MANFROTTO BEFREE
GT XPRO
manfrotto.com
£409 /$429.88The Manfrotto Befree GT
XPRO is available in aluminium
(£269/$289.99) or carbon fibre.
We tested the carbon version.
Both are aimed at professional
travel photographers who
want a robust support with a
centre column that’s capable of
swinging through 90 degrees.
It couldn’t be easier to move
the column into position – you
just release the lock with a twist
or two and press the button in
the base of the column while
pushing up. Once the column is
at 90 degrees, you just need to
tighten the lock again.
Thanks to its four-section legs,
the carbon Befree GT XPRO
packs down to 43cm yet has
a maximum height of 162cm,
while its minimum shooting
height is 9cm. At 1.76kg there
are lighter travel tripods, but the
GT XPRO feels very well made,
with broad twist-type leg locks
that help it slip easily into a bag.Even if you have a high-end camera to get the best-quality video, there are times when you
want to keep things light and simple. That’s when a smartphone comes into its own, and
some produce remarkably good footage. The Movo PR-1 is designed to elevate the quality
of the output a little higher by giving you a firm grip and eliminating handling noises that are
picked up by the onboard microphone.
The clamp is capable of holding smartphones from 5.6 to 9.1cm wide. However, it can
only hold them in landscape orientation, which isn’t ideal with Facebook and Instagram
insisting upon vertical format for live video.
If you’re looking to record footage or to stream to other platforms, the PR-1 has a useful
spirit level, tripod mount and two other threads for attaching accessories, plus a built-in
cold shoe for mounting an external microphone or light.MOVO PR-1
SMARTPHONE VIDEO RIG
movophoto.com
£20.16 / $25.95ACCESSORIES
MANFROTTOBEFREE
GT XPRO
manfrotto.com
£409/$429.88TheManfrottoBefreeGT
XPROisavailableinaluminium
(£269/$289.99)orcarbonfibre.
Wetestedthecarbonversion.
Bothareaimedatprofessional
travelphotographerswho
wanta robustsupportwitha
centrecolumnthat’scapableof
swingingthrough 90 degrees.
It couldn’tbeeasiertomove
thecolumnintoposition– you
justreleasethelockwitha twist
ortwoandpressthebuttonin
thebaseofthecolumnwhile
pushingup.Oncethecolumnis
at 90 degrees,youjustneedto
tightenthelockagain.
Thankstoitsfour-sectionlegs,
thecarbonBefreeGTXPRO
packsdownto43cmyethas
a maximumheightof162cm,
whileitsminimumshooting
heightis9cm.At1.76kgthere
arelightertraveltripods,butthe
GTXPROfeelsverywellmade,
withbroadtwist-typeleglocks
thathelpit slipeasilyintoa bag.Evenif youhavea high-endcameratogetthebest-qualityvideo,therearetimeswhenyou
wanttokeepthingslightandsimple.That’swhena smartphonecomesintoitsown,and
someproduceremarkablygoodfootage.TheMovoPR-1isdesignedtoelevatethequality
oftheoutputa littlehigherbygivingyoua firmgripandeliminatinghandlingnoisesthatare
pickedupbytheonboardmicrophone.
Theclampiscapableofholdingsmartphonesfrom5.6to9.1cmwide.However,it can
onlyholdtheminlandscapeorientation,whichisn’tidealwithFacebookandInstagram
insistinguponverticalformatforlivevideo.
If you’relookingtorecordfootageortostreamtootherplatforms,thePR-1hasa useful
spiritlevel,tripodmountandtwootherthreadsforattachingaccessories,plusa built-in
coldshoeformountinganexternalmicrophoneorlight.
MOVO PR-1
SMARTPHONE VIDEORIG
movophoto.com
£20.16/ $25.95
ACCESSORIES