The Best Beginner Tripod- Get Started!

Investing in a good camera might be one of the best decisions you would have ever taken. By this time, you must be familiar with many of the settings and menus on your camera. A tripod is one of the most essential elements of a photographer’s bag. It is probably the most used tool after your camera and lenses. So here, I have a complete review of the best beginner tripod in the market.

As a starter you should be exploring all fields and genres of photography. Do not restrict yourself to one particular field, you never know, you might be the next Ansel Adams or Steve McCurry.

After spending some time in the field, you will realize that you hands can only support you to a particular extent, after which you need to have a camera bearer. To achieve that shot which is already there in your mind you need to improvise. That’s when you realize the true importance of a good, sturdy tripod.

Things to Look for in a Beginner Tripod


It is rightly said, that the tripod is of paramount importance when it comes to making awe-inspiring images. In fact some masterpieces were created using one. A tripod is essentially a three-legged stand which acts as a support for your camera. Having said that, there are a lot of options to choose from. Filtering down to one can be a real challenge. So here are a few things to look for as a beginner while selecting tripods.

  1. Length: By the term length of a tripod, I mean the total extended length of your middle column combined with the total extended length of your legs. This should be large enough to offer you a decent height to work for long shoots. Having a tripod with lesser height can be very strenuous and uncomfortable.
  2. Weight: Weight of a tripod essentially depends on the material with which it has been made. For a beginner’s point of view, an aluminum made tripod would do just fine. Generally, aluminum ones are heavier than carbon fibers ones, but they are significantly cheap than the CF ones. Generally ones with heavier legs are sturdier.
  3. Flexibility: A good tripod should offer you maximum flexibility so that it may be used in a variety of scenarios. Flexibility includes, the type of heads used as well. I personally believe that a ball head offers much more flexibility than a pan. But a pan head would do just fine.
  4. Payload Capacity: As a beginner, you might be having only a single body and a couple of lenses. Keeping that in mind, a tripod which supports around 5.5 to 6.6 pounds is ideal
  5. Budget: Now, finally let’s address the elephant in the room, the budget. Yes, I understand that the budget is one of the biggest concerns when starting out in photography and there are a lot of options to choose from. But here’s the truth, you don’t want to trust a $50 tripod with all your equipment worth thousands of dollars. Spend at least $150-200 on your first tripod.

You don’t need to go out there and search for hours and hours to look for the perfect tripod for you. Because believe me when I say, I have done all of this research for you and here’s my verdict.

THE BEST BEGINNER TRIPOD


SLIK PRO 700DX

Image shot by “Fir0002/Flagstaffotos”.  License Copy : https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:GNU_Free_Documentation_License,_version_1.2

This is unarguably the best tripod out there in the market for beginner’s. It can very well get you started on your photographic journey.

A tripod should let you focus more on your photography than your equipment and this is totally an example of that. It uses leg locks instead of twisting levers which make it fast to set it up. Also, the gear less middle column reduces the chances of breakage, because generally geared ones are super flimsy and you don’t want your middle column to malfunction on a shoot.

Made of AMT alloy it is strong as well as comparatively lighter than aluminium based.

FEATURES


The Slik Pro 700DX checks most of the boxes when it comes to selecting the ideal tripod. Below are some salient featured of this tripod.

  • It is made out of super AMT (Alloy of Aluminum and Titanium) alloy, which as they say is 40% lighter than the aluminum based ones. It is lighter and stronger.
  • Can attach various heads on the legs like a ball, or a pistol-grip. It comes with a 3-way tilt-shift head which is good enough to get you started. Few, years down the line you might wanna upgrade to a ball head.
  • Three Step Leg angle adjustment, you can choose between three leg angle adjustments depending on your situation.
  • Has leg locks instead of twist locks. You can set it up in no time.
  • Has a quick release plate.
  • Has a nifty spirit level on the body, so that you are never out of alignment.

The best part is you get all of this in a retail package at Amazon . That is a very sweet investment.

SPECIFICATIONS


Let’s dive into some technical specs.

Image by “Fir0002/Flagstaffotos”. License Copy : https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:GNU_Free_Documentation_License,_version_1.2
  • Material : Super AMT Alloy
  • Center Column Extension : 380mm
  • Minimum Height : 395mm
  • Max Height : 1900mm / Over 6 feet
  • Max Payload : 6.8kg
  • Leg Tip : Rubber
  • Folded Length : 760mm
  • Weight : 3.6 Kg
  • Head : 3-way Pan head

FINAL THOUGHTS


So, there you have it guys, that’s the best beginner tripod you’ll currently find in the market. It has all the best possible specifications and features which you will need as a starter.

Whether you are shooting landscapes, macro, trying your hand in wildlife this tripod will serve you well for many years to come if taken care of. Although it is not a match for some high end ones but it surely is not a bummer.

If you are a budding photographer looking to increase your skills and are not in a position to spend a fortune on a tripod SLIK PRO 700DX is your go to option. Instead of searching around for hours for a tripod, choose this one and rather spend time on developing yourself as a photographer.

 

If you have any queries or questions regarding this tripod, feel free to drop a comment below and I’ll be more than happy to help you out.

