Whether you’re capturing breathtaking landscapes, wildlife shots, or the northern lights, the best camera tripod for your specific needs is an essential addition to your photography kit.

Our lead testers, Ryan Kempfer and Chris Kassar, took these tripods on countless adventures in the Tetons, Yellowstone, Alaska, Colorado, and more to capture images of grizzlies, moose, sunrises, sunsets, the Milky Way, and the northern lights. We evaluated each tripod based on ease of use, stability, weight, height, size, and build quality to help you make the most informed purchasing decision.

Whether you’re looking for the overall performance and packability of our top pick, the Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod, or the reliability of our budget-friendly choice, the Vanguard VEO 5 264CB1605, we’ve found something for everyone.

The right tripod opens up possibilities by allowing photographers of all levels to enhance their creative expression and capture sharper images. Read on to find the best camera tripod for your next outdoor adventure.

The Best Camera Tripods of 2025

Camera Tripod Comparison Chart

How We Tested the Best Camera Tripods

Our Expert Testers

Editor, Chris Kassar and her husband, Ryan Kempfer spearheaded this new guide by testing tripods for the second half of 2024. Together, they run Elk Raven Photography, a wildlife, landscape, conservation, and adventure photography business that is a true passion project. As photographers with a collective 30 years of experience, the have used tripods in various outdoor settings. They’ve photographed polar bears in Canada, brown bears in Alaska, wolves in Yellowstone, blue-footed boobies in the Galapagos, ice climbing in Montana, backcountry skiing in Colorado, rivers in Patagonia, the northern lights in many places, and so many other amazing sights.

GearJunkie Motors Editor, Bryon Dorr also contributed to this guide. As a photojournalist and commercial photographer with over two decades of professional experience, he has used all sorts of camera gear all over the globe. With 34 print magazine covers to his name and dozens of happy commercial clients, he’s our go-to staff photographer here at GearJunkie. He’s used the Peak Design Carbon Tripod in remote locations and in studio settings to get shots of everything from flowers to landscapes to starry nights and beyond.

Our Testing Grounds & Process

We know all too well the challenges of capturing images, especially in the outdoors, where so many factors are out of our control. That’s why we emphasize finding the best gear to help photographers (like ourselves) control what little we can control. We used each tripod for at least 4 months for this buyer’s guide, but we have tested some for up to 10 years. We primarily took landscape, wildlife, and action shots since those are our areas of expertise. We repeatedly took each tripod out in the field to assess performance in various conditions and terrain. In our home range of the Tetons and on various trips to Alaska, Colorado, and Montana, we tested the limits of each product by shooting images in extreme winds (60 mph and greater gusts) and extreme temps (100s in mid-summer to negatives in deep winter).

We set each tripod up, collapsed it, and set it up again multiple times to get a feel for how easy and quick each model was to deploy. We varied our shooting angle, height, and subject to fully understand each tripod’s strengths and limitations. We hiked at least a few miles with each one to see how they fared when attached to a pack or thrown over a shoulder.

At home, we fiddled with each part and feature to find any trouble areas. We made each one as small as it would go and put it in our carry-on luggage to see how each one fit. We drew upon our previous experience with some of these products to round out our recommendations. We’ll continue testing each tripod in different situations and update this guide as time passes. If you’re looking for other gear to support your photography, check out our guides to the best camera bags and best camera backpacks.

A Note On Tripod Heads: While some models we tested come with a ball head attached, our reviews do not delve into critiquing those heads since that is a whole different topic. In addition, the type of head that will meet your needs is dependent on your main use and goals. Many people will mix and match tripods and heads based on the type of camera equipment they are using and the type of photography they are pursuing. In our specs, we include a line item that points out whether or not the tripod comes with a head so our readers will know if a head is included in the price.

Buyer’s Guide: How To Choose the Best Camera Tripod

Photography is a dynamic pursuit, especially in Nature, where the scene you hope to capture may change instantly. Light fades fast. An animal alters its position. The weather changes on a dime giving your scene a whole different feel.  We can’t control much, but at the very least, you need equipment, including a tripod, to keep up with your demands and those of the situation. There is no one perfect tripod for all situations since they vary wildly in weight, size, amount of camera gear they can support and features.

Why Use a Tripod?

No matter what type of photography you enjoy, your goal is to take crisp shots that capture your experience. Using a tripod can improve your photographs and videos in several different ways.

Stability

A tripod offers stability that can be tough to achieve without one. This eliminates camera shake, which is especially important for low-light situations, long exposures, or when using a long/telephoto lens that is difficult to handhold in a stable manner.

