.
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So what comes inside the box?
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(1x) Magnus VT-3000 Professional High Perform Tri-pod
(1x) Adjustable lever
(1x) VT-QRP300 Quick Release Plate
(1x) Carrying Case
(1x) Instructions
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The Design & Overall Functionality
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I bought this tri-pod to do You Tube videos as a tech product reviewer. I found out, the hard way, you really need a fluid head tripod if you want to get solid B-roll on a product and this tripod is all around fantastic for such projects and the like!
To begin, the legs are made of anodized aluminum which makes it really sturdy and durable. It also looks amazing. The three retractable legs are easily adjustable with tightening flip locks. The feet of the legs have adjustable rubber pads that can be screwed down to use metal spikes just in case you're shooting outside or in the grass. The height can reach up to 61 inches and as low as 28.6 inches. It supports up to 6.6lbs or 3kg and it weighs slightly less than 8 pounds. It can support just about any Cannon DSLR or Camcorder.
Note - it is a bit tiresome to lug around due to its weight.
The main reason why I purchase this tripod was due to the fact it had a tilting and panning fluid head, but not only that but it comes with a 65mm ball base so you can adjust the head even if the legs are uneven. This is done magnificently well due to the fact that the fluid head is counter-balanced which gives yields some resistance when panning and tilting resulting in a more fluid shot.There is a level right under the fluid head and it comes with a release plate so you can interchange between cameras easier. The panning and tilting lever is adjustable and can be attached to either side of the fluid head. This tripod has increased my level of professionalism by leaps and bounds. I film with a Galaxy S7 & S7 edge and they work fine with the Magnus. Mind you the tripod head itself is not removable so you can't take it off and put it on another tripod or slider.
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My Opinion
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This is the best tripod in terms of affordability, durability, and functionality. It's in between cheap tripods to manfrotto tripods. I have nothing but praise for the Magnus VT-3000. This is made for the intermediate photographer, or You Tuber. The only thing that could have made this tripod better was if the fluid head was detachable.
My verdict, if you're looking to step up your quality and professionalism this is a must. If you're a novice I would recommend a cheaper option until you are fully dedicated to your craft. If you feel you want to make an investment right off the bat than this would be the time to do it.
Axiom Brevity
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If you found this review helpful please hit the helpful button. You can also check out all my other reviews on You Tube @ Axiom Brevity.
Thank you for your time.
★★★★★
Style: VT-4000 Pro | Verified Purchase
Perfect for the price
I'm a photographer. Make that second-rate. I'm a long-time journalist who started when we all shot black and white. But then I graduated to bigger newspapers and dragged around a full-time photog when I covered stories. However, the industry began to implode soon after I started in 1981 with papers closing or moving to morning publication. Of course, it got way worse. Toward the more recent past, I returned to small papers and shot all my own stuff again. I learned to shoot video and mastered some editing programs because of the call for social media presence. I got some outside jobs that required shooting events and had to get a tripod. After about a month of reviewing stuff and talking to my son and brother in law in the TV and movie business, they pointed me in this direction. I purchased the Magnus VT-4000 and wasn't let down. It takes a little getting used to, but the video quality is superb when the operator knows what he's doing. Granted, there was a bit of a learning curve to getting it set up quickly and making sure my Canon 7D Mark II was attached and functioning properly. There's a quick release so I can either get stills or if I need to chase down a particular subject. And the carrying bag isn't obnoxious so I have been able to get in and set up in the midst of big events with lots of people without causing too much disruption. I'm hard on my equipment but this has held up well, and I expect it will last a long time.
★★★★★
Style: VT-3000 Pro | Verified Purchase
Perfect for my needs
Love it! A nice, tall tripod with a good ball head for leveling and a very solid and smooth pan/tilt head. I found this one called-out in an online review of low-cost video equipment, and they were dead-on about the solid quality for a reasonable price.
It's tall (with legs extended, it puts the camera at my eye level... I am 5'11"), and feels quite solid. It's very easy to level the head, with the ball joint mechanism and the built-in bubble level. The head itself is very smooth in panning and tilting and has a long handle that can mount to either left or right side easily with a simple screw mount. The angle of the handle is also adjustable with a toothed adjustment mechanism so it's very solid when locked in place.
The quick release plate is very nice. It can also slide forward and back for better balance of the camera on the tripod, and then can slide all the way out once a lock/slide-release button is pushed. I have never used fancier/better tripods, so can't really compare, but I can say that this one works extremely well for my needs doing DSLR video.
