Our pick of the best mini, travel, standard and hybrid tripods in 2021
A tripod is an essential camera accessory. It’s designed to keep your camera still so that you get the best results possible from the sensor and lenses that you’ve spent some serious money on.
A tripod can also open up a range of creative shooting opportunities. It’s vital for very long exposures, for example, perhaps when you’re using a neutral density filter to enable you to capture passing clouds as soft streaks or to render choppy waves as a silky blur.
It’s also easier, or more comfortable to mount your camera on a tripod when you want to shoot from an awkward angle. Especially if you’re waiting for your subject to appear in the frame or for the light to come good.
While the price of some camera tripods can be off-putting, you’ll soon regret buying a cheap, flimsy tripod that can’t be relied upon to do the job that’s needed. Equally, if you’re going to walk for miles, you may not want to carry a big, heavy tripod. It’s also about finding the right balance.
In this guide to the best tripods, we’ve selected the best camera tripods for a variety of uses and cameras. There are mini tripods that are a great stop-gap for those occasions when you can’t carry a full-size tripod, or you need something to support the camera while it’s in self-timer mode and you want to run into the frame. We’ve also included some excellent travel tripods that are perfect for holidays or when weight is a key consideration. In addition, there are standard or everyday tripods as well as a great hybrid tripod that’s a superb support for a video camera.
