The Manfrotto Nitrotech 608 Video Head and Carbon Fiber Twin Leg Tripod is one of two tripods introduced this year under their new “FAST” branding, offering a quicker setup speed and lower overall weight for their size when compared to predecessors.
Considering its advanced, professional functionality, you can see why they’ve labeled it a “fast” system! The twin-leg design Nitrotech tripod is clearly made for videographers, and has a 100mm bowl at the platform. (with a 100-to-75mm adapter is included.) This tripod is also offered in both aluminum and carbon fiber options, and for this review, we had the lighter, Carbon Fiber unit.
This system represents the latest in Manfrotto’s fluid head technology, built to offer the smoothest level of control and movements possible. They have separate controls for the pan and tilt movements adjustments, of course, and an intuitive counterbalance system which is boasted to be (and in the real world, proves it!) MUCH more stable than its overall size and weight (and price) would have you think.
The Nitrotech systems come with the quick-release system of mounts making it compatible with a large portion of the existing Manfrotto tripod plates/mounting systems, so if you’ve already got an older Manfrotto video tripod, it’s likely your existing plates will work on this system as well.
The main thing for anyone working in a run & gun environment, is we want our gear to “just work” and we simply cannot be spending a lot of time calibrating our rigs every time we move on a shoot location. This is one of the great things about this new Nitrotech system. Out of the box, having no clue what we were doing, this video tripod just simply worked!
[Related Reading: The Best Tripods of 2018 According to SLR Lounge]
Nitrotech 608 Fluid Head & Fast Twin Tripod Highlights and Technical Specifications
Key Features
- Fluid video head with continuous counterbalance system (17.6 lbs)
- Variable continuous fluid pan & tilt drag system
- Flat base mount ideal for various applications
- Carbon Fiber twin-leg tripod leg design for maximum rigidity
- Price – $1,079.88
Technical Specifications of the Nitrotech 608 & Tripod
- Material – Carbon Fiber
- Ball Socket – 100mm (75mm adapter)
- Max Payload – 20kg (44.093lbs)
- Closed Length – 73cm (28.74″)
- Max Height – 157cm (61.81″)
- Min Height – 27cm (10.63″)
- Spreader – Included, Variable length
- Leg Type – Twin
- Leg Angles – 20°, 50°, 70°
- Leg Lock – Flip Lock
- Leg Sections – 3
- Weight – 5.47kg (12.06lbs)
- Camera Plate – Quick Release
- Mounting Screw – 1 x 1/4″-20 Male with Locating Pin
- Drag Type – Fluid
- Vertical Tilt – +90° to -70°
- Panning Range – 360°
Initial Impressions and General thoughts
Although we were tackling this tripod without knowing anything about “nitrogren-filled“, (isn’t that what they do with airplane tires?) or working with a tripod of this caliber/design, out of the box it was easy to set up, and get started with.
Having used several different variations of older models and brands of video tripods, the system was indeed comparatively easy to get going. Every part of this tripod just “made sense” even though it looks rather intimidating at first glance with all those dials and expansion slots.
[Related Reading: We Review Gitzo’s 100-Year Anniversary Edition Tripod – Is It Worth $1500?]
All the knobs and friction adjustments were conveniently right next to each other and very clearly labeled so there was no need to be guessing which knob or dial does what. Admittedly, the “nitrotech” adjustment confused me at first, and I honestly didn’t understand how it differed from the older models of video fluid heads until I put a camera on there that had a bit of weight to it (Canon C200 with a 70-200mm lens).
After I loaded that large rig on the tripod, I finally appreciated this fluid head for all it could do. The counterbalance system was incredibly quick and easy to adjust, making it a breeze to get smooth and consistent shots on set, without any instances at all of camera “jumps” or “drift”. So, just make sure you fully understand the fluid drag and counterbalance system before making any decisions about this advanced tool.
Realistically, it took us less than 30 minutes to figure the system out, and that is without reading the manual (I know, I know), or searching for any tutorial videos. Impressive, for such a professionally capable tool. This fluid head really is “idiot-proof”, making it one of the simplest and best-performing heads we’ve ever used.
What we Liked
- Fast Locking Legs for Height Adjustments
- Setting up, tearing down, and in use, adjustments were a breeze with the snap-lock systems.
- Clearly Designed to be a work-horse for Videographers on the move
- Improved Fluid Drag System makes consistently tracking subjects a breeze
- Stands (pun intended?) apart from traditional tripods, as a truly professional video support system (Added bonus on set!)
- The New counterbalance for the 608 fluid head works from 0 to 17.6 lbs!
- This means that you can counterbalance precisely even a small DSLR/mirrorless cameras than nowadays are used more and more for video.
- What does counterbalancing do? It means you can quickly tilt your camera up or down to any angle without having to physically lock off the head and it’ll just stay put!
- You can quickly dial in an exact counterbalance for your rig if you’re swapping them out or changing lenses frequently.
- This means that you can counterbalance precisely even a small DSLR/mirrorless cameras than nowadays are used more and more for video.
- Flat base of the fluid head makes it easy to quickly move from tripod to a slider or additional accessories
- Familiar Easy Link system with anti-rotation notches for quick and easy mounting of accessories like monitors, flex arms, etc.
- Very ergonomic design for effortless, second-nature use.
- Secure, stable, and quick adjusting feetÂ
What We Didn’t Like
- Quick-release mechanism on the fluid head
- It can be a bit tricky to remove the camera off the mount, but locking it is a breeze as long as you don’t accidentally release the quick-lock mechanism.
- Tripod legs don’t spread out “freely” so it can sit lower
- This honestly didn’t bother me when I was using it since I don’t often do ground-level shots, but it is a nit-pick that we felt needed to be mentioned.
- It can be difficult to travel with since it doesn’t pack very small
- It’s a very large tripod and although it does fold up quickly and easily, it still takes up a whole lot of space when you compare it to a standard, photography-oriented tripod. Definitely not something to take on smaller budget productions, and not a good idea on those “small connecting flight” types of travel work.
Who Is This Tripod For?
Well, unlike some of the other tripods we’ve reviewed over the last year or two, there is a clear answer here: this tripod and fluid head are definitely made for professional videographers, or anyone who wants professional results. Whether you have a small mirrorless or large DSLR video kit, or are working with professional level cinema cameras like the C200 or ARRI systems and more, this tripod is quick and easy to operate, extremely stable, smooth, and secure, and of course, it leverages an existing and well-respected mount platform. To put it bluntly, it just works!
If you don’t want too, or don’t have the time to mess with constant tweaks and configurations, this is the ideal system for your video kit if you’re looking to get into professional videography. Not only does it perform incredibly well, it looks great and professional as well.
Conclusion
Dollar for dollar, the Manfrotto Nitrotech 608 is legitimately one of the best video tripods we’ve ever worked with, (especially considering the price point of only $1,079.88). If you compare to some alternatives like the Manfrotto 400 or 500-series, you’ll end up missing out on some incredible features. The 400 is still a good quality option but doesn’t have the counterbalance. The 500 has a decent counterbalance, but it’s fixed at 5.2lbs, meaning you won’t want to mount a heavier system like a true cinema camera if you’d like to not experience drift and bumps.
What does this mean? The Nitrotech 608 is a truly unique and exceptional system for professional, and aspiring professional videographers, and in our opinion is definitely worth every penny. The only thing we wished for was if this system could come in a more travel-ready and versatile form, so we could fit it in our suitcases while traveling! But the larger form factor is truly a small price to pay for an incredibly smooth video system.
What are your thoughts on the Manfrotto Nitrotech fluid heads? Have you used the older fluid heads as well? We’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below.