Whether it’s a studio set up, self-portraits, architecture/landscape shot or even slick cinema-styled video; tripods are every photographer’s best three-legged friend. There’s always the right one for whatever situation you find yourself in. Here are some you should stand up and take notice.
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They say the best camera is the one that is with you; we can say the same for a tripod like Manfrotto’s PIXI EVO Mini. The company is largely known for their bigger tripods but it has done everything right for an everyday carry with the PIXI Evo series.
Designed like a tank, this tripod can carry loads from smartphones, action cameras up to medium sized dSLR cameras and it even packs down really small for storage. Even when packed down, the tripod can be used as a grip for holding your camera in video taking scenarios. Easily our favourite of the lot.
When you’re out in the rough and bumpy wilderness, a heavy tripod is the last thing you would want on your back. Joby’s iconic GorillaPod turns the world around you into your own tripod of sorts. With a lightweight body and trifecta of grippy fully articulating legs, the GorillaPod can be made to hold on to almost anything imaginable.
This particular model comes with a ball head that is rated to hold up to 3kgs. It also comes with a quick release plate that is convenient to set up.
Built from aluminum & tough plastics at a featherweight 1.15kg, the Compact Action tripod is a complete tripod and good investment for starter photographers. It comes with a unique non-removable ball-head mated to a joystick control. This gives it a semi-pro swivel and panning functionalities catering to still photographers and videographers alike.
Easy-to-use with a built-in quick release plate supporting up to 1.5kg, this tripod encourages photographers to experiment and take more photos no matter what kit they carry. Sturdy and stable at most heights, it gets a little wobbly when fully extended to its maximum 154cm height.
We think that Vanguard’s Alta Pro 264AT is the ultimate tripod for the travelling photographer. Its multi-angle center column that tilts off-vertical and rotates freely among the legs allows the camera to be pointed in virtually every direction. It provides unparalleled flexibility in the field and even allows unusual angles from low down to close-up for macro work.
Weighing a reasonable 1.9kg, this tripod carries loads of up to 7kg, extends to 150cm and can be folded down to 50.5cm for easy packing. To hammer home how versatile this tripod is for travel, it comes with an accessory connector to mount video lights, flashguns or even reflectors for your ultimate mobile studio setup wherever you are in the world.
We couldn’t believe our eyes when we first saw Manfrotto’s Befree Live video tripod. Expecting good video tripods to cost well over 5 times its price, this tripod really shines with its minimalist design and attached video head.
Its legs sit and lock at any angles thanks to its fast clip system but the real hero is its 4kg load ultra-smooth video head and panning bar. It ensures stability and easy leveling even with larger camera systems.
With a simple twist of a dial, this head switches from firmly locked to completely unlocked and the 501PL quick release plate frees the camera within moments. Lightweight, professional grade fluid head, versatile and reasonably priced, it doesn’t get any better than the Befree Live.
Truly pocket-sized like that new fancy iPhone you got, Joby’s GripTight Micro is definitely the go-to for smartphone photography. Machined from aluminum, the GripTight Micro’s mini-ballhead allows precise control of up to 36 degrees of movement and tilt in any direction. Perfect for that Instagram or Snapchat shot.
Its rubber feet hold steady on all surfaces giving this silicone gripped zinc-aluminum alloy tripod the best stability for a compact smartphone tripod. There’s an XL version for small tablets or large phablets if that’s your thing.
GoPro’s 3 Way selfie stick is an original accessory for the GoPro. Being one of the best supports for their action camera systems in shooting photos and videos in extreme situations. Like its name, this gear lets photographers set up their cameras in 3 different positions.
How it qualifies itself in our list is its party trick. In the waterproof 3 Way’s base is a screw attachment that houses a 3-legged attachment that transforms this selfie stick into an instant GoPro tripod when needed. The stand can be folded down for a more intimate close-up shot or folded out for that signature GoPro point-of-view composition.
This model is only for the GoPro. However, on Lazada there are similar models that suit almost every other action camera in the market.
If you stop to think about it, the requirements for Landscape, Nature and Night time photography are pretty similar. A photographer needs a platform that is sturdy but not too heavy. Also flexible but not unmanageable, reliably repeatable, weatherproof, stable and accurate.
