Which tripod is best

Rod is the Group Reviews editor for Digital Camera World and across Future's entire photography portfolio, with decades of experience with cameras of all kinds. He has been writing about photography technique, photo editing and digital cameras since they first appeared, and before that began his career writing about film photography. He has used and reviewed practically every interchangeable lens camera launched in the past 20 years, from entry-level DSLRs to medium format cameras, together with lenses, tripods, gimbals, light meters, camera bags and more.

Included in this guide: 1. Manfrotto XPro4. Specifications Material: Aluminum. Leg sections: 4. Max height with head : cm. Folded height: 57cm. Weight with head : 2. Reasons to avoid - Lacks swing-up legs - Quite bulky when folded. The 3-Legged latest folds up small and extends Specifications Material: Carbon fibre.

Leg sections: 3. Folded height: Reasons to avoid - No aluminium option - Less compact than Leo 2. The biggest of Benro's four new Rhino travel tripods is great all round. Extended height: Weight: 2. Max load legs, head : 20kg. Specifications Material: Aluminium. Folded height: 76cm. Max load: 15kg. Reasons to avoid - Quite long when folded - A longer column might be useful.

Peak Design Travel Tripod. Spectacular for both its design and its folded size, though not cheap! Specifications Material: Carbon fiber or aluminum alloy. Extended height: cm. Folded height: 39cm. Weight: 1. Feet: Pads spikes optional extra. Leg sections: 5. Max load: 9kg. Reasons to avoid - Expensive carbon fiber version - Not the tallest - Some hex key fiddling.

Folded height: 41cm. Feet: Rubber pads, spikes included. Max load legs, head : 10kg. Reasons to avoid - Needs center column for decent height. A fully-featured travel tripod, built with carbon fiber quality.

Specifications Weight: 2. Folded height, max height: 48cm, cm. Max load legs : 15kg. Center column: Free-angle. Reasons to avoid - Bulky when folded. A travel-friendly tripod boasting a lot of benefits in a compact build.

Folded height: 45cm. Reasons to avoid - Shorter max operating height. Easy carrying with a lot of tripod shoehorned into a small space. Reasons to avoid - Only two positions possible - Hard to get in UK. Small and mighty, the Leo 2.

Folded height: 35cm. Feet: Pads interchangeable. Max load legs, head : 30kg, 30kg. Reasons to avoid - Lots of leg clamps to tighten. This ultra-compact Sirui is designed to be as small as possible. Folded height: 36cm. Weight with head : 1. Reasons to avoid - No independent friction damper - Max operating height is a little low. The biggest tripod on the market, for those who need height above all else.

Folded height: 69cm. Material: Carbon fibre. Leg sections: 6. This gripped leg actually serves a second purpose, namely the ability to transform into a fully fledged monopod when detached from the rest of the tripod, complete with carrying handle.

With over positive reviews, the Ultra Compact is a popular option for traveling photographers who need a dedicated tripod for a stable shot, without compromising the weight of their camera bag. Dimensions: 3. I feel like the iconic GorillaPod needs no introduction.

With 10 moveable leg joints on each leg covered in grippy rubber, the Joby GorillaPod SLR Zoom wraps around objects securely, relying on the stiffness between each joint to stay put. The quick release plate stays connected to your camera so you can slide it on and off the ball head quickly. The flexible, wrappable legs can safely hold any DSLR up to 3 kg 6 lbs. This means that even photographers shooting with heavier full frame cameras and zoom lenses can rely on the strength of the GorillaPod SLR Zoom to support their gear in any crazy position they choose.

If you want to save some money and have a lighter entry level DSLR camera set up, the GorillaPod Hybrid is a good option, with its maximum load-bearing capacity of 1 kg 2. On the topic of price, the GorillaPod has traditionally been at the more expensive end of the flexible tripod range.

This is largely justifiable, due to the high quality parts used in its production — see the latest price of the SLR Zoom and other models here. Check out the image below which should shed some light on the best GorillaPod to choose for your camera.

Which GorillaPod to buy — click here to see entire range. You may find different names for the other models too, e. It should also be said that the GorillaPod SLR Zoom is a popular option for vloggers, in that it provides a grippy and comfortable way to grasp your camera while filming yourself or your subject,.

The pan and tilt motion is controlled via rubber-gripped knobs, which when twisted release the lock mechanism so you can rotate the camera in whatever direction you choose. A non-oil dampening mechanism helps keep the movement silky smooth. The three aluminum tripod legs allow the tripod to extend to cm With an overall weight with ball head of only 1kg g 2. The 3 legs joints are released via quick-flip leg locks, ideal for one-handed operation. The tripod comes with a shoulder bag, ball head bag and Allen key.

