4 Tripods That Give You the Best Bang for Your Buck

Choosing a tripod can be agonizing. The good news? You don’t need to empty your wallet to get one. As a night photographer, I'll reveal four great tripods for photography that nail the sweet spot for stability, functionality, weight—and yes, price. After all, if a tripod can survive a night photographer’s abuse, it’ll be more than good enough for you.

I'll discuss the four tripods that I think are great without breaking the bank. But first, a quick discussion of why I think they're great might be helpful.

Compromises

I agonized over my choice of tripod more than any other photography-related gear I've purchased, wrestling with these three qualities: cost, weight, and stability.

Want a cheap tripod that doesn't weigh too much? Of course you do! But is it going to be stable?

Want a cheap tripod that is super sturdy and handles long exposures in high winds? Sure. But it might be really heavy.

Okay, how about something that is really sturdy and lightweight? That sounds great. But now it's very expensive.

Surely something can be easy to use and functional without breaking the bank? Let's hope so.

Lightweight

I hike into remote desert locations carrying two cameras, heavy lenses, and all the extras. Naturally, I favor lightweight tripods, so all mine are carbon fiber. Every pound counts when you are hiking for several miles or for several hours. As a bonus, carbon fiber doesn’t get nearly as cold as its aluminum counterparts, quite a plus in the winter months.

Functional

Let's first discuss setup and locks. Typically, with a tripod, your choice is between lever (flip) locks and twist locks.

This is a matter of preference. In other words, you can have great functionality with either lever locks or twist locks.

In theory, I love lever locks. I know when they are locked down. However, I might be a little clumsy; I've pinched my fingers with these sometimes while using them at night. I've also had them catch on my clothing before when I am carrying or maneuvering the tripod.

Consequently, I've chosen twist locks. These deploy quickly and nicely. However, there are always other issues, aren’t there? Twist locks increase the chances that you forget to twist them all the way. You can't see that they're locked. Consequently, you need to take extra care in making sure they are locked down. Some twist locks can also attract sand and begin grinding, so you may need to occasionally take apart your tripod and give it a thorough cleaning.

Stability

Stability may be the most important of all for me. I have photographed in extremely gusty winds all over the Mojave Desert, including the insanely windy Owens Valley in California. Despite the wind, I have been able to stack 20 consecutive 15-second or 20-second exposures for Milky Ways or do hour-long star trails. Consequently, in the wrestling match of cost, weight, and stability, I've arguably compromised the most on weight. That said, my tripods still really are not that heavy.

Most professional photographers I speak to prefer to exceed the load capacity of a tripod and ball head by about three times. After all, you don't want to perch your equipment on a tripod that just barely handles the weight of your expensive gear, do you?

Durability

My tripods take a beating—stuffed in cars, tossed in planes, and abused by sand. I use them constantly in windy, dusty, and sandy climates. I bang them on rocks and jam them into sand at the beach. Through all this, I need them to work. I need them to hold up my equipment. And I need them to be dependable.

Therefore, I feel it's better not to choose tripods that have many flimsy plastic parts for locks or clamps. I've owned my tripods for over thirteen years now, using them several times a month, and they keep going—despite the constant abuse.

And Now, a Word About Columns

Tripods also come with columns and hooks. I don't use them on two of my tripods. In my opinion, telescoping center columns introduce instability and invite vibrations, particularly when they are raised. They have their uses, but I really need rock-solid stability.

Also, I haven't found much use for center hooks. If I hang a camera bag from the hook, it sways when there is wind, which makes me concerned. If I do use the hook, I make certain that the camera bag or weight is resting on the ground. This method works quite well.

That said, one of my tripods has a center column. I'll discuss why later since it's time to get to the tripod recommendations!

4 Tripods That Work Great Without Deflating the Wallet

Feisol CT-3342 Carbon Fiber Tripod

• Weight: 2.5 lbs
• Load Capacity: 55 lbs (handles a Pentax K-1 + 15–30mm f/2.8 easily, which is a hefty combination)
• Max Height: 55.9"
• Min Height: 7.9"
• Folded Length: 23.2"

Perfect balance of portability and strength. I use this more than any of my other tripods.

This is the oldest of the tripods I own. I use it for a travel tripod. However, for most people's standards, it might be a little large for travel. Nonetheless, I've traveled to Iceland, India, and all over the Southwestern United States. I bought mine for $375 new in 2012, but they're over $514 currently.

