Bogen 3036 Specifications

Without a tripod head, the Bogen 3036/Manfrotto 475B costs between $180 and $300 as of December 2010, depending on whether it is new or used and what distributor you get it from. At the lower end of the range, this is very inexpensive for the specs of this tripod. There is a trade off in terms of weight and long-term durability, though the legs are sturdy.

On their own, the tripod legs clock in at 9.5 pounds. While this may not seem too heavy, if you add in a 5 pound tripod head and a half-mile of walking, it is suddenly much heavier. Considering that these are the circumstances commonly encountered by a working videographer or photographer, the apparently modest weight of these legs is the trade-off for an otherwise very well made set of tripod legs.

Both Bogen and Manfrotto are companies known for making high quality tripods with long working lives. However, this does not mean that they will look pretty until they stop functioning, or that they will last forever. The Bogen 3036/Manfrotto 475B is no exception. After a few months of use expect some wear and tear, but you can safely expect the tripod to hold up for several years.

The Bogen 3036/Manfrotto 475B extends to a maximum height of 74 inches with the geared column extended and 63.8 inches without the column extended. This ranks about average among tripods of similar price, as does the 26.5 pound load limit. The minimum height of the tripod is 17 inches, and when folded the legs are 31.5 inches.

The tripod has flip-lever leg locks and must be flipped 45 degrees in order to open the legs for adjustment. The legs, which have spikes for use on soft surfaces, like dirt or sand, can be adjusted independently, allowing for use on irregular surfaces or for unusual camera angles. Finally, the tripod head mount is 3/8 inches and 16 threads per inch, which accommodates nearly all standard tripod heads.