The AmazonBasics range is immensely popular. Learning from the products that sell well on its own site, Amazon attempts to borrow from and improve on the design of popular products, then undercut them in price.

Unsavory business tactics aside, this allows Amazon to offer high quality, useful products at a huge discount, and a good example of this practice is the AmazonBasics Lightweight Tripod. Price aside, the AmazonBasics Lightweight Tripod is actually adequately-built for basic everyday use, and offers several of the features of much more expensive tripods. Amazon has chosen to use plastic components where other tripod manufacturers would use metal, but the max carry load over 3 kg 6.

The 3-way head allows for tilt and swivel motion, and the pan handle delivers a relatively fluid and smooth operation. Raising and lowering the centre column is achieved via a rather unusual crank arm. The legs of the tripod can be extended quickly and easily via two flip locks on each leg, both operable with one hand. To provide stability, the legs of the AmazonBasics Lightweight Tripod are locked together when open.

This is more common with tripods for video shooting, where the gear to be supported is usually much heavier. With an included carrying bag, the AmazonBasics Lightweight Tripod is excellent value for money and should be at the top of your shopping list if you need a basic tripod at a great price for travel or home use. Dimensions: 7. Weighing in at less than a paperback book and taking up even less space, the B PIXI is perfect for getting a quick stabilized shot.

When I first discovered this tripod, I admit to being a bit perplexed at its enormous popularity. Typical of Manfrotto products, clearly a lot of thought has gone into its design, and perhaps this is one of the reasons for its huge popularity. Despite this, I love the speed and simplicity of camera positioning with the B PIXI Mini tripod, and it has to be said, that pressing the button of the tripod while I carry the tripod in my pocket is very addictive!

It sounds strange to say, but the B-PIXI is almost like a work of art that should be showcased in a design museum, representing perfect simplicity in design. The Quick Power Lock levers are easy to open and close, even with gloves on. With just one hand, they allow for the fast and precise setting of the individual height of each leg. From close to the ground, all the way up to its full extension, this is a working tool that will never let you down.

The is available with 3 and 4 sections. How to choose the best tripod to buy? While many may prefer the 3 section, as it is usually said to be more stable, there is one advantage to the 4 section: with the legs folded the tripod has To better support your camera , nothing beats the 3-Way Head added to the This ensures fine framing adjustments can be made with the locking knobs open, only locking everything down once the shot is ready.

If your studio is as far as you go when it comes to photography, then the Manfrotto B is the best tripod for you. Built in aluminum, the B is heavy, at g, but that means it offers the ideal stability for the conditions it will be used in.

Yet being heavy does not mean it is less agile than the other tripods when it comes to adjusting the legs or the center column. The geared center column allows safe, precise height adjustment , even under heavy loads up to a maximum of 12 kg, while the legs can be set to a different angle of spread for more flexible, versatile positioning, as well as keeping camera equipment well-balanced over the tripod's center of gravity.

The most important features of a video tripod is to create a completely stable platform capable of supporting video equipment and to securely mount a fluid video head that will provide smooth camera movement to the operator.

The Manfrotto Nitrotech Video Head Series provides fluid, counterbalanced movement like no other video head on the market. The Nitrogen piston mechanism ensures continuous counterbalance and the variable Fluid Drag system ensures smooth movements. Nitrotech Video Heads are available two sizes: Nitrotech N8 and Nitrotech N12 and may be paired with a wide variety of Manfrotto video tripods. Manfrotto also has a wide range of traditional fluid video heads with all the features professional videographers demand.

Depending on your equipment and application there are several sizes and types of video tripod legs including single-leg tripods that are easy to transport in the field and double-leg tripods that provide a more stable base with greater weight capacity.

Spreaders are another common feature to video tripods that add stability. Spreaders may be in the middle of the tripod or at ground-level for ultimate stability in studio settings or other indoor locations.

Finding the right tripod does not have to be a trial and error process. Hopefully our tripod buying guide will point you in the right direction. As a reminder here are some top tips for choosing the best tripod ;.

Hopefully this tripod buying guide helps you to understand that tripods are essential for photography, and not just for when the light starts to fade. Tripods are not just a camera accessory; they give photographers extended creative options and can really help your photography stand out from the crowd. Motion Control Accessories. Camera Slider Accessories. Bases Accessories Extensions Kits. Quick release filter adapters Filters. Pro light reloader roller bag collection. Group Brands. Quick Release Filter Adapters Filters.

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