In certain situations, for instance, photographing an animal at dusk or capturing the night sky, you have no choice but to use a tripod if you want any chance of creating a sharp, focused image.  This is because the stability offered by a tripod allows you to use a slower shutter speed when shooting in low light.

If you were to handhold a shot like this, it would be blurry. However, the stability provided by a tripod allows you to increase the depth of field and still capture a crisp picture despite a slow shutter speed.

Creative Angles and Perspectives

Many tripods have legs that allow you to adjust their height and angle. This means you can explore unique angles and perspectives, like low-angle/ground-level shots of a wild animal walking toward you or vast images of the night sky while achieving stability and minimizing camera shake.

Consistent Composition & Framing

With a tripod, you can set up your shot, evaluate it, and refine your composition without holding the camera steady. Similarly, a tripod maintains consistent framing across images if you’re taking shots that require multiple exposures or if you’re playing with time-lapse photography.

Consider How You Will Use the Tripod

For photographers and videographers, tripods are invaluable tools that offer stability and versatility across various shooting scenarios. However, no single tripod is ideal for every situation. For instance, the best tripod for supporting big telephoto lenses will likely not be the best for travel or hiking. However, if you’re primarily focused on landscape and night photography, finding one tripod that can do both very well will be easy.

Like a lot of outdoor gear, choosing a tripod involves identifying how you will use it most and then making some compromises that you can live with. For those of us who use a tripod often and for varied uses, it may mean owning more than one tripod. But, if you only crack out your tripod a couple of times a year for a certain trip, then you can get by with one. Regardless of your primary use, you will want to consider height, weight, packed size, number of leg sections, and type of feet.

Extended Height

Your tripod’s maximum height is important since it is crucial for your comfort while shooting and achieving the desired perspective. For instance, a tripod that extends up to 60 inches or more is typically versatile enough for most people, allowing them to shoot landscapes or portraits comfortably while standing. However, lower than this you will be hunched over, which will eventually become tiresome.

Taller tripods can help you capture expansive scenes or shoot over obstacles like fences or other people. However, having your camera on a tripod that towers over you will make it difficult to compose and take your shot unless you have a stool or ladder, so very tall tripods (like the Gitzo Giant – a taller version of the Gitzo GT5543LS Systematic Series 5 Carbon Fiber Tripod, we reviewed here) have very niche uses at their fully extended height.

And, if you frequently work on uneven terrain, which would be almost all of us taking photos outside since it’s rare to find a completely flat surface in Nature, then consider buying a tripod with some extra leeway in max height. The Vanguard VEO 5 264CB-160S Carbon Tripod and the 3 Legged Thing Winston 2.0 offer the most leeway regarding max height. This will be useful when you have one leg extended fully and the other two much shorter, which happens often when you’re perched on a hillside or slope

Lastly, consider whether your tripod includes a center column as we see on all of the models we include except for the Gitzo. Though a center column does add height when extended, we aren’t big fans since columns are usually skinny, so they add camera shake to a set-up. If the tripod you’re considering has a center column, be sure that the height without the column extended is enough for most of your needs so you don’t have to rely on the column all the time.

Minimum Height

The minimum height of your tripod is equally important, especially for low-angle shots, night sky photography, and macro photography. We often put our tripod as low as it can go when we’re taking photos of wildlife and want to capture an intimate, eye-level portrait.  When shooting the Northern Lights or the Milky Way, being closer to the ground allows us to capture a broader perspective, including the sky and the foreground.

Tripods with a minimum height of around 5 to 9 inches like the Peak Design Carbon Travel Tripod and the 3 Legged Thing Winston 2.0 help capture those intimate details or unique perspectives that can elevate a photograph. To reach the minimum height, you need to remove the center column (if the tripod you choose, has one). This is one reason we also love using the Gitzo GT5543LS Systematic Series 5; it doesn’t have a center column, so there’s no extra step, and it’s super simple to work low to the ground.

Folded Size

Folded height indicates the portability of your tripod. A compact tripod that can fold to about 16 inches or less is ideal for travel because it easily fits into your carry-on luggage or backpack. Compact tripods like the Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod are also easier to take hiking since they can fit in or attach to your backpack without being unwieldy. Some tripods designed for travel have legs that fold up to completely surround the head, making them smaller and neater when packed up.

If it’s important that you can take your tripod anywhere without it being a burden, you’ll want to pay close attention to its folded size. However, if you’re largely shooting images from the road or near your car, then folded height will be less of a priority. 

