Here are some tips to help you choose a tripod -
1. Consider your application and choose as per the table
Application Type of Tripod
Travel / trekking Light and compact, four leg sections, ball head
Wildlife / birds / sports High load capacity to support heavy lenses, ball head or gimbal head
Macro / table top Individually adjustable leg angles, tiltable center column, pan head
2. Your height: A tripod should allow you to work comfortably (that is the viewfinder of the camera must be at your eye level) without craning your neck too much or otherwise you will get neck cramps. Choose a tripod that reaches this height without extending the center column by more than 5 centi-meters.
3. Material of legs: If you can afford, legs made of carbon fiber are the best. If not, go for aluminium or its alloys.
4. Material of head: The head should be strong and made of metal. Just avoid plastic heads. Period. Plastic heads flex and are not good.
5. Load capacity and Stability: The legs and head you are going to buy should have sufficient load capacity to handle the heaviest equipment you have or plan to have (as explained). Plus a heavy head can cause instability due to top heaviness. To avoid this, the weight of the tripod legs must be 2.5 times that of the head (either ball or pan or gimbal).
6. Number of sections: It is best to choose tripods with three (telescoping) leg sections than those with four sections unless compactness is very important to you.
7. Leg locks: Go for twist locks if you are going support heavy loads. Otherwise flip locks are easier to use.
8. Quick Release: Do not buy a tripod head (or a tripod with a fixed head) without a QR adapter. If you already have one that does not have a QR adapter, you should get a QR clamp and plate(s) for it. The best and the most popular QR system is the Arca system. It is made by several manufacturers including Manfrotto.
9. Pay careful attention to the feet. The most versatile are the retractable or interchangeable type. If these are not available go for rubber feet.
10. When buying a tripod remember the old adage - “buy smart buy once, buy cheap buy twice”.
1. Consider your application and choose as per the table
Application Type of Tripod
Travel / trekking Light and compact, four leg sections, ball head
Wildlife / birds / sports High load capacity to support heavy lenses, ball head or gimbal head
Macro / table top Individually adjustable leg angles, tiltable center column, pan head
2. Your height: A tripod should allow you to work comfortably (that is the viewfinder of the camera must be at your eye level) without craning your neck too much or otherwise you will get neck cramps. Choose a tripod that reaches this height without extending the center column by more than 5 centi-meters.
3. Material of legs: If you can afford, legs made of carbon fiber are the best. If not, go for aluminium or its alloys.
4. Material of head: The head should be strong and made of metal. Just avoid plastic heads. Period. Plastic heads flex and are not good.
5. Load capacity and Stability: The legs and head you are going to buy should have sufficient load capacity to handle the heaviest equipment you have or plan to have (as explained). Plus a heavy head can cause instability due to top heaviness. To avoid this, the weight of the tripod legs must be 2.5 times that of the head (either ball or pan or gimbal).
6. Number of sections: It is best to choose tripods with three (telescoping) leg sections than those with four sections unless compactness is very important to you.
7. Leg locks: Go for twist locks if you are going support heavy loads. Otherwise flip locks are easier to use.
8. Quick Release: Do not buy a tripod head (or a tripod with a fixed head) without a QR adapter. If you already have one that does not have a QR adapter, you should get a QR clamp and plate(s) for it. The best and the most popular QR system is the Arca system. It is made by several manufacturers including Manfrotto.
9. Pay careful attention to the feet. The most versatile are the retractable or interchangeable type. If these are not available go for rubber feet.
10. When buying a tripod remember the old adage - “buy smart buy once, buy cheap buy twice”.
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