Manfrotto PIXI EVO 2-Section Mini Tripod Review

The Manfrotto PIXI EVO 2-Section Mini Tripod is small, sturdy, and stable. That said, just because it performs well on paper doesn’t mean it’ll help you take better photos. Will the PIXI EVO keep our camera level and help us explore photography while traveling, or will it just sit in our camera bag? Let’s dive in and find out.

The Rundown

First things first, this is a mini tripod. The legs extend, but it doesn’t get very tall. There’s a button on each leg to extend it, and there are six heights in total per leg.

There are two leg angles that you can adjust with a little knob near the center of the tripod. One is taller, and the other is closer to the floor.

As mentioned, this thing just isn’t very tall. You won’t get far off the ground even at the highest setting. With the lowest setting (the legs not extended, in the lower leg angle mode), the tripod platform is about 4 inches, or 10.16 centimeters, off the ground. In the highest setting (the legs extended, in the higher leg angle mode), the tripod platform is just over 7.5 inches, or 19.05 centimeters, off the ground.

You’ll get more range than setting your camera on the ground, but you still need to get creative to get over people, tall grass, or other objects. This travel tripod shines when used on top of fences, benches, a car, rocks, or the roadway. As usual, you’ve got expensive camera equipment loaded up, so be careful and safe when putting the tripod somewhere precarious!

The tripod’s feet are rubberized and have texture, preventing it from sliding around, which is handy on wet or slippery surfaces. It generally works well in all conditions, from camping to urban adventures.

The tripod head is attached to a fixed ball mount, which you cannot remove. This is very handy to change the angle or get your shot level, and not all mini tripods have this feature. It’s strong, too, as it can hold up to 5.5 pounds, or 4.5 kilograms. The ball mount enables you to shoot vertically (in portrait), though we did notice the ball mount slipping more in this shooting method. Also, depending on the size of your camera body, you may struggle to get shots level when shooting vertically because the legs can get in the way. Still, it is a handy feature.

The tripod is crafted from aluminum and plastic and feels durable. It has been on camping trips to the rugged wilderness of Michigan’s backwoods and has travelled through the heart of Detroit on multiple occasions, experiencing dozens of drops along the way. It’s still working well, and we’ve had no issues with durability.

Packability

Despite being a mini tripod, this model isn’t tiny, either. Outside of a large coat pocket, you won’t be able to fit this tripod on your person. We were able to stow it in a back pants pocket, but it sticks way out, and you can’t sit down.

The best place to stow the Manfrotto PIXI EVO 2-Section Mini Tripod is in the water bottle pocket of a daypack or travel backpack water bottle pocket. It slides in easily and has enough width to stay put. It’ll also fit inside most camera backpacks, some camera slings, or your travel backpack or rolling luggage.

You can walk around holding the tripod in your hand, and it doesn’t feel too large or annoying. This is handy for trips where you just want to bring your camera and a tripod, not an entire setup. It’s also a solid setup for a small camera, like a point-and-shoot or GoPro.

This tripod sits awkwardly between pocketable and full-size, but it works well for its purpose and fits easily inside most bags.

Quick Comparison

Some of the most popular tripods on the market are flexible or bendable-legged tripods, like JOBY’s GORILLAPODS.

The GORILLAPOD is more versatile in most situations, as you can attach it to fences, tree branches, yourself, or anything thin enough for the arms to wrap around. That said, the legs aren’t as sturdy for regular shooting as the PIXI EVO. So, if you typically keep things pretty regular when shooting, the standard-legged tripod will perform better.

You can make the legs on the GORILLAPOD shorter or longer as needed, which is handy. However, we prefer the adjustable legs on the PIXI EVO, as they’re more stable and easier to adjust predictably. Again, the GORILLAPOD is more versatile, but we prefer the reliability of the PIXI EVO.

The GORILLAPOD is easier to transport, as you can bend and fold it in multiple ways, giving it the leg up for bringing the tripod. Still, the PIXI EVO is easy to stuff inside a water bottle pocket or in your bag, so there isn’t a massive difference between the two in practicality.

The Manfrotto PIXI EVO 2-Section Mini Tripod is a solid choice for those looking for a shrunken version of a larger model with similar features and build quality. A flexible-legged tripod like the GORILLAPOD is a different beast, despite its similar size!