In case you haven’t read our post on why to use a tripod for stock photos, you may want to head over there and read that before continuing on with this post.

One of the hardest things about picking the right tripod, is determining what your needs are and how it will be used.  A stock photographer that does mainly macro work will probably have different ideas about what the ideal tripod is than an outdoor photographer who packs his gear for miles.  The macro photographer will be looking for something sturdy with tiny adjustments available, where the outdoor photographer wants something light and sturdy.  Once you have determined how you want to use the tripod then this guide will help you pick the correct tripod.

Tripod Materials

It used to be you could have a tripod made out of anything you wanted, as long as it was wood.  Fortunately for us, now there is a wide range of materials used to make tripods.  We are just going to look at the two most common, since it would be almost impossible to cover every material used.

One of the most common materials is aluminum, or some alloy made using aluminum.  Aluminum is cheap and fairly sturdy, so many of the lower priced tripods are made out of it.  Aluminum does have some downsides though, when the weather is cold out since aluminum is a metal you have all the downsides of touching a metal object in the cold.  Aluminum is also heavier than many other materials, and when a company is trying to increase the tripods strength they often make the legs thicker, which just adds to the weight.

Carbon fiber is another material many tripods are made from.  Unlike aluminum it is not a metal, so it does not have the downsides associated with metal in the cold.  A tripod made from carbon fiber is also about half the weight of a tripod made from aluminum.  The largest drawback to carbon fiber is the price.  If you want to buy a carbon fiber tripod plan on spending at least a couple hundred dollars.

Tripod Heights

Tripods come in several different heights, including tabletop, medium height, and tall.  Tabletop tripods are designed for setting on a table, or photographing low to the ground.  Since their height is no more than 12 inches, the ways they can be used is limited.  Medium height tripods are what most people use, and they range from tabletop height on up to around 60 inches.  Most of these are adjustable in height so they make for good all around tripods.  Tall tripods are often used for specific purposes, and are not seen very often.

Tripod Strength

One of the most important things about buying a tripod is to buy one strong enough to hold your camera, lens, and what ever else you put on the camera.  If you overload your tripod there is a good chance it will fail, which leads to your camera hitting the ground.  So, make sure the tripod you choose will hold the load of your heaviest camera plus the heaviest lens plus a flash.  If the weight of those three is close to the limit of the tripod you are considering, you may want to purchase the next stronger tripod.  As expensive as a tripod is, it is still cheaper than having to replace a good lens or camera.

In addition to these three main categories there may be several other factors depending on your planned use of the tripod.  Like we mentioned earlier, the weight of the tripod may be a factor if you are going to be carrying it or traveling with it a lot.  Also how many leg sections the tripod uses has an impact on the overall folded length.

One last thing is, if buy a good tripod the first time, you probably will not need to upgrade at a later time.  Tripods can last for years, so unless you change your subjects or use it for a hammer it should outlast just about all of your other gear.