How to Buy a Tripod

No matter how much you spend on photo gear, to help you get a great shot, often a
simple tripod is what makes the difference between a successful
shot and a blurry smear. Here are some factors to consider when shopping for your perfect tripod:
AII-in-One or it la Carte? You can buy a tripod that's a single, complete package with
legs and a head, or you can buy a
set oflegs and a head separately. With separate components, you can buy a head you like, and multiple tripods.
Pan/Tilt versus Ball Head At the top of the tripod is a head, which contains a mount for your camera and controls for moving the camera around. In general, a head fits into one of two categories: pan/ tilt and ball. Pan/tilt heads are typically used for shooting video, because you can lock each axis (tilt, pan, and roll) independently.
For still shooting, this control isn't normally needed, which is why a ball head usually makes more ense. A ball head-just a ball and socket joint-is often more durