Video is a whole different ball game. When I’m shooting stills, I’m generally trying to capture a scene in one shot, or aiming to nail a definitive moment in time. I want a tripod that’s rock steady and won’t budge. Video is all about moving pictures, and movement is often the key ingredient. I’ll want to pan and tilt at will, to track the action. That means I’ll need a fluid head that lets me move the camera smoothly, giving my footage a dynamic, cinematic quality. Whether you're a vlogger or a filmmaker, a good video tripod is one of the wisest, most effective investments you can make.
Not just different by design in the way they work, video tripods also tend to have longer top plates than photographic ones, giving more versatility in positioning and balancing the camera. Another common feature is a counterbalance system that makes it easier to keep things on the level, and additional threaded sockets for attaching accessories like a mic, light, or monitor. Some also have leg-spreaders for extra stability and spirit levels for perfectly straight horizons. Check out our rundown of 7 ways video tripods are different from regular ones for a more thorough look at the key differences.
I've split this guide into sections for different types of users, from vloggers who want a lightweight solution to bigger, more stable options for filmmakers with heavy payloads. I’ll also be catering to different budgets so, wherever you are in your filmmaking journey, here are the best video tripods you can buy right now.
This Manfrotto video tripod works a treat and is really quick and easy to use. It's also beautifully engineered and should last a lifetime. It's not the most expensive but will do the job brilliantly. Read more below
SmallRig has been making a name for itself in producing quality items with small price tags. This video tripod packs plenty of features and is a smart buy for filmmakers on a tight budget. Read more below
If you're looking for a lightweight setup to attach your fluid head to then carbon fiber is the way to go and ProMediaGear offers a luxurious and superb solution with the TR344L. Read more below
Best base
4. 3 Legged Thing Nicky Carbon Fiber Tripod
If you want a great tripod base that is built to last and hold a massive 59kg payload - this is the best base out there for all kinds of cinema rigs (you'll need to buy the head separately). Read more below
5. 3 Legged Thing Mike Carbon Fiber with Quick Leveling Base and AirHed Cine Arca Head
Really flexible but in a good way, 'Mike' works as a tripod, video head, monopod, or boom arm. This versatile all-in-one solution from 3 legged thing is a superb kit that's impeccably finished. Read more below
Students generally need to be careful with cash, and they're not the only ones. If you want to stick to a low budget but still want a good quality video tripod, this Libec offers all the essentials at a great price. Read more below
If you're just starting in your professional career or a pro filmmaker looking for a better option then Sachtler is the way to go. This carbon fiber tripod offers a massive 153cm height adjustment and can take up rigs up to 20kg in weight with ease. Read more below
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Built to an exceptional standard, this tripod kit is made with professional-grade video in mind. It’s robust enough to take a specialist cine camera or a pro-level full-frame camera, and gives rock-solid support. In my testing, I was delighted with the ease of setup, with single-twist legs making adjustments a breeze.
The head supplied in this kit is a work of art, with beautifully smooth pan and tilt, and adjustable drag to choose the degree of friction you want. This isn’t a cheap kit, but the fluid filming experience it delivers easily justifies the cost.
The SmallRig AD-01 3751 does a convincing impression of a high-end product while being highly affordable. Eschewing any expensive materials, it’s entirely constructed using aluminum alloy and plastic, which makes it best considered for use with mirrorless cameras.
With lots of advanced features for a low price, I think that the SmallRig AD-01 3751 deserves consideration by anyone on a tight budget who’s just starting out in videography and filmmaking and needs a capable entry-level tripod for a mirrorless camera.
It's easily possible to spend a lot of money on a video tripod. The ProMediaGear TR344L certainly won't be for everyone, with a four-figure price tag that rules out casual users and those on a strict budget, however, it really is an excellent video tripod.
With a strong but lightweight carbon fibre build, it's great for run-and-gun filmmaking, with an option to swap out its flat plate for the ProMediaGear 75mm Bowl Head Adapter. It can be manipulated into all sorts of unusual configurations, for those difficult shots, and its rubber feet conceal little spikes for a bit of extra grip.
