8 best camera tripods to elevate your photography

Best: Overall

• Weight: 2.45kg
• Telescopic leg sections: Three
• Payload weight: 15kg
• Max height: 172.5cm

This tripod won awards in 2020 as one of the best all-round models on the market. Although we were a little surprised at the relatively high price for a non-carbon fibre model, the investment Vanguard has put into its veo range is paying dividends. This example is a good all-rounder we’d happily recommend to a range of enthusiasts and professionals. The MACC system (as also featured on the alta pro 2 below) is great to use, allowing for a diverse range of framing angles and a far greater degree of flexibility than provided by conventional three-legged tripods.

Best: Sturdy travel tripod

• Weight: 2kg
• Telescopic leg sections: Four
• Payload weight: 6kg
• Max height: 151cm

For its size and weight, fully foldable handles and sturdiness up to 6kg endeared us to the kit befree tripod, which comes from Manfrotto, a familiar and trustworthy name in the camera accessory world. This is a great combination of sturdy design and high performance with a focus on the travel tripod world – a notoriously hard bracket to crack.

Best: For content creators

• Weight: 1.6kg
• Telescopic leg sections: Four
• Payload weight: 8kg
• Max height: 160cm

Inspired by content creators who need comfortable, straight-forward and portable setups, this offering from Joby comes with a useful smartphone adaptor, while at the same time providing up to 8kg of support for DSLR and mirrorless cameras, which is more than enough for most. We also really liked the carry bag and shoulder strap, which makes it very easy to carry about on more far-flung adventures. There are four extendable leg sections, which we first thought were a little thin, but provided ample support for the equipment we tested.

Best: For flexibility

• Weight: 1.8kg
• Telescopic leg sections: Three
• Payload weight: 7kg
• Max height: 162.5cm

Vanguard makes some of our favourite camera equipment to suit a range of needs, with their award-winning alta pro tripod here getting a recent update that adds extra flexibility in terms of angles and framing. We liked the fact that the set leg angles can provide a range of options (20 degrees, 40 degrees, 60 degrees and 80 degrees) which allowed for extreme low-angle photography and macro abilities. We also liked the multi-angle centre column which can pivot 360 degrees while keeping the tripod stationary, allowing for unconventional and interesting viewpoints.

Best: Affordable starter tri-pod

• Weight: 1.55kg
• Telescopic leg sections: Four
• Payload weight: 8kg
• Max height: 160cm

We’d recommend the Manfrotto element MII for hobbyists and perhaps those who need a sturdy, affordable tripod setup to use with slightly smaller equipment like bridge and compact cameras. A simple, lightweight model weighing in at only 1.5kg, it’s a good alternative to some of the heftier examples on this list and we’d recommend it as a day-to-day model for casual weekend walks, or for producing well-framed and sharp interior shots.

Best: Compact tripod

• Weight: 1.62kg
• Telescopic leg sections: Five
• Payload weight: 30kg
• Max height: 138.3cm

Three Legged Thing is a British company with a different outlook on creating camera gear, now producing some of the finest travel tripods and equipment on the market. This ultra-compact carbon-fibre tripod is one of the most portable setups we looked at, benefitting from its low weight and three detachable legs that can either be used as monopods or boom arms for extra extendibility. It comes in an appealing bronze and blue colouring, which we rather liked, and the weight of the tripod itself is only 1.6kg, meaning it’s quick to pack up, put away and take on your travels.

Best: For purists and professionals

• Weight: 2.05kg
• Telescopic leg sections: Four
• Payload weight: 16kg
• Max height: 177cm

One of the sturdiest and most dependable tripod setups on the market at the moment, with a maximum load of 16kg, this is an excellent choice for more serious amateurs and professionals who need a reliable and trustworthy companion. The high-performance twist locks feel well-built and uncompromising, and even though the tripod itself doesn’t extend as high as some others, this will still appeal to purists and those in need of a straightforward, well-built product.

Best: For wildlife photography

• Weight: 1.6kg
• Telescopic leg sections: Four
• Payload weight: 18kg
• Max height: 167cm

Aimed more squarely at the professional market, this offering from Gitzo is a great choice for those who own larger, heavier setups with telephoto lenses for landscapes and wildlife photography. Its price may put it out of reach for more casual or amateur buyers, but there’s a lot to recommend. Classic, stiff legs are built for photographers who need the ultimate in sturdiness, and little features like a built-in gear hook at the bottom to hang a stabilising weight and interchangeable, removable feet (like spikes for snow) set it apart from the rest.