Available at B&H (and if not, purchase it used since they're worth it)

Feisol CT-3372 Carbon Fiber Tripod

• Weight: 3.9 lbs
• Load Capacity: 66 lbs
• Maximum Height: 58.9"
• Minimum Height: 4.1"
• Folded Length: 24.8"

This is my “serious wind” tripod. It’s overkill for most, but in gale-force desert winds, it’s kept my camera rock steady.

This is a great tripod. It's also surprisingly light for how large it is. In fact, it's a larger tripod than most "normal" people use. Because I photograph in places that can get sudden strong gusts of wind and I use very heavy cameras, I have this as well. I've used this for gale-force winds for photographing the Mobius Arch in the very windy Owens Valley in California, and it held firm during some long exposure photos. Anyone who has been to Owens Valley knows that I am not kidding about this. So yes, I go hiking with the CT-3372 if I think I need the extra stability. However, I doubt this is anyone's first choice for a hiking (or travel) tripod. I purchased this new for $575 in 2012. It currently sells for around $649.95.

Feisol CT-3372 at B&H

Manfrotto BeFree Advanced GT XPro Aluminum Tripod

• Weight: 4.41 lbs (2 kg)
• Maximum Height: 64.57 in (142 cm)
• Closed Length: 16.93 in (43 cm)
• Maximum Load: 22 lbs (9.97 kg)

I use this occasionally for traveling by plane, when space is at a premium. It's half a pound lighter than my Feisol CT-3342 and is about six inches smaller when folded down completely.

Over the years, I've reviewed several tripods, which the manufacturers have allowed me to keep. However, this is the only one that I've kept for work in the field. It's sufficiently sturdy. It also comes with a rather nice ball head. I should mention here that the ball head has not one but two friction knobs. Thank you.

I'm going to admit to breaking some of my preferences here, but there are times in which something works well enough that you go with it. For instance, I prefer lightweight carbon fiber tripods; this is an aluminum tripod that weighs almost four and a half pounds.

And I prefer tripods with no center columns; this tripod has one.

But if I am traveling by plane, going to places that are not typically windy, and need something small that still has sufficient height for someone like me who is 6'1" (185 cm) tall, I'll grab this tripod. The center column won't pose much of an issue.

However, if there is the possibility of being windy or I am using a suitcase instead of a backpack, then I will take the Feisol CT-3342 instead. That tripod is almost like a "security blanket" to me.

The Manfrotto BeFree Advanced GT XPro tripod currently sells for $280.49, making this the most inexpensive choice on this list, especially when you factor in the nice ball head, which is included.

Manfrotto BeFree Advanced GT XPro tripod with ball head is available on Amazon.

Leofoto LP-324C X Version Poseidon Ocean Carbon Fiber Tripod

• Weight: 1.43kg / 3.15lb
• Max. Height: 1300mm / 51.18''Min.
• Folded Length: 493mm / 19.41''
• Max Load: 15kg / 33.07 lb
• Water-resistant, Dust-resistant, Corrosion-resistant

I am going to recommend a tripod that I don't own. My friend purchased a Leofoto LP-284C Poseidon Series Sea Tripod, very similar to the one I will link to below. I've seen him use it over the past couple of years several times. He's extremely choosy about his tripods, and he loves this one. That said, he also has purchased a Feisol CT-3342 on my recommendation, which he also loves.

Leofoto states that the new version has "upgraded angle stops for improved functionality." 

As you can see, this folds down smaller than the Feisol CT-3342. It is half a pound more and has less of a maximum load. However, the maximum load is still considerably more than three times the weight most people are realistically going to put on it for most landscape or night photography.

The Leofoto LP-324C X Version Poseidon Ocean Tripod is currently selling for $449.00.

Leofoto is available through their website.

Final Thoughts

The "best" tripod is the right one for your shooting style. As I mentioned, I have used the Feisol 3342 and 3372 for thirteen years. Both are lightweight, stable, and durable without being outrageously priced. But there are plenty of great new designs—Leofoto, Manfrotto, Peak Design, Sirui, Induro, Benro (and if your pocketbook allows, great offerings by Gitzo and Really Right Stuff), and others—that may offer you the best bang for the buck.