A well-made tripod is a must to add to your camera gear checklist if you are a wildlife photographer. With a sturdy tripod, you will get sharper images while photographing in low light or capturing long exposures, or panoramas. The best tripod should strike a balance between the size and the maximum height when extended. While shopping for a tripod many options are out there which are overwhelming but we need to consider the key specifications when choosing a tripod.
Here are some things to consider while buying a new tripod.
Carbon Fibre or Aluminum Fibre
Aluminum is considered to be budget-friendly and is used in a more high-wind environment because of its heavyweight than carbon fiber. The carbon fiber material is a choice of most photographers since it reduces the weight of a tripod by 15% without sacrificing the rigidity, but the drawback is the price. So, if you have a tight budget go with the aluminum fiber.
Maximum Extended Height
It is always recommended to buy a tripod that can extend as tall as your height when standing with all the legs and center column are fully extended to avoid bending when looking into a viewfinder. While minimum working height is also important when shooting some ground-level photography. Some tripods allow you to remove the center of the tripod to get as low as just a few inches above the ground.
Type of Head
The Head is the most important part of the tripod which holds the camera. So, it is necessary to have a steady head of a tripod to control the camera and capture great pictures. You can even remove the head and change it with the one you want. Ball heads are the most common type but pan-tilt heads are a popular choice. Bird photographers or people who want to shoot the movement of wild animals also considers gimbal head for their tripod.
At a glance below are the top 7 tripods for wildlife photographers:
- GEEKOTO 77\” COMPACT ALUMINUM TRIPOD
- MANFROTTO MT055XPRO3
- VANGUARD ALTA PRO ALUMINUM TRIPOD
- VLTROX VX-18M
- GITZO GT1545T SERIES 1 TRAVELER CARBON FIBRE
- BENRO MACH3
- GEEKOTO 77\” COMPACT ALUMINUM TRIPOD
Material – Aluminum
Load Capacity – 26.5 lbs
Height Range – 15\” to 56\”
Folded Length – 14\”
Weight – 2.89 lbs
Pros –
Affordable, Lightweight, and compact which is convenient for traveling.
The center can be inverted for low angle and ground-level shooting.
Cons–
The tripod looks well made, the legs don\’t feel as durable, they are a little thin to last very long.
- MANFROTTO MT055XPRO3
Material – Aluminum
Load Capacity – 24 lbs
Height Range – 16.1\” to 64.2\”
Folded Length – 16.1\”
Weight – 4.6 lbs
Pros–
It is a sturdy, versatile, and highly reliable tripod. Its 4 legs angles and 0 degrees column offer so much versatility to work with maximum camera stability.
Cons–
It can\’t convert into a monopod.
At 5.5 lbs it is quite heavy and bulky.
- VANGUARD ALTA PRO ALUMINUM TRIPOD
Material – Aluminum
Load Capacity – 15.4 lbs
Height Range – 28.2\” to 68.2\”
Folded Length – 28.2\”
Weight – 5.4 lbs
Pros–
Very sturdy, stable, and well made.
Splay the legs out very wide, almost all the way to the ground.
Cons–
With a folding height of 28.2 inches, it is a little heavy and bothers to carry around.
- VLTROX VX-18M
Material -Aluminum
Load Capacity – 13.2 lbs
Height Range – 33\” to 74\”
Folded Length – 36.4\”
Weight – 10.8 lbs
Pros–
Affordable and robust.
Comes with a sliding quick release plate.
Cons–
Load capacity could be better for a tripod of its weight.
Not that sturdy while panning quickly.
- GITZO GT1545T SERIES 1 TRAVELER CARBON FIBRE
Material – Carbon Fibre
Load Capacity – 22 lbs
Height Range – 16.7\” to 60.2\”
Folded Length – 16.7\”
Weight – 2.3 lbs
Pros–
It is light in weight which makes it easy to carry without compromising its stability.
It is good with low angle shooting with a top-notch ball head system.
Cons–
It is quite expensive with a price.
- BENRO MACH3
Material – Carbon Fibre
Load Capacity – 26.5 lbs
Height Range – 15\” to 63.6\”
Folded Length – 14\”
Weight – 2.89 lbs
Pros–
9-layers of carbon fiber for maximum strength and durability.
Rubberized tripod feet that suit to work on slippery surfaces.
Cons–
4.1 lbs in weight with a ball head, it is quite heavier and folded length 24.6\” which is rather long.
Where to buy it??
You can buy tripods and other camera accessories at Amazon or B&H Photo.
B&H Photo is a go-to company for buying all kinds of cameras and its gears at very good quality. They provide good customer services and knowledge about photography. While Amazon is where people buy most of the camera accessories like filters, memory cards, etc without any problems. They are good but don\’t know the gear specifications.