Weight

The weight of a tripod also affects its usability and portability. Most discussions of weight center around whether a tripod is made of aluminum or carbon, the two most common materials used in tripod legs. Aluminum weighs more and costs less, while carbon fiber weighs less but costs more. Aluminum tripods deliver maximum stability at a value. Lighter-weight tripods, typically made of carbon fiber, may come at a premium cost, but they absorb vibration extremely well and are more portable.

Carbon fiber tripods are ideal for those who will be carrying their gear for extended periods. We often throw our tripod over our shoulders, camera and telephoto lens attached, and head out for a mile-long walk along a creek searching for moose. On adventures like this, we notice a huge difference between carrying the Gitzo GT5543LS Systematic Series 5, which weighs 6.22 pounds, and the Peak Design model, which weighs only 2.8 pounds.

However, if it’s incredibly windy or we’re planning to set up on uneven terrain, we may still carry the heavier tripod because of it can handle those conditions with more stability. But, if we are heading out for a 7-mile hike and we want to bring along a tripod just in case something amazing happens, we prefer something like the Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod or Vanguard VEO 5 264CB-160S Carbon Tripod. The only aluminum one on our list is the Manfrotto Be Free Advanced Aluminum Travel Tripod; at 3.51 pounds, it falls in the middle of our list in terms of weight. However, this is mainly because it is shorter and less feature-filled than other carbon fiber ones we tested.

Max Load

When choosing a tripod, it is imperative that you consider its load capacity — the heaviest weight it can support safely. This is the point where the stability of your system will start to falter, and the tripod’s stability will be compromised. Find out the weight of your biggest lens and camera body to ensure that whatever tripod you choose can handle the weight of your heaviest camera setup. We recommend choosing one that exceeds your needs by at least double. Choosing a tripod that can handle the weight of your equipment is important for a variety of reasons:

Stability: A tripod should support your gear without wobbling or tipping, especially in windy conditions or during long exposures. A higher load capacity provides better stability for sharp images.

Durability: Exceeding the load capacity can strain the tripod, risking damage or reduced functionality. Choose a tripod designed to handle the weight of your equipment.

Versatility: A higher load rating allows you to use heavier lenses or camera setups without worrying about limitations, making it ideal for wildlife and sports photography.

Safety: An overloaded tripod can tip, posing risks to your gear and yourself. A properly rated tripod protects both.

It’s especially important to remember load capacity if you have a beefy camera and big telephoto lenses. But, even if you don’t, we find that tripods like the Gitzo GT5543LS Systematic Series 5 Carbon Fiber Tripod (Long) and the 3 Legged Thing Winston 2.0 Carbon Fibre Tripod with higher load ratings tend to flex less and are therefore, more sturdy and more durable.

Keep in mind that your tripod head also has a maximum load capacity; often, this is the limiting factor in what your tripod can handle. For example, if you have tripod legs with a 98-pound capacity like the Gitzo, but then you put a head on it with a 30-pound load capacity, the effective capacity of your system is only 30 pounds.

Number of Leg Sections

All tripods have three legs, but the number of sections comprising them varies greatly from model to model. Tripod legs typically have three, four, or five sections. The following are key considerations when choosing your ideal number of leg sections.

Folded Size

A larger number of sections means the tripod is shorter when folded, making it more portable. This is beneficial for travel and outdoor photography. The Peak Design Travel Tripod, the only 5-section tripod we reviewed is also our most compact.

Stability

Fewer sections usually provide greater stability. A three-section tripod is typically sturdier at maximum height than one with five sections since each joint is a potential weak spot. Plus, the bottom legs of many tripods are thin and spindly, which means less stability. For instance, the lowest section of the Manfrotto and Peak Design legs did not instill confidence in us. However, the Vanguard VEO 5 264CB-160S Carbon Tripod has 4 sections so it falls somewhere in the middle regarding stability when compared to others.

Height Flexibility

More leg sections mean more height options. For example, a tripod with five sections offers finer height adjustments than one with three.

Set-Up/Take Down Speed

Fewer leg sections allow for quicker setup. A three-section tripod can be deployed faster than a five-section model, ideal for situations requiring rapid adjustments.

Pro Tip: Try to avoid completely extending the lowest/smallest section of the tripod. Leave it closed or partially closed for added stability.  

Leg Locks

Tripod legs with more than one section will have a locking mechanism to keep the legs from extending farther than you want and to prevent the legs from retracting when weighted down. Though a small part of a tripod, leg locks can significantly affect performance and stability. There are two main types of leg locks: twist locks and flip locks.

