Manfrotto 131D Lateral Side Arm for Tripods (Black)

Manfrotto 131D Lateral Side Arm for Tripods (Black)

UPC's:

MPN's:

B&H Photo Video (54)
90%
40 Reviews

Creates the Perfect Macro Rig

Mar 30, 2019

I purchased this Lateral Side Arm so I could use in on my existing tripod for macro work (I wasnt interested in buying a macro tripod with a tilting center column). This arm along with my series 3 tripod and two ball heads provides more flexibility and better stability than any macro tripod Im aware of. I am pleased with this setup and find it most useful and very stable. This side arm can be mounted in place of your ball head allowing you to mo... Show More

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Worked well.

Oct 15, 2013

This side arm certainly solves the problem of rigging a camera to shoot over head on a set. I used it for location food photography and even in situations where the camera wasn't quite overhead but at a 45 degree angle or less to the set it worked well too because it allowed me and my food stylist access to the items being shot without having to work around a tripod leg or two. But I suggest buying the Manfrotto 172 Counter Balance 3 lbs weight t... Show More

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Not Really Necessary

Feb 20, 2015

The Manfrotto 131D Lateral Side Arm for tripods is just fine. Well made and well thought out for attachment of cameras in a tethered set up. It provides a verticle bar upon which your ball head (or other) device may be attached. The real discovery, however stems from the fact that it does not add that much to your tethered shooting capabilities. First, because you can already lift and lower the camera via most tripod setups with a center post. Se... Show More

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Could have been designed better

Feb 23, 2017

I purchased this side arm, despite the reviews which stated that it suffered from some design flaws. I was hoping that they would be minor enough to not bother me. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. It does not sit flush on the tripod mount when locked locked in. The locking wheel has very shallow indentations, making it hard to turn and fully lock. And if you overtighten it somehow, it will be very hard to unlock, as it'll be hard to get a goo... Show More

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Works well, could use a few minor improv

May 8, 2012

I like this product for the most part. It does what I need it to do, and is what you would expect from Manfrotto in terms of quality. I agree with other reviews in regard to the locking wheel used to secure the side arm to the tripod. It's very difficult to turn, and not very usable. I wish they would have used a better design to lock it down. It would be nice to have the ability to swing it back and forth as well, since Manfrotto tripods have a ... Show More

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Works fair to get job done

Jun 25, 2016

It's not a bad item- it could be just better designed. Because it has to sit on a 3/8-1/4 inch bushing to fit with my tripod tilt/pan head--which is not as wide, it never gets completely stable. Also the light grey plastic ring used to tighten it down has almost no texture on it and is small, therefore it's always hard to grip it to tighten it down well. If fully extended, the arm has too much mobility and hang. It worked for what I needed (travel food photography) - it's not terribly heavy and fits well in a suitcase.

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

A great tool to have!

Jun 8, 2016

Opens up many options in a safe sturdy way. A couple of small downsides like not having a pad on the surface of the end that has the smaller thread type for connecting to dslr type cameras, thus scratching the base of your camera when you screw it in. A bit of soft Velcro will fix this Also it's very expensive for only extending 24 inches. My tripod can easily withstand a 32 inch extension with a 7 pound camera on it however the 24 inches will suffice

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

It Looked Good, But...

Aug 30, 2013

Well, the product looked good when I received it, but I suppose it's only useful for Manafrotto products. It did not fit my tripod at all, so I would need a much more versatile lateral arm. Other than that, I'm sure the reviews by others are pretty accurate, I just wish I knew before hand what the specifications were. Perhaps I missed them while reading and got over excited. Other than that, if I had the right tripod, I probably would have loved it.

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Exactly what I wanted

Jan 17, 2016

It's exactly what I wanted. For a smallish job, it worked just fine as a way to shoot down on a 4x4' table surface. I had to shuffle the tripod legs around a bit to not get them in the shot, even fully extended, but it did its job. You will need a counter-weight for the arm, keep this in mind, as the legs will be in such a position as to not keep tripod from tipping over. It's a little delicate, but lightweight and for under $$, I'd buy it again.

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Sturdy tool for down shots.

Feb 6, 2013

I do a fair number of shots where I need to have the camera pointing straight down on the subject. For years I used a Cambo studio stand for this, but as I no longer am shooting with a view camera, I don't need something that massive cluttering my small space. I find that this side arm lets me get the angle I need fairly adeptly and provides plenty of support for the way I shoot now (with strobe lights and digital camera).

