How to Choose a Tripod That's Right for You [2021]

The tripod is an essential accessory if you want to go one step further when photographing.

You could say that its general function is to keep the camera stable, avoiding unnecessary vibrations and making your photos way more sharper. In particular, it is an essential accessory for certain types of photography (landscapes, long exposure, night, panoramic, video recording, self-portraits ...)

In the current market there is a wide variety of tripods of various brands and with different features. In this article, we write a short guide to help you choose the tripod that best complements your camera.

THE PARTS

It is important to know the parts of a tripod to know what to look for when buying one. At the same time that we give you a brief description of each one, we will be giving you some tips to know how to focus your search.

• Legs: These are the ones that support the weight of the tripod and their length may vary. The legs usually have between three to five sections, which can be opened and closed with quick-release tabs or with a rotating clamping system to lengthen or shorten them. They can be made of different materials which is what gives it resistance. The most common materials are aluminum and carbon. The plastic ones are not highly recommended, because despite being the cheapest, they are the least resistant.
• Feet: The end of the legs can be different depending on our needs. Most often, they are made of rubber or metal (or a combination of both) to be able to fix the tripod well on smooth or very slippery surfaces. There are some that can be changed to adapt better to different surfaces, although they are usually more expensive.
• Center column: Not all tripods have it, but it is quite common. It is an element to lengthen the height of the tripod, and to work on certain types of photography such as macro photography. Many models have a hook at the bottom to allow you to hang more weight on the tripod and thus increase its stability. On the other hand, it should be mentioned that although with it your tripod will gain in versatility and height, it will also reduce its stability.
• Head: It is the piece where the camera is placed. There are those that are screwed directly onto the camera manually or those that have a quick-release system. This quick-release system can be made of plastic or a more resistant material. The downside to the plastic ones is that they can break.
• Handle: This is what will allow you to adjust the position of your camera once you have fixed the tripod in position. There are different options with different characteristics:

o   Ball: has a single control point to lock and unlock movement, allows great freedom of movement, and keeps the frame and camera completely stable. There are different options, depending on the fixing mechanism: joystick, screw, etc ...

o   2D/3D: 2D handles are those that allow you to adjust the camera from left to right (pan camera movement) and from top to bottom (tilt camera movement), while 3D handles include a third axis of movement. They are very accurate and ideal for architectural or studio photography.

o   Panoramic: They are special cranks that allow you to take panoramic and 360º photos.

THINGS TO CONSIDER

Weight/Capacity

It is important that the tripod is sturdy enough to support the weight of your heaviest camera and lens and that it does not shake while you use it.

If you are going to travel a lot with your photographic equipment, we recommend you getting a tripod made of carbon fiber. Despite being more expensive than the aluminum one, for example, the difference in weight is abysmal. However, since they are lighter, you should be more careful on days when it is very windy. In these cases, high-quality tripods that have a hook in the central column to hang a bag of sand or stones are also recommended.

Bubble level

A tripod bubble level is a leveling device used to show how straight a tripod is standing. By aligning the bubble to the center, you can guarantee the tripod head is sitting perpendicular to the ground. This helps to ensure your tripod is well balanced and makes the horizon lines in your photos appear straight. You can find them on the head or on the base plate level of your tripod.

Grab handles

They are an accessory made for the photographer, as they serve to avoid feeling the cold when we hold the tripod in very low temperatures.

TIME TO CHOOSE

Now that you have seen the different elements you have to pay attention to when buying a tripod, you only have to choose one. We recommend the Velbon brand, which offers sturdy and very versatile aluminum tripods.