To extend or retract the legs with a twist lock, you simply twist the lock mechanism, which tightly secures each leg section. To operate a flip lock you flip a lever, which closes a clamp and holds leg sections in place.

Twist locks, like those on the Gitzo GT5543LS Series 5 Systematic Long, take up less space and keep the tripod more compact. Flip locks, like those on the Manfrotto Befree Advanced Lever Aluminium Travel Tripod, can be slightly bulkier than twist locks.

The Manfrotto Befree Advanced Lever Aluminium Travel Tripod has flip locks instead of twist locks; (photo/Elk Raven Photography)

Opinions about ease of use vary greatly. Some people find twist locks easier to deploy, while others find flip locks much easier, so it’s really a matter of personal preference. The key is to choose a tripod with well-made, high-quality locks of either type. If you choose a very budget option with flimsy locks, your tripod stability will be compromised, and the legs may retract unexpectedly, defeating the purpose of a tripod.

Pro Tip: If you shoot outside, it is important to clean and maintain both types of locks to prevent dirt or sand from building up and making them sticky. We also find that when we put either type of lock in water, it’s important to fully extend the legs when we get home and let them dry out. 

Tripod Feet

Each tripod leg ends in a foot. There are several types of feet designed for tripods, each serving different purposes based on the terrain and shooting conditions.

Some tripod legs simply come with a tiny piece of rubber at the end. These are suited for indoor work on stable surfaces. Others like the Gitzo GT5543LS come with “the Big Foot,” a large rubber foot ideal for anything from dirt to snow and everything in between. We prefer this foot above all others due to its stability across all situations; no matter how uneven the terrain or what leg angle we chose, it swivels to keep full contact with the ground which means unmatched stability even with heavy equipment or when tracking a moving subject, like a grizzly bear.

Some tripods like the 3 Legged Thing Winston 2.0 Carbon Fibre Tripod have interchangeable feet so you can switch out the foot, depending on conditions or terrain. Options include spikes, retractable feet, snow shoes, and more. Spikes are sharp points that can dig into soft or uneven ground like grass, dirt, or gravel. Retractable feet, which are used in the Vanguard VEO 5 264CB-160S are rubber feet that screw back to reveal spikes so you can go easily switch between rubber and spikes. These offer a great deal of versatility across conditions and terrain. Snowshoes are wide, flat pads that prevent legs from sinking in soft surfaces like snow or sand. 

When choosing a tripod foot type, consider which types will help you achieve stability on the terrain you often encounter.  

Price & Value

Tripods are an investment that will pay dividends for years to come if you choose the right one to match your shooting style, gear weight, frequency of use, and budget.

Budget

Ideal for beginners and those with simple photography needs, these tripods offer decent performance at a low price point but some may lack advanced features and stability. Our budget pick, the Vanguard VEO 5 264CB-160S Carbon Tripod ($350) is excellent for nature and wildlife photography, offering a sleek design and adjustable leg angles that enhance versatility and creativity.

It balances price and functionality well, making it ideal for serious hobbyists. Though it boasts a 33-lb load capacity, our testing revealed it’s not the sturdiest when extended and weighted, even with a setup that is well below the reported maximum.

The Manfrotto Be Free Advanced Travel Aluminum Tripod ($200) is a solid entry-level option for amateur photographers and travelers. It offers a good balance of portability and stability, with an easy setup process. However, it supports much less weight than most, provides a lot less stability, and its working height range is very limited.

Mid-Tier

Mid-tier tripods ($400-$1000) balance price and functionality, appealing to serious photographers who require more versatility and capacity. They typically support heavier gear and feature more adjustable options. Our top overall pick, the Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod ($599) excels in portability and ruggedness, making it a favorite among frequent travelers and professionals. Its lightweight carbon fiber construction works with higher-end camera setups, but there is more flex in this mid-tier 5-section tripod when fully extended than we would expect to see in a premium tripod.

Premium

Targeted at professionals and serious photographers who value durability and performance, premium tripods run over $1000. Though they come at a higher cost, their beefy, high-quality builds and advanced features make them a worthwhile investment for those frequently engaging in demanding photography. Gitzo tripods, like the Gitzo GT5543LS ($1400) are known for their exceptional build quality and stability in challenging conditions, making them our go-to  (and the go-to for most of our professional photography friends) for wildlife and landscape photography.

These tripods easily handle heavy equipment no matter what terrain or conditions you encounter. If you use a tripod frequently and you want a tripod that will outlast all the others, the Gitzo is a worthwhile investment.

Frequently Asked Questions