Getting your first tripod right is an important step in building the ultimate kit.
A good beginner’s tripod is light, sturdy and flexible. In this gear guide, we’ll look at the best 4 beginner’s tripods for 2021, and hopefully you’ll end up with one that will last you years to come.
Manfrotto Element MII – Aluminium
At an affordable £97 on Amazon, this tripod ticks all the boxes. It’s made of lightweight aluminium, has 4-sectioned, foldable, invertible, screw-lock type legs, a ball head for precise camera positioning and great height, maxing out at 160cm fully extended. Maximum load capacity is 8kgs, making it great for mirrorless and fully-fledged professional DSLRs too. The tripod also comes with a padded shoulder bag, making it easy and comfortable to carry around – and if you’d rather keep it in your backpack, it’s only 42.5cm closed down.
Vanguard VESTA TB 204CB – Carbon Fibre
The great thing about the Vesta TB is it’s carbon fibre material design. This makes it extra light, and at £84.25 on Amazon, it’s a great deal for what you get. Like the Manfrotto, this tripod features a ball head, has 4-sectioned, foldable, invertible, screw-lock type legs which allow for inverted and much lower angles. An additional 2-sectioned central column maxes it out at 130cm fully extended and packs fully down to 38cm. With a maximum load of only 3kg though, this tripod is suitable mostly for lighter mirrorless cameras.
Neewer Tripod Monopod – Aluminium
A two-in-one wonder-piece, Neewer’s Tripod Monopod is sturdy and multifunctional. The tripod goes for £62.89 on Amazon, and features a 360° ball-head, 4-sectioned, foldable, adjustable, flip-lock type legs that max out at 197cm and pack down to 48cm. Best of all, a detachable monopod via one of the tripod legs which connects to the centre column. Large DSLR setups are not an issue with a maximum payload of 8kg. At only 1.6kg, it’s portable and easy to carry around.
K&F Concept Travel Tripod Monopod – Aluminium
At only £72.99 on Amazon, this is another feature-rich tripod. K&F’s representative weighs in at 1.4kg with a maximum payload capacity of 8kg. The legs are 4-sectioned, flip-lock type with multi-angle buttons on each leg. The ballhead allows for precise camera positioning, while the locking mechanism on the invertible centre column ensures your camera stays where you want it. Retractable foot nails and a hook at the bottom of the centre column ensure added sturdiness, while the extra monopod is made up using the centre column and a padded, detachable leg. Not to worry, this tripod also comes with a comfortable carrying case.
These are just four of the many beginner’s tripods for 2021 available out there. Check out other articles in our gear guide section for more gear updates and advice!
