A Long Awaited Tripod Upgrade
If you’ve been following my photography journey for a while, you’ll know that I’m not one to constantly chop and change my support gear. In fact, my first ever tripod was the Manfrotto BeFree which I picked up way back in 2018. That tripod has been with me through everything—from my early days learning long exposures to shooting self portraits in my small apartment I lived in during my early twenties. It was reliable, sturdy, and did the job. But, as my camera setup became more compact (switching to the Sony A7CII), I started to realise that my trusty old Manfrotto was feeling a bit... heavy. And honestly, a bit clunky to pack. So, I decided it was finally time for an upgrade. I wanted something that matched the lightweight ethos of my new camera body but didn't sacrifice stability. Enter the Fotopro Origin Travel Tripod 20th Anniversary Edition.
Why the Fotopro Origin?
I’ll be honest, the first thing that caught my eye was the look of it. Being the 20th Anniversary Edition, it has these subtle design accents that just make it look like a premium piece of kit. But looks aren't everything. I did a heap of research and found that this tripod promised to be significantly lighter than my aluminium Manfrotto while packing down much tighter due to a unique leg design (more on that in a sec) as well as its carbon fibre build.
First Impressions
Taking it out of the box, the weight difference was immediately noticeable. It feels incredibly light in the hand—like, surprisingly light. The carbon fibre construction feels premium and smooth, and the flip locks feel snappy and secure. One thing I noticed straight away is that the legs aren't your standard circular tubes; they have a slightly different shape which allows them to nest closer together when closed. This means the overall footprint when it's strapped to the side of my bag is much slimmer than my old BeFree, which used to stick out quite a bit.
I Finally Understand Arca Swiss
Now, this might seem like a small detail to some, but for me, this is the biggest game changer. The ball head on the Fotopro Origin is Arca Swiss compatible. With my Manfrotto, I always had to screw on that specific Manfrotto 200PL plate to the bottom of my camera whenever I wanted to use the tripod. If I forgot the plate? I was out of luck. But now, because I keep a SmallRig baseplate permanently attached to my Sony A7CII for that extra grip and protection, I can just drop my camera directly onto the Fotopro head and clamp it down. No screwing on extra plates. No fumbling around in the dark. Just click, lock, and shoot. It makes the workflow so much faster, especially when I'm switching between handheld and tripod shots during a shoot.
Comparison: Manfrotto BeFree vs Fotopro Origin
I put them side by side to really see the difference, and here is what I found:
Weight: The Fotopro is noticeably lighter. When you're hiking or walking around a city all day, those few hundred grams make a massive difference to your back.
Compactness: Because of that unique leg shape I mentioned, the Fotopro feels much more streamlined (despite actually being longer when folded up). My Manfrotto always felt a bit bulky when folded up, whereas the Origin just disappears into the side pocket of my bag.
Stability: Despite being lighter, the Fotopro doesn't feel flimsy. I was worried that shedding weight would mean more vibration in the wind, but it holds my A7CII + Tamron 28-75mm perfectly steady.
Final Thoughts
I am so glad I made the switch. While the Manfrotto BeFree served me well for years, the Fotopro Origin Travel Tripod just fits my current shooting style so much better. It’s light, it looks great, and the native Arca Swiss compatibility has streamlined my workflow more than I expected. If you are looking for a travel tripod that won't weigh you down but still feels professional, I highly recommend checking this one out. If you'd like to pick one up for yourself, check out the link below.