The tilt mechanism is spring loaded and has some resistance when tilting forward... it will tend to push back and raise itself back to a level setting under mild spring tension... all with the fluid-effect smoothness, of course. The spring tension when tilted all the way back/up also seems to be there, but is much less pronounced.
Comes with a nice padded carry bag.
★★★★★
Style: VT-4000 Pro | Verified Purchase
Light, Handy, Good Quality
I have a Manfrotto 502 Head on a Manfrotto Carbon Fiber Tripod. It is a great setup for studio work but the head is bulky and not very ergonomic. I was looking for something more portable and handy.
The VT-400 is a great low cost, quality tripod. The tripod is engineered with juuuuuuust enough metal and beef where it counts, but otherwise very light weight. Treat is gingerly and it will last forever. Treat it like junk and that is what it will turn into. The tripod comes with a quality padded bag that will see lots of use. The tripod does rattle a little, but I believe this is result of the leg design rather than loose tolerances. Still, my Manfrotto tripod is completely silent (and designed to be so) so something to think about. Adjustments are simple and straightforward.
The Fluid head is non-adjustable but handles my 6.6 pound video equipment effortlessly, if a little stiffly. When you stop moving the camera, the camera stops--no lag and no sag. I can't say that about my Man502--it requires a lot of fiddling to dial in the no lag/sag. The camera shoe is proprietary :-( but it is a very quality shoe that works perfectly for my applications :-) Pan and tilt locks are easily accessible (not so on the Man502) and useable. Overall the head is just easier to manipulate than my Man502.
As for weight: the VT-400 is 0.4 pounds heavier than the Man502 on a Man Carbon Fiber Tripod.
In Summary: The VT-4000 is a great video tripod for general use and outdoor use which is exactly my purpose. The Manfrotto 502 head is great for studio/professional use and super adjustable, but bulky and inconvenient to use.
Your money your choice. I am happy with my choice and I would buy this tripod again.
★★★★★
Style: VT-4000 Pro | Verified Purchase
Best Tripod for Videos
I’ve been using the same Magnus VT-4000 Tripod System with Fluid Head for 7 years until the legs finally broke. It flew with me several times and I’m sure having it tossed about in my checked on luggage did nothing to help the situation. I love the intuitive controls, how smooth the movement is when moving the head, and how sturdy it is once it’s deployed. I’ve recorded video in some very windy environments and it’s held up perfectly.
★★★★★
Style: VT-4000 Pro | Verified Purchase
Very nice Video tripod
I shopped based on reviews, didn't look around much. But, this has been a fantastic video tripod. I use it mostly with a Sony Handycam. Nice fluid panning in all directions. I like the adjustable head from the know underneath, no more messing with each leg to get the tripod level. The only disadvantage to that design is that the head does not raise any further from the top. So once the legs are all the way out, that is it, you won't be able to go any higher. It is a little heavy, but just fine for what I do. The bag it comes with is very nice, seems durable, but has no padding. There is no adjustment in the spreader (?) in the middle, it simply folds out. The leg posts are very nice though and seem to hold just fine when I cannot put the legs all the way out. All that is just due to the design type of this tripod, so I still give it 5 stars, would buy again.
★★★★★
Style: VT-3000 Pro | Verified Purchase
Sturdy, professional equipment
We use the stand to mount a video camera for recording Chapel services, staff meetings, and other functions in our nursing home. The stand has a quick-release mount that makes placing and removing the camera for transport a breeze, and it has a positioning handle with quick-locking mechanisms that make for professional-looking videos!
★★★★★
Style: VT-4000 Pro | Verified Purchase
Excellent for a casual videographer
I bought this after contemplating getting a Manfrotto system. I have a Manfrotto swivel head and monopod and their products are top notch. However, I could not bring myself to spend so much on something I don't use very often.
The Magnus VT-4000 is substantial. Construction is fairly heavy-duty, with controls engaging with confidence. The tripod is highly adjustable and can extend to a good height. The panhead is smooth but does have some play, if you're careful--you can make it work. What's great is the leveling system. The whole unit is sturdy and very stable on a variety of surfaces.
I use this with a Nikon D7K, and have enjoyed it so far. The only things I don't like is that it is heavier than I thought it would be (which is probably true for all video tripods) and the locking pin for stowing the legs is a little flimsy.
★★★★★
Style: VT-4000 Pro | Verified Purchase
Finally, a tripod that works for video! (From an amateur's perspective.)
I am not a professional. I am barely an amateur! I bought an inexpensive tripod at a big box store about 8 years ago and it finally broke on me. It was by a manufacturer that isn't around any longer so I needed to find something that would meet my needs.