The Vanguard Alta Plus 235AP checks those boxes and more with variable-angle dual locking 5-segment legs in a 1.52kg aluminum structure. Repeatability comes from its fluid dual handle 3-way pan head sitting on an anti-shock ring and a notched rotating collar with 2 bubble levels. This perfectly lines up landscape shots for easy stitching in post-production.
This tripod comes with a center column hook to help weigh it down for even more stability especially in windy and turbulent conditions. Long exposures in the dark? Not a problem for this Vanguard.
Manfrotto’s Element Traveler Big is a mid-ranged aluminum tripod designed for dSLR, mirrorless and compact cameras. It features 5-segment legs that fold up towards its ball head and can compact down to 41cm. Actually a pretty nifty tripod that does almost everything well.
Once the tripod is set, its twist lock legs push down firmly and gives strength to an Arca-Swiss compatible dual lock ball head system that holds up to 8kg in load. Twist off one of those legs and attach it to that same head, you will find yourself with a Manfrotto monopod worthy of being its own product.
This versatility makes this 1.6kg tripod an ideal tool to lean on; whether it’s 3 legs or 1.
Also known as a flat base tripod, the Sirui R-4214X is a 3kg beast that carries up to 30kg of camera loads comfortably on a 10-layered crisscrossing carbon fiber construction for ultimate rigidity, torsion resistance, and vibration reduction.
Standing at 200cm fully extended or spreading out as low as 10cm off the ground, the R-4214X doesn’t come with unnecessary heads or moving parts which is excellent for heavy extreme telephoto lenses and professional camera bodies. Resembling military equipment, this tripod is a niche product in specialized field work for the most demanding of professional photographers.
The requirements for indoor photography differs greatly from the outdoors; you don’t have to fight the environment but you still need a sturdy lightweight base with finesse for long exposures to get that professional looking interior photos.
We picked the Sirui T-024X Carbon Fiber tripod with C-10KX Ball Head for it’s ease-of-use with its automatic leg angle locking mechanism to quickly adjust to any corner of the room you need to be in.
Ideal for panoramic shots of interiors, the C-10KX head can rotate on a continuously adjustable friction system just by loosening one knob. Made from an 8-layer carbon fiber construction, the T-024X also comes with an interchangeable short center column for close-ups and low angle shooting.
Seen an amazing photo of hotel rooms that makes you want to stay in? It’s most probably shot with a camera sitting on a tripod like this.
Versatility, reliability, and speed are a wedding photographer’s best friends and these qualities are definitely found in the MeFOTO GlobeTrotter Carbon Fiber tripod kit. Designed to be a travel-friendly tripod, this 1.7kg carbon fiber tripod packs a solid punch with a large capacity of 12kg and fully extended height at 164cm in a well-built structure that is very excellently finished in aluminum on all locks and joints.
Arca-Swiss style quick release plate with its Benro Q-series head is of high-quality build with separate knobs for adding friction and locking the ball. In classic MeFOTO form, the versatility comes from a detachable monopod leg that is beefy and attachable to the ball head or center column of the GlobeTrotter to achieve the same maximum height if needed.
An answer for any situation a wedding photographer might find themselves in.
Manfrotto MK057C3-M0Q5 Carbon Fiber 057 with Q5 Ball Head is not an easy name to remember, so we’re just going to call it the 057 tripod and Q5 Ball Head. Let’s talk about the 057 tripod first; best of Manfrotto’s professional line up with 3-segment carbon fiber legs that achieves a maximum height of 157cm.
Designed for pro users, the rapid center column system repositions cameras at any height with solid locking mechanisms. Now that we’ve got the boring part out of the way, let’s talk about that magnificent specimen of a ball head; the Q5.
The best Manfrotto pro ball head dedicated to 057 carbon fiber tripods, the Q5 is an unbelievably smooth and precise ball head made from ultralight magnesium ensuring payload performance and balance. The new Q5 quick release system plays nice with RC5 standard plates and comes with a sliding plate.
It is definitely the last word for durable, high performance and accurate photographic ball heads.
More: Top 13 Must-Have dSLR Cameras for the Aspiring Photographer
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