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Pretty nifty, two things would be 5 star

Mar 5, 2015

I just used this today for a food shoot over a table and it worked well. Two things would make it even better 1) a heavy-duty hook attachment for the end that's not used (I draped a sandbag instead, other people use weights) and 2) allow for angular adjustments. Otherwise you have to shorten your tripod leg to do something besides perpendicular. Anyway, pretty good tool, really came in handy shooting over top of stuff.

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Good For Reproduction Photography

Jul 12, 2015

I bought this for a project entailing photographing a large number of unmounted paintings and drawings on a flat surface and it does the job well. I use a Canon 5D Mark II with a Canon 24-70 f2.8 II (a heavy lens and camera body) and it's sturdy enough to support both, so long as the arm isn't extended too far beyond its center on the tripod mount. Would recommend this for reproduction work.

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Fantastic Product

Apr 13, 2015

This product was an amazing purchase. The description is true to the product. I'm a person who reads thoroughly and does plenty of research before buying one piece of equipment. I am extremely satisfied with the purchase. The product is a bit on the heavy side, but it helps with stabilization and build quality. It is exactly what I needed (to shoot overhead).

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Solid arm, slight mounting issue

Feb 16, 2010

Great extension for your field or studio tripod. The dual head mount option allows for 2 cameras to be mounted or any other 3/8 thread block. I have some difficulty cinching the mounting head to my tripod. The lock wheel is located a little too tight to the head, making a good grip challenging. Once it is secured, the whole unit is solid.

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

great product for several uses

Apr 12, 2011

I bought this arm simply for its overhead shooting capabilities. I use it while shooting food so I can get my tripod legs out of the way and have the camera directly over the top of a dish. Works wonderfully. I've also seen it used with a tray plus another head adapter to set up your laptop right on your tripod while you shoot teathered.

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Solid Arm

Feb 10, 2016

Using it for shooting food (surprise!) from a top-down view. It's a solid arm that I have full confidence in. Using a mirrorless camera, so there's not a lot of weight on the end, but the arm itself does weigh a bit; make sure you're using a solid tripod with a sand bag to keep it from shaking or tipping.

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Top Quality Piece Of Equipment

Jan 25, 2011

The 131D is an extremely well made precision accessory. Attachment to a Manfrotto Tri-Pod takes less than 5 minutes requiring only a quick removal and re-installation of 3 set screws. If you intend to use the side arm at full extension be sure to order a medium counter-weight for maximum stability.

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Perfect for top down

Feb 25, 2020

I found a few products online and needed something with versatility of mounting options and I found the build quality is always good with Manfrotto products. If you purchase this and go pretty far out I recommend using a sandbag on the opposite end to balance the camera so it doesnt fall over.

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Too short. Difficult to use lock nut mechanism.

Dec 11, 2018

Pros: Build quality is good. Cons: Its reach isnt long enough, and I often have to fight to keep it from out of view from the tripod legs. Locknut mechanism is stiff and often gets stuck. Cant swivel the arm independently from the tripod, so fine adjustments are very difficult.

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Solid Arm

Nov 21, 2011

Used with the 055XPROB tripod to shoot 2D objects on the floor. A great solid setup but with my heavy medium format camera setup, along with a corresponding counterweight, there was quite a bit of sway, so this is best for lightweight cameras up to compact SLRs.

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Don't judge by the price but usability

May 21, 2011

I use this side arm with my Manfrotto 190 tripod mainly for architectural images, close-ups & wild life shootings. It may be beneficial if I use this item either with 2 cameras or a camera plus a camcorder at the same time.

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Did the Trick

Jun 25, 2017

Worked just as expected. I used this to film a project for school. I wanted to do a shot from above, looking down on a table. Attached this to a tripod and didn't even need to weight the other side. Was using it with a GH4.

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Works perfectly for my manfrotto tripod

Feb 25, 2018

Easy to take photos on the ground and get the whole Frame in focus. Works best setup with canon application on my MacBook so I can get the settings right on a computer monitor then shoot remotely from the computer.

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Well Made and Sturdy

Jun 14, 2013

I use this, attached to my very heavy manfrotto tripod, to place the camera, in the field, in positions that are otherwise very hard to achieve. It easily converts a tripod to a copy stand. A versatile accessory.

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Page: 1 / 2
Manfrotto 131D Lateral Side Arm for Tripods (Black)
$84.13 International shipping In Stock
(54)
B&H Photo Video B&H Photo Video
SEE IT