Any photographer who wants to stand out in this craft soon realises that a tripod is indispensable. There are different tripods designed for different types of cameras and for different purposes — some with remote controls, others still entirely manual. If you need the basics first, have a look at The Tripod Explained.
I have been using tripods for years, and picking out the best was a lot of work. Like most photography gear, the right choice depends on what you want to achieve.
Still, I have made a list of the best tripods I have personally tried — picks that will serve an amateur just as well as they will serve a professional.
Gitzo GT2532 Series 2 Carbon Fiber Tripod
This spectacular tripod carries the classic Gitzo veneer on 8-layer Carbon eXact legs. The centre tube has a removable carbon portion, which comes in wonderfully handy for low-angle shooting at a height of just 6.3 inches. The Gitzo GT2532 is made of magnesium and powder-coated, and it suits landscape photography as readily as regular events.
What struck me most was the ease with which you can modify this tripod with various accessories — one set of legs, many jobs.
- Legs
- 8-layer Carbon eXact
- Low angle
- Down to 6.3 in
- Best for
- Landscape · events · modification
- Maker
- gitzo.com
MeFoto A1350Q1T Aluminium RoadTrip Travel Tripod Kit
As its name suggests, this tripod belongs to MeFoto's titanium-coloured series designed for travel photographers. It looks solid from a distance, yet it stays lightweight: built from aluminium alloy, it supports a maximum load of 17.6 lb and collapses down to 15 inches.
The legs can be detached while the centre column stays stable — a trick that transforms this tripod into a monopod when the terrain calls for it.
- Material
- Aluminium alloy
- Max load
- 17.6 lb
- Collapsed
- 15 in
- Maker
- mefoto.com
Vanguard Alta Pro
This is, without question, the best choice for most photographers. It has every feature you could desire in a tripod, which makes it a superb pick when you are on a budget. You can push the experience further still by pairing it with the 263AB 100 kit, which includes the SBH-100 tripod head.
The Alta Pro is a great choice for macro photography, low-light photography, or working with a zoom lens.
- Position
- Best all-rounder on a budget
- Pairs with
- 263AB 100 kit · SBH-100 head
- Best for
- Macro · low light · zoom lenses
- Maker
- vanguardworld.com
3 Legged Thing Equinox Winston Carbon Fiber Tripod
From afar this tripod looks like an alien life-form — though with a splash of attractive colour rather than the characteristic mono-green we've come to associate with aliens. It has oval-shaped leg locks that are easy to adjust, and a unique touch: the leg locks carry a secondary locking system that keeps the locks themselves in place.
Detach one of the legs and it serves as a lightweight selfie stick; the legs also fold for compact storage.
- Material
- Carbon fiber
- Signature
- Double-locking oval leg locks
- Party trick
- Detachable leg → monopod
- Maker
- 3leggedthing.com
There are many other great tripods out there at amazing prices. Whichever you choose, these are the features I insist on before any tripod earns a place in my bag:
- The head should be included
- Minimal weight — at most four pounds, so moving it never feels like carrying weights
- A collapsed length of no more than 24 inches
- Tough, light materials — magnesium, titanium or carbon fiber, less prone to wear and rust
- Leg locks — the legs must not spin