2026-10-04 Manfrotto 209 Table Top Tripod

The Manfrotto 209 table top tripod legs weigh just 88 g ( 3 oz) but can support 2 k (4.5 pounds). The ball head shown weighs 80 g. Manfrotto designed a kit that gives you the legs, an extension shaft and their better ball head that is sold—with a small bag—for slightly less (in the $110 range) than the individual bits bought separately.
And that is as it should be. Some will use just the legs—they are topped with a standard tripod ¼” stud—to mount a camera or microphone pointing horizontally. Some will need the point of view or microphone raised by the small extension shaft. And finally some will need a ball head at both levels to direct the camera’s or microphone angle.

Folded the assembled-as-shown tripod would fit in the average pant’s pocket. If you fold the ball head sideways the head mounted length is 178 mm (7”). The legs are 127 mm (5”) from leg tip to bottom of ball head (the silver ring).

The only minor criticism of the tripod legs is the small cork pads used to protect the surface the tripod stands on. They sometimes fall off. Others might have preferred Manfrotto to use a set of small plastic tips. If the cork falls off, you can modify the tripod yourself, using anything from small lengths of tubing to the small rubber caps used to plug vacuum lines under automobile’s hoods.
But it won’t look as snazzy as the cork pad solution.

Just in comparison, a Pentax MT-10 table top tripod is made of plastic. It will be featured in another article, but for now we will just compare the tripods for—

Manfrotto 209 Pentax MT-10

Camera height (both on ball mounts) 4¼ inches ~6 inches
Leg setup diameter 8¼ inches ~6 inches
Weight (with ball head) 160 g (5.6 oz.) 202 g ( 7⅛ oz.)

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