I shoot video for my wife's middle-school band concerts (she's the teacher.) I pan across the students during the concert. Now, I realize I'm shooting for a DVD for some middle-school students to watch and it doesn't need top quality panning, but I want quality.
I also do some video shooting here and there for my kids, for my work, etc. Again, I don't need perfection, but I want it!
So I have been searching a zillion reviews trying to find a decent tripod for video and all the reviews here on Amazon are all over the board! So I finally took the plunge and bought a mid-priced tripod for around $75. Although it claimed fluid head, it didn't have it. So I returned it and decided to spend the big bucks (for an amateur) on this one.
First of all, this thing is sturdy. Very sturdy. It feels solid and is not some cheap plastic thing. I enjoy the height. It does not have a telescoping middle piece like so many of the other ones do. I thought I'd miss that, but it just adds to the stability and ruggedness of this.
I'm 5'10" and it stands at about my mouth/nose level.
My little Sony Handy-cam can barely be seen on the top of this thing! The tripod is a monster size for my little camera, but I'll tell you what, it is so smooth panning. Vertical and horizontal panning is the smoothest I've seen! I love this tripod so much!
Pros:
Very smooth panning vertical and horizontal.
Easy to setup.
Comes with an allen wrench to adjust tightness of leg closures.
Quick connect is easy to use.
Multi-positions available for panning arm.
Rugged!
The carrying case is a decent quality one! (Imagine that!)
It's a monster!
Cons:
It's a monster! Large footprint for my tastes, but needs to be because of its height and ability to hold a decent camera.
The price is high for someone who doesn't take lots of video, but it is worth it especially compared to what else is out there.
I realize that many of you reading this are probably not the novice I am. But if you are a novice who wants quality in their videos, then get this tripod. I love it.
★★★★★
Style: VT-3000 Pro | Verified Purchase
Solid construction with the weight to go with it
It's a VIDEO tripod, meaning this thing aint for any kind of run-and-gun. Not exactly easy to wield, but again, it's a VIDEO tripod. It's not supposed to be light.
There's some minor rough finishing on a few of the plastic parts, but it is purely cosmetic. Head moves nicely, legs feel very sturdy. Carrying bag is nice (and the handle is actually situated off center to accommodate for the weight of the head so it rests level in your hand).
The company behind Magnus is also the same company behind Watson batteries and a few other third-party names making AV equipment - most of which is pretty solid stuff. For the money this is a solid buy for any enthusiast if you're not looking to get into dropping real dosh on something like a Manfrotto or whatever.
Question & Answer
Question :
Is the fluid head removeable to attach onto something like a slider or other rigs?
Answer :
Unfortunately no. When the head detaches from the handle the screw remains on the bottom of the head. I had to buy a small manfrotto head to put on my slider.
Question :
Will this tripod work with my canon vixia hf g20 and my canon eos 70d? lastly is this a good tripod for the money?
Answer :
Yes it should work with both its should fit the standard tripod screw 1/4-20 and yes it comes new and I don't use it as much as I though I would but so far it is a very good investment on my part hope this helps you
Question :
Is the head removable? Can you attach a slider to this tripod?
Answer :
No the head is not removable, yes you can put a slider on the mount, however, I had to throw this tripod away after a few uses because the 3 inside bars that stabilize the legs together are super thin and weak and broke very easily, I would shop for a different tripod if I were you
Question :
What it the overall height?
Answer :
Maximum height is about 63 inches with all legs pulled out.
Question :
Will the legs work with a Manfrotto 701HDV Head?
Answer :
The place where the magnus head attaches to the legs is not flat, its a concave surface where the head sits. So it wouldn't work. :P
Question :
My Manfroto does not pan smoothly. How smooth does one pan? I need ultra smooth pans.
Answer :
It does very very smooth pan & tilt at this price range! You will be satisfied. (Ultra smooth, it depends on our skill of operating it, our handling control, yes it can give ultra smooth pans)
Question :
Where can I find an arm extension for this?
Answer :
Parts of this tripod I think You first try can search in Amazon sellers.
Question :
Does the "fluid head" loosen up after a bit? Mine drags, but it's very new. Anything I can do to break it in?
Answer :
All fluid heads have some drag
Question :
Can you replace the tripod head for a better one?
Answer :
No, it cannot.
Question :
could the fluid head detach to put on a slider?
Answer :
It has a 65mm ball base and the head can be removed. However, your slider would need to also have a 65mm ball base to fit back on the tripod properly for use. Otherwise, no it can't.
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