The best tripods for your camera and one for your smartphone
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Although you can perform basic photography tasks by hand with your smartphone, to take your photos to the next level, you need better equipment, such as a tripod. The lightweight ZOMEI 55-inch Compact Tripod is the best tripod you can buy because it folds down to a small size, but it's sturdy enough to use with all types of cameras.
For many people, photography today is all about simplicity. Grab your smartphone and use it to shoot all of your photos. No extra equipment needed, no fancy camera required, and no complicated settings to figure out.
But as you’ll quickly learn, while you can shoot decent photos with a simple smartphone, the tiny image sensor in the smartphone doesn’t cut it when you're seeking great results. For that, you’ll need a bigger camera, perhaps a great DSLR camera or a nice point-and-shoot camera.
With a great camera in hand, the next piece of equipment that can help you start shooting great photos is a tripod. You can the avoid blurry images you get from holding the camera in your unstable hands by using a tripod because you can shoot steadily while using a slow shutter speed. This opens up a whole new means of creating photos.
As an added benefit, you just look like you know what you’re doing when you’re using a tripod. So let us help you find the right tripod, and then you can at least look like a pro photographer … even if your photography skills haven’t caught up yet.
Tripod features
A tripod looks like a simple piece of equipment, but it has a lot of moving pieces and parts that give it strong capabilities. The more advanced features you want, the more the tripod costs, as explained by Adorama and Steve’s Digicams.
- Ball head vs. pan-tilt head: A three-way pan tilt head allows you to easily tilt the camera vertically or horizontally, as well as spin it 360 degrees. This is a great feature for shooting odd angle photos or for ensuring the camera is squared up when you have to set the tripod up on uneven ground. A ball head is a simpler lightweight design that you can spin 360 degrees.
- Carbon fiber vs. aluminum: Modern tripods typically consist of one of two materials in the legs: carbon fiber or aluminum. Carbon fiber tripods cost almost double what aluminum tripods cost. A carbon fiber tripod is lighter than one with aluminum legs, but the aluminum tripod is slightly sturdier. Aluminum legs could show rust spots if they’re exposed to weather over time. Carbon fiber legs may fracture or crack if treated roughly, however.
- Center column: Although tripods consist of three support legs that hold the majority of the camera’s weight, having a tripod with a sturdy center post helps to balance the entire apparatus better. You often can hang weight from the center column to create a sturdier setup with the tripod.
- Gimbal head: A gimbal head provides the strength and leverage required to provide balance for a large camera lens and a heavy body. Without this balance, the tripod could tip over.
- Flip lock vs. twist lock: The tripod’s extendable legs will use one of two mechanisms to lock in place most of the time. The flip lock is a flat switch that flips one way to unlock the legs, allowing them to be extended or retracted, or flips the other way to lock the legs in place. A twist lock works similarly, as twisting it a partial turn one way unlocks the legs and twisting it the other way locks them in place. A flip lock works faster than a twist lock, as Digital Photography School discusses.
- Removable plate: Most tripods have a rectangular plate that locks into the head of the unit. You can remove this plate, attach it to the tripod screw port on your camera, and then reattach the plate to the tripod head. This greatly simplifies attaching the camera to the tripod, while also protecting you from fumble fingers and dropping the camera while trying to secure it on the tripod. Photo Pro Magazine says this plate also serves as a quick release system, allowing you to remove the camera from the tripod when you need to shoot photos free hand in a hurry.
- Tripod to monopod: Some tripods offer the ability to transform into a monopod, usually by removing a leg and using it as the monopod.
Tripod sizes
Different sizes of tripods will give you various capabilities, such as self-portrait and HDR photography options, as Photography Life says. Although you may be tempted to purchase the biggest tripod you can afford, a large tripod may not quite meet your needs.
- Table top: The table top or mini tripod lives up to its name by being extremely small. This compact design carries a sturdy feel, which is great for a heavy camera where you don’t need a height of more than about 12 inches. Mini tripods offer simple designs and are easy to carry. Some people will even mount a mini tripod to a tree or pole to provide a unique perspective for the camera, according to B&H Photo Video.
- Fixed: A fixed size tripod is pretty rare in today’s market. This type of tripod will have legs that are fixed in length, usually between 18 and 36 inches. Such tripods are sturdy and but don’t offer the flexibility of other options.
- Adjustable: An adjustable three-legged tripod is the most common option available. These tripods usually fold down to a height of 12 to 24 inches, while offering legs that can expand to 50 inches or more in height. Most of these tripods consist of aluminum and plastic or carbon fiber and plastic that keeps them lightweight but strong. The legs lock in place with clamps after you extend them. Most photographers will hang a bag or other weighted object from the center post of the tripod to keep the tripod from tipping. This type of tripod provides the most versatility, as it’s easy to carry when folded down, while providing numerous height options.
Now that we've got the key terms and things to look for out of the way, let's move on to our top picks. Read on to see which tripod is best for your needs.