 

Shashwat

Founder of TripodsforAll


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24 Responses

  1. Nice outline. I’m a writer who would love to get into the art of taking his own camera shots. Being that I live in an area with outstanding scenery full of bounding hills, forests, and rivers, along with old industrial sites, the possibilities are endless. I write in the urban fantasy genre and base a lot of the scenery on the area in which I live, so to actually bring it to life with awesome photos and videos would be epic.

    For that, I’ve been considering a tripod for quite a while now. Thanks for the outline and how to get started in this craft.

  2. What a nice post you wrote! I really enjoyed reading it and I could not be silent about your post so I decided to leave my comment here and say Thank You! For sharing this quality post with others.
    Actually this is exactly the information that I was looking for about tripod and when I landed to your website and read this post, it answered all my questions in details.
    So I’m happy that you decided to write about this topic and share it with people. It’s very useful and can definitely be used as a great source for best beginner tripod.
    I will come back to your website again for sure and I’m looking forward to read your new posts.)

    Thanks!

  3. Very cool post! I really like your images and layout. Such an inspiration! After reading your post I feel I have to confidence to at least know what to be looking for in a good tripod. You are providing a very valuable service.

  4. I found the post very detailed and Informative. So so many useful tips and tricks all on one page! Wonderful! I bookmarked to look further. This is a wonderful and carefully reviewed product. Its only possible to have good result when all factors are put into consideration. I am a great fan of The Slik Pro 700DX, and i can attest to the fact that its highly durable and not too expensive to purchase

  5. Loving your tripod review Shashwat,

    The Slik Pro 700dx looks so slick especially with the liquid balancer to help stabilize the camera, I need that! My old tripod doesn’t even have that and plus it’s so heavy too I regret ever having it. 3.6kg seems really light, I definitely need this as I have to go to hard to reach places a lot. Does it also come with a warranty?

    1. Hello Riaz

      I’m glad you found this review helpful. If you need it, kindly check the links in the content. As for your question yes, it comes with a 3yr warranty. Thanks for asking.

  6. The time and effort involved in putting this article together on the best beginner Tripod is really appreciated.  This is really an insightful and an informative article. I carefully read your post and I discovered it is really loaded with the right information needed for a newbie on Tripod. Every question I may thought of asking are all answers in your article. I must say you did a great job. I will order for one this week. Good job!  

    1. Thanks a lot for your kind words. My motto is simple, to help people and I keep beginners in mind whenever I write a new post.

  7. I absolutely love what I read in this insightful article because it is full of great information. This is fascinating and interesting to me. I’m so interested in taking pictures of beautiful places and with the help of tripod I can achieve my dreams. I so much love the features and the price is pocket friendly. I would love topreaeny this to myself soon.

    Thanks for sharing this quality post with us.Regards

    1. Happy that you found it useful. Yes, a tripod does help a lot once you get a hang of it. 
      Keep checking back for more such content.

  8. I love photography and I usually do not miss any opportunity to get a shot. Preserving memories with a simple shot is one of the best ways to put one’s imprint in time. Those pictures would be around for a very long time and even though it is for leisure,it sure has the potential to turn to a second career or even a full time one quite quickly. So,I can see why owning a tripod is not essential but necessary.

    And after going through the list of the best beginner tripods to get started,I must agree that the Slik Pro 700DX does seem like a really good one for me. Sturdy legs, light and all the other features for $170, seems like a good deal to me. Thanks for bringing this to us.

    1. You are very Welcome 🙂
      Let me add: photography is magical. You can literally freeze a moment for times to come. Also, if you plan on making an income out of it, you must practice continuously and keep learning. In the process you may upgrade your equipment. But the learning must never stop!

  9. I knew I made a mistake when buying a $49 tripod at Wal-Mart. I don’t have a DSLR camera yet but I am working to buy one and upgrade my video camera as well. I am wondering if the tripod you are recommending is versatile enough to handle a DSLR and a video camera I will use to create media for my own blog? I know this is definitely a beautiful tripod where mine was not very sturdy. The twist legs kept collapsing after about 6 month’s use and caused me to break a $380 video camera on only its 3rd outing. I was very angry and will not shop for a cheap tripod again in the future, especially once I start buying better photography equipment.

    1. Believe me, I’ve been there!
      It sure is frustrating as hell. But trust me, Slik Pro 700DX is versatile and strong enough to handle any combination below its recommended weight. Go ahead with this one and I’m pretty sure you will notice the difference in your creations 🙂

  10. I really like post on The Best Beginner Tripod- Get Started!. My elder cousin and I just started photography, Well,  getting a good camera was sure our first target,  and now we have been planning on how to get a good tripod, though we never knew that there are tripod for beginners. Your review of tripod For beginners has given me an insight on the tripod to buy….. 

  11. I have never heard of a titanium and aluminium composite before, but it seems to be approved, as the way to go.

    The price seems to be in the middle of the range,and seems to be reasonable.

    Why did we not get any other tripods to compare to?

    Technically its features are good with the rubber leg tips,for nonskid, the fast action leg locks,and the spirit level to make sure that you do not get a skewed picture.

    It is good that you can attach various heads, so that you have a versatile tool to work with.

    1. Hi Robert

      SLIK does make the composite tripods and they are a tad more strong than the usual aluminium ones. I understand that $170 is a bit on the higher end for beginners but don’t underestimate its worth. I have done extensive research on this tripod and according to me it still is one of the best deals out there. Ping me if you want any more recommendations.

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