Tripods

What tripods are

A tripod keeps the camera from moving. That matters for slow exposures and long lenses, where any shake blurs the picture, and when several frames must line up exactly.

• Three legs, one head: Telescoping legs set the height; the head on top holds the camera and lets you pan and tilt it.
• A standard screw: Most cameras take a 1/4-20 thread, set by ISO 1222:2010; larger cameras and lenses may use 3/8-16.
• The travel version: Built to pack short: the Vanguard VEO 3 GO 235CB folds to 12.8 in, the Peak Design Travel Tripod to 15.5 in.
• Phones too: Many travel kits ship with a phone mount; Vanguard adds a Bluetooth remote that fires an iOS or Android phone’s shutter.
• Who makes them: Manfrotto and Gitzo, both owned by Videndum, plus Vanguard, Peak Design, 3 Legged Thing and SIRUI.

How they work

Three legs spread from a central hub and extend in sections held by clamps. A center column can add height, and the head on top aims the camera.

• Reverse-folding legs: The legs swing up 180° around the column and head; Gitzo says it pioneered this fold, which brings its Series 1 Traveler down to 42.5 cm.
• Twist or lever locks: Vanguard and Manfrotto travel kits use twist locks on each leg section; Peak Design uses aluminum cam levers.
• Ball head: A ball-and-socket joint freed and locked with one knob; lighter than a three-way pan-tilt head.
• Quick-release plate: A plate screwed under the camera clicks into the head; Vanguard’s BH-50 takes any Arca-compatible plate.
• Leg angle stops: Legs lock at several spreads for low shots and slopes: 21°, 50° and 80° on the VEO 3 GO; 22°, 54° and 89° on Manfrotto’s Befree Advanced.
• Load hook: A hook under the center column holds a bag or weight as ballast.

Types

• Travel tripods: Near full height when open, about 13 to 17 inches folded, often sold with a compact ball head.
• Full-size tripods: Sturdier and usually sold as legs without a head, so you can choose one.
• Tabletop tripods: Small stands for a table or wall top; Wikipedia notes pro models that hold up to 68 kg (150 lb).
• Monopods: A single pole: steadier than handheld and quicker to set up, but it cannot stand on its own.
• Convertible models: 3 Legged Thing’s Brian 2.0 has three detachable legs; one becomes a monopod or a boom.
• Carbon fiber or aluminum: Same design, different weight: Peak Design’s Travel Tripod weighs 1.27 kg in carbon and 1.56 kg in aluminum.

What to look for

• Folded length: It decides where the tripod rides; current travel models fold to between 12.8 in (Vanguard VEO 3 GO 235CB) and 16.73 in (Gitzo Traveler Series 1).
• Weight with head: Compare kits with the head attached; carbon fiber saves weight over aluminum.
• Height with column down: Leg height is the stable height; Peak Design’s reaches 51.25 in with the column down and 60 in with it raised.
• Payload: Check the rating of both legs and head; Gitzo and Manfrotto list a safety payload under UNI/PdR 105:2021, 10 kg and 9 kg on their travel kits.
• Leg sections: More sections fold shorter but add locks to open; Digital Camera World counts that as a chore on five-section models.
• Low angles: Short columns or low modes help near the ground: 14 cm on Peak Design, 7.7 in with Vanguard’s short-column adapter.
• Phone support: A phone mount and a remote make self-portraits easy for solo travelers.

On the plane and on the trip

• Security screening: TSA allows tripods in carry-on and checked bags; the officer at the checkpoint has the final say.
• Carry-on size: American Airlines caps carry-on bags at 22 × 14 × 9 in (56 × 36 × 23 cm), handles and wheels included.
• Spiked feet: Pack Hacker flags that metal spike feet can be sharp, so pack them with care for security.
• Museum rules: The Getty Center and Getty Villa in Los Angeles do not allow tripods or monopods; check each site’s rules before you go.
• Wind: Digital Camera World suggests hanging a bag from the hook for extra stability in wind.
• Beach and sand: Vanguard designs its twist locks to come apart, so sand and grit can be cleaned out after a beach shoot.
• Night shots: Digital Camera World advises switching off image stabilization when the camera sits on a tripod.

Limits and care

• The center column: Raising it is the quick way to add height, but it compromises stability; extend every leg section first.
• Shorter than full-size: Compact kits trade height for size: the Vanguard VEO 3 GO 235CB tops out at 53.3 in.
• Light loads: Small kits hold less: SIRUI rates the Traveler 5C at 4 kg (8.8 lb), 3 Legged Thing the Brian 2.0 at 14 kg (30 lb) with legs at 23°.
• Don’t overtighten: Snug locks hold; forcing them can cause damage, Digital Camera World warns.
• Temperature range: Manfrotto rates its Befree Advanced Carbon for use from −22 °F to 158 °F.
• Service and parts: Peak Design calls its Travel Tripod 100% serviceable; Gitzo sells maintenance kits to keep its tripods running.

A short history

Arsène Gitzhoven founded Gitzo in France in 1917 to make camera parts; the company marketed its first tripod in 1950.

• 1974: Manfrotto, the Italian brand started by photojournalist Lino Manfrotto, introduces its first tripod.
• 1989–1992: Vinten Group, now Videndum, buys Manfrotto and then Gitzo, keeping them as separate brands.
• 1994: Gitzo shows the first professional carbon fiber tripod and monopod at Photokina.
• 2004: Gitzo’s Traveler line lets the legs swivel up 180° to nest the head for a shorter fold.
• 2005: Gitzo completes moving its production from France to Italy.
• 2017: About 30% of tripods sold worldwide carry the Manfrotto name; Lino Manfrotto dies that February.
• May 2019: Peak Design opens Kickstarter backing for its Travel Tripod; it raises US$12,143,435 from 27,168 backers.