I bought a pair of these legs in 2010 when they were selling for $400 & I watched the price go up 37% over the last couple years to $550.
According to B&H there is a $125 rebate that expires on Dec 31. If you're looking for some great, affordable, light weight, tall & low, 75mm bowl CF tripod legs... I don't think you can do better than the 535.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/556157-REG/Manfrotto_535_535_3_Section_Carbon_Fiber.html
I love the pair I own & we have to of them at work which are the preferred choice of all of our shooters. These legs were also impressive enough that Sachtler grabbed these legs, added a little red & the Sachtler "S" and now sells the legs as a kit with some of their tripod heads.
(Note: both Sachtler & Manfrotto are owned by Vitec, so it isn't that Sachtler copied the legs, they are the exact same model.)
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The rebate also applies to the Manfrotto 536. We have one of these at work too, but I don't like it as much as the 535.
536 is nice because it goes up much higher (we bought it b/c of it's height) & it can take either 100mm or 75mm bowl tripod.
Negatives of the 536 is that it is heavier, more expensive & with the 75mm bowl adapter you can not use Sachtler 75mm bowl heads. (We have a Vinten Vision Blue head on these legs which is great (I really love the Vision Blue), but we have a FSB 8 that I wanted to put on these legs & discovered that it was a no go.)
According to B&H there is a $125 rebate that expires on Dec 31. If you're looking for some great, affordable, light weight, tall & low, 75mm bowl CF tripod legs... I don't think you can do better than the 535.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/556157-REG/Manfrotto_535_535_3_Section_Carbon_Fiber.html
I love the pair I own & we have to of them at work which are the preferred choice of all of our shooters. These legs were also impressive enough that Sachtler grabbed these legs, added a little red & the Sachtler "S" and now sells the legs as a kit with some of their tripod heads.
(Note: both Sachtler & Manfrotto are owned by Vitec, so it isn't that Sachtler copied the legs, they are the exact same model.)
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The rebate also applies to the Manfrotto 536. We have one of these at work too, but I don't like it as much as the 535.
536 is nice because it goes up much higher (we bought it b/c of it's height) & it can take either 100mm or 75mm bowl tripod.
Negatives of the 536 is that it is heavier, more expensive & with the 75mm bowl adapter you can not use Sachtler 75mm bowl heads. (We have a Vinten Vision Blue head on these legs which is great (I really love the Vision Blue), but we have a FSB 8 that I wanted to put on these legs & discovered that it was a no go.)