Make no mistake, the 3 Legged Think Nicky is a professional-level tripod for a discerning audience. Made for photographers and videographers working with heavier kits, it’s strong, straightforward to use, tall, and adaptable.
It’s a base, not a kit, however, so unless you have these things already (many photographers will), you’ll also need to budget for a head and, for video, perhaps a leveling bowl too. In my tests, I used the Nicky with 3 Legged Thing AirHed Cine head and 75mm Half Bowl. They play really well together!
5. 3 Legged Thing Mike with Quick Leveling Base and AirHed Cine Head
Best all-in-one video tripod
Specifications
Material: Carbon fiber
Extended height: 147.5cm
Folded height: 66.7cm
Weight: 1.65kg
Leg sections: 3
Maximum load: 14kg
Reasons to buy
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A triumph in cool design
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Minimum height of 13.5cm
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Large payload for weight
Reasons to avoid
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Not the highest reach
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No counterbalance adjustment
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Fixed pan and tilt drag
Once you've gotten over the unusually long name of this British-designed tripod, you're faced with a rather good bit of kit. The three-sections legs are made from carbon fiber which massively helps to keep weight down. These can also be detached for, a monopod or boom arm or alternatively, splayed out so the head is positioned very close to the ground, perfect for wildlife filmmaking.
3 Legged Thing even sells accessories that will convert the head to a hi-hat style tripod just 13.5cm from the floor, which is a great feature to have in a single tripod. It also features an Arca Swiss-style base plate and there are a variety of feet to choose from depending on what surface you're using it on.
The Libec TH-X tripod kit is a traditional-style video tripod, made by a Japanese company that has lots of experience in making tripods for filmmakers. It has a twin tube leg set-up, which is fast to use and stable, as well as a mid-level spreader to get it set up quickly. It’s not too heavy and takes Manfrotto-fit tripod plates which are very popular.
It has a relatively basic fluid head that’s the limiting factor in both the maximum payloads of just 4kg and its basic design. The pan and tilt movements are good, but the drag is not adjustable and there’s no counterbalance adjustment. The tripod is a 65mm bowl fitment, so putting on a better head in the future is the best option.
The Sachtler Flowtech 75 MS Carbon Fibre Tripod comes equipped with a mid-level spreader that is very different from the regular single or double carbon fiber tube designs as it has very wide, almost flat legs. Each leg features a single clamping lever that locks and unlocks the sections, so you can set the whole lot up with just three locks, which all sit together at the top of the tripod, making slight adjustments on the fly a breeze.
Each leg extends independently and when detached from the spreader, each leg can pivot without affecting the other legs. It’s designed to be comfortable to shoulder-carry, too. Of course, you need to budget for a suitable head, such as the Sachtler Ace XL or FSB 8 T.
We test and review at Digital Camera World by subjecting photo and video equipment to a range of in-house lab tests and in-the-field shooting exercises, designed to give us a thorough sense of how a piece of gear performs. For video tripods, we check stability, ease of setup, smoothness of operation, portability and height range, and use our findings to inform our comments in buying guides like this one.
For nearly two decades Sebastian's work has been published internationally. Originally specializing in Equestrianism, his visuals have been used by the leading names in the equestrian industry such as The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), The Jockey Club, Horse & Hound, and many more for various advertising campaigns, books, and pre/post-event highlights.
He is a Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts, holds a Foundation Degree in Equitation Science, and is a Master of Arts in Publishing. He is a member of Nikon NPS and has been a Nikon user since the film days using a Nikon F5 and saw the digital transition with Nikon's D series cameras and is still to this day the youngest member to be elected into BEWA, The British Equestrian Writers' Association.
He is familiar with and shows great interest in street, medium, and large format photography with products by Leica, Phase One, Hasselblad, Alpa, and Sinar. Sebastian has also used many cinema cameras from the likes of Sony, RED, ARRI, and everything in between. He now spends his spare time using his trusted Leica M-E or Leica M2 shooting Street photography or general life as he sees it, usually in Black and White.