Although the ZOMEI 55-Inch Compact Tripod is our top pick, for various reasons laid out in the slides below, you should also consider the Mactrem Q666C Lightweight Carbon Fiber Tripod, the Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB 100 Aluminum Tripod Kit, the Rangers 57-Inch Ultra Compact Tripod, and the Manfrotto PIXI Mini Tripod.
The best tripod overall
Why you'll love it: The ZOMEI 55-inch Compact Tripod is one of the most versatile options for photographers of different skill levels who need several functions for a great price.
The ZOMEI 55-inch Compact Tripod provides a lot of versatility, making it a good choice for using in a studio or while traveling. The tripod folds down to 20 inches in height when not in use, but it extends to 55 inches in height when all of the legs are extended fully.
The ZOMEI tripod weighs just 2.6 pounds, making it easy to carry, according to the Shutterfeet review. To keep the tripod steady, you can hang weights from the center post.
It has a pan-tilt head, which allows for plenty of versatility in adjusting the position of the camera. One Amazon reviewer appreciated the quick release plate on this tripod, which makes it easy to shoot photos on or off the tripod. Jen Reviews highlighted the overall versatility of this tripod, which makes it work for many different levels of photographers.
However, a few different Amazon customers disliked using this tripod for shooting video, saying it doesn’t pan smoothly.
The tripod from ZOMEI is available in three different colors, with red, blue, or black aluminum on the legs. The legs use flip locks to quickly extend their length.
Pros: Good price point, sturdy aluminum design, provides plenty of versatility for many levels of photographers, lightweight design for travel, extends to 55 inches in height, folds down as small as 20 inches
Cons: Can’t match maximum height of some more expensive models, doesn’t pan smoothly for video
Buy the ZOMEI 55-inch Compact Tripod on Amazon for $42.99 (originally $80.00)
The best carbon fiber tripod
Why you'll love it: A carbon fiber construction gives the Mactrem Q666C Lightweight Carbon Fiber Tripod the ability to hold your camera stable, even at its tallest setting.
A lightweight carbon fiber tripod can be a great option for photographers on the go, and the Mactrem Q666C tripod is one of the best lightweight and tall models available.
The carbon fiber in the Mactrem Q666C makes use of eight different layers of materials, staggered and cured at high temperatures to improve the strength of the legs. Strength is important because the Q666C can extend its legs to place the tripod head at 64.5 inches in height. You’ll lock the legs in place with a twist lock mechanism. Despite its height, one Amazon customer says this tripod is very sturdy.
The tilt-pan tripod head offers a full range of motion. In fact, you can flip the tripod head 180 degrees to record photos upside down, which the Better Digital Photo Tips review says is a great feature. The Entrusters review mentions the strong capability of the quick release plate to allow you to switch between free hand and tripod shooting almost instantly.
One Amazon reviewer says the instructions that ship with the tripod are so confusing that it’s tough to make use of all of its features, though.
Pros: Tall and sturdy tripod up to 64.5 inches in height, tilt-pan head allows for shooting at almost any angle, carbon fiber material creates lightweight tripod, folds down to small size for travel, handy quick release plate
Cons: Price is a little high, included instructions are confusing
Buy the Mactrem Q666C Lightweight Carbon Fiber Tripod on Amazon for $143.99 (originally $299.99)
The best ball head tripod
Why you'll love it: The Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB 100 Aluminum Tripod Kit offers great versatility in the height of the tripod, as well as a ball head for smooth video recording.
The Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB 100 Aluminum Tripod Kit features a 360-degree rotating ball tripod head that allows for extremely smooth movement of the camera, which is great for shooting video.
The Vanguard 263AB 100 tripod is able to fold down to a height of 28.125 inches and extend to a maximum height of 68.125 inches, giving you great versatility in how you use the tripod. The Wirecutter says the 263AB is a great tripod for a variety of photographers. Even though it carries a high price point, one Amazon reviewer said the tripod offers a very good value.
The Alta Pro tripod weighs about 5.4 pounds, which makes it a little heavier than some other tripods. However, the Photo New Canada review says this tripod has found the right mix between the weight and the stability of the tripod. Pic Stop says carrying the Alta Pro 263AB tripod was easy while hiking.
Additionally, you can shoot photos at far lower heights than 28.125 inches. One of the cooler features of the Alta Pro tripod is the ability to reconfigure the tripod legs to allow for low-angle photography at only several inches above the ground. You can set the legs at a 25-, 50-, or 80-degree angle to the center column. Additionally, you can spin the center column 180 degrees to allow for shooting photos upside down.
However, one Amazon customer said the Alta Pro 263AB broke the first time he used it. It seems to be a rare occurrence, and if it does happen, you can contact the seller or Amazon for a refund or replacement.
Pros: Smooth ball head tripod is great for panning when shooting video, extends to 68.125 inches in height, can change angle of legs for low angle photos, center column can turn 180 degrees, versatile tripod option
Cons: Price is a little higher than average, longevity of tripod is questionable
Buy the Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB 100 Aluminum Tripod Kit on Amazon for $168.42
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