Types of Tripods: How to choose a camera tripod?
15.09.2020 | Reading time: 10 minutes
Author: Steve Gosling
Guide to Choosing a Tripod
So, what do I look for when choosing a tripod?
I will admit that Tripods may not seem like the most glamorous pieces of kit to buy but it is one of the most important if you are to maximise the benefits of all that money you have invested in cameras and lenses.
When I ask myself what tripod should I buy the first things I check out online are the specifications, looking particularly at:
Tripod Size
How high does the tripod extend to (with and without the centre column raised)? For Landscape Photography I am usually looking for a tripod that will raise to eye level without raising the centre column. It is also worth remembering that if you frequently work on uneven ground (most landscapes are not usually bowling green flat!) then some extra leeway in the maximum height would be useful.
The minimum height is also an important consideration for working low to the ground. This is one of the reasons why I will use a tripod with a removable centre column.
How small is the tripod when completely collapsed? When I am travelling overseas my tripod must fit into my checked case when I am flying to my destination, so a compact design is essential. Tripods with more leg extensions will fold down to a smaller size (with a potential compromise to stability although I have to say that in practice I have never found this to be an issue with my Gitzo tripods).
Tripod Weight
How heavy is the tripod you should choose? Tripod weight is another important consideration when travelling by air or if you are going to carry your tripod on a long hike.
All my tripods are made of carbon fibre which offers a good trade-off between strength & stability and weight. They are much lighter than their aluminium counterparts (although the latter are usually cheaper to purchase).
Tripod Load Capacity
I use a range of cameras – from lightweight and small mirrorless models to a high-resolution medium format technical camera. So, when choosing between tripod types, I must keep in mind not only what I am going to use it for (e.g. landscape, travel) but also what camera system am I most likely to be using. I will then look for a tripod that has a load capacity greater than the heaviest camera/lens combination I am likely to put on top of it.
Additional Features
Twist locks or quick release?
My preference is for the former because with a quality construction they are stronger & more stable, but some people find them fiddly to use.
Do you need the rotating centre column?
Some tripods have a centre column that can be moved from the vertical position to a horizontal orientation (especially useful for macro or still life
Can you change the tripod feet?
Rubber feet are great for indoor use, spikes are best suited to outdoor use on soft dirt or hard rock, snowshoes are useful in the snow and when working in sand. I like to use the Gitzo ‘Big Foot’. Tripods that offer all of these options give the greatest flexibility.
Are you able to adjust the angle of the legs?
A tripod that offers a range of leg angle options allows you to splay the legs out a greater angle for low level work or to set each leg at a different angle when working on uneven ground.
Twist locks or quick release?
My preference is for the former because with a quality construction they are stronger & more stable, but some people find them fiddly to use.
Do you need the rotating centre column?
Some tripods have a centre column that can be moved from the vertical position to a horizontal orientation (especially useful for macro or still life
Can you change the tripod feet?
Rubber feet are great for indoor use, spikes are best suited to outdoor use on soft dirt or hard rock, snowshoes are useful in the snow and when working in sand. I like to use the Gitzo ‘Big Foot’. Tripods that offer all of these options give the greatest flexibility.
Are you able to adjust the angle of the legs?
A tripod that offers a range of leg angle options allows you to splay the legs out a greater angle for low level work or to set each leg at a different angle when working on uneven ground.
Do you need the rotating centre column?
Some tripods have a centre column that can be moved from the vertical position to a horizontal orientation (especially useful for macro or still life
Can you change the tripod feet?
Rubber feet are great for indoor use, spikes are best suited to outdoor use on soft dirt or hard rock, snowshoes are useful in the snow and when working in sand. I like to use the Gitzo ‘Big Foot’. Tripods that offer all of these options give the greatest flexibility.
Are you able to adjust the angle of the legs?
A tripod that offers a range of leg angle options allows you to splay the legs out a greater angle for low level work or to set each leg at a different angle when working on uneven ground.
My Tripod Choices
To give an insight into the tripod choices I have made I will describe below the tripods I use and their features that are most important to me. All are Gitzo carbon fibre models.
A Systematic tripod – chosen for its strength, rigidity but relatively light weight when I am working in the landscape and require a stable tripod that I can easily carry for the frequently long distances I have to walk with my kit. My Gitzo Systematic also gives me the ability to fit spikes or a Big Foot for use on different surfaces.
A Mountaineer tripod – which is smaller and lighter than my Systematic tripod, so I use the Gitzo Mountaineer when I am working overseas and have to fly with my kit but still want to use my medium format camera system. It not only comes to eye level without raising the centre column, but the centre column can also be removed or reversed to allow me to get as low to the ground as possible when required. Both these tripods also allow for the legs to be extended at different angles which gives me maximum flexibility on uneven ground.
A Traveler tripod – great when I am travelling overseas (where strict size and weight restrictions are an important consideration) and I am shooting with a light/small mirrorless camera system.
A Mini Traveler tripod – for when I need to travel very light and cannot justify taking one of my other tripods then I will carry my Gitzo Mini Traveler ‘just in case’.
A Systematic GT4543LS tripod – chosen for its strength, rigidity but relatively light weight when I am working in the landscape and require a stable tripod that I can easily carry for the frequently long distances I have to walk with my kit. My Gitzo Systematic also gives me the ability to fit spikes or a Big Foot for use on different surfaces.
A Mountaineer GT3542L tripod – which is smaller and lighter than my Systematic tripod, so I use the Gitzo Mountaineer when I am working overseas and have to fly with my kit but still want to use my medium format camera system. It not only comes to eye level without raising the centre column, but the centre column can also be removed or reversed to allow me to get as low to the ground as possible when required.
Both these tripods also allow for the legs to be extended at different angles which gives me maximum flexibility on uneven ground.
An Explorer GT2541EX tripod – this tripod is several years old now and no longer made but I still use it a lot for macro and still life photography as it has legs that can be set at any angle and a centre column that can be rotated and extended at 90 degrees to the legs, meaning it is possible to contort it into a wide variety of flexible positions. The Manfrotto 55XPRO3 (which is currently available) has a very similar facility or Gitzo make an accessory lateral sliding arm that can be fitted to my other tripods to provide the same function.
A GT2545T Series 2 Traveller tripod – great when I am travelling overseas (where strict size and weight restrictions are an important consideration) and I am shooting with a light/small mirrorless camera system.
A Mini Traveller tripod – for when I need to travel very light and cannot justify taking one of my other tripods then I will carry my Gitzo Mini Traveler ‘just in case’.
Steve Gosling
Steve Gosling is a professional photographer who specialises in producing creative & contemporary landscape and travel images. His B&W photographs have won many awards in prestigious international competitions and his fine art prints have been widely exhibited. He enjoys writing & teaching about photography and has run a successful workshop programme for over 20 years, encouraging and inspiring photographers from across the world...