Whether you're a pro or just starting, a good tripod can take your photos to the next level. Tripods help hone your composition skills and eliminate camera shake for more precise, crisper images. They're also brilliant for shooting time-lapses, landscapes and long exposures. To the untrained eye, tripods all look the same. So, how do you choose the right one? To help, we've put together the following tripod buying guide.
Table of contents:
- Anatomy of a tripod
- Your eye level
- Tripod weight
- How to decipher tripod specs
- The lowdown on tripod heads
- The difference between tripod feet
- The main types of tripods
- Ted's tripod advice
Anatomy of a Tripod
Each tripod has several components, but most share the same basic form:
Legs: Your tripod's legs are the three sticks that hold it together. Without them, it would just be called a "pod".
Leg Locks: Once you've raised or lowered your tripod, you need to tighten the leg locks. Most tripods use a clip or twist system to lock the legs.
Feet: The end of every tripod leg is called its foot. They're typically made of rubber, although some tripods let you swap out the rubber feet for other types — mainly spikes or claws for gripping on rocks.
Centre Column: Many tripods have a built-in centre column. This allows you to raise the tripod head even higher. Many professional tripods feature an adaptor that lets you mount the centre column horizontally.
Tripod Head: The head lets you position your camera and frame your composition. Most tripods come as a "kit" with a head, but some higher-end models come just with legs, so you can add your own head.
Your Eye Level
Eye level − viewfinder height − tripod head height = correct tripod height
- Measure the height of your eye level.
- Subtract the height of your viewfinder or LCD screen.
- Subtract the height of your tripod head. Your answer is the maximum tripod height needed.
Tripod Weight
One thing to consider about your tripod is weight. When hiking or travelling, a lighter tripod is much more portable, but this comes at the expense of stability, size and maximum load capacity.
Generally, heavier tripods will be able to hold larger cameras and lenses, be more stable during long exposures, and come in larger sizes. Unfortunately, this often makes them impractical for taking on holidays or hiking trips.
How to Decipher Tripod Specs
Max payload or load capacity: Every tripod has a maximum weight limit. If you mount a camera heavier than the max payload, you risk breaking the tripod and damaging your camera and lens. Consider how much your camera weighs with the heaviest lens and flash attached, and choose a tripod that can handle that weight.
Closed length or collapsed size: Knowing the length of your tripod when folded versus open is essential for travelling and storage. Some tripods can collapse to the size of a small umbrella, while others extend upwards of a few metres.
Max height or size: This is the length of the tripod when the legs and centre post are raised as high as they can go. When you mount your camera on a tripod, you should position the viewfinder at eye level, so buy a tripod as tall as you. If you're looking at a tripod with a fixed head, the tip of the head should line up with your jaw.
Quick-release plate: This plate screws into the bottom of your camera to make it easier to mount and dismount from your tripod. It saves you from constantly screwing and unscrewing the tripod, so it's great when you're on location.
Leg sections: Tripod legs feature several sections that determine how long it will take you to set up for a shot. Tripods with fewer leg sections are usually more stable, but those with more have a smaller closed length — making them ideal for travel.
Leg locks: There are two types of locks: flip locks and twist-leg locks. Although flip locks are quick and easy to use, twist-legs are more reliable, despite the lengthier set-up time.
Materials: The majority of tripods are made with either aluminium or carbon fibre. Carbon fibre tripods are lightweight, durable and don't rust, making them more expensive. More affordable tripods tend to be made from aluminium, which is heavier than carbon fibre.
The Lowdown on Tripod Heads
The tripod head holds your camera and lens, and it sits on top of the centre column. There are a bunch of tripod heads to choose from, and nine times out of ten, it comes down to personal preference. In other words, the best tripod head is the one that suits you.
More affordable tripods tend to have non-replaceable heads, while more premium tripods have multiple attachments, allowing you to pick and choose your tripod head depending on your needs. If you buy a different tripod head, make sure it can support the same weight as your tripod legs.
These are the four types of tripod heads:
Ball heads: Ideal for quick and easy adjustments, a ball head has one control that loosens or tightens the grip. Ball heads are flexible and smooth, but they can be tricky when you just need to make a minor change.
Joystick or pistol grip head: Similar to a ball head, a joystick head allows you to make all the changes in one movement — but instead of unlocking a screw, you simply squeeze the trigger on the handgrip.
Three-way heads: These tripod heads offer photographers further control over image composition, with pitch, yaw and roll adjustments available independently.
Ted's Tripod Advice
Browse our full range of tripods and monopods online, or visit your local Ted's Cameras store for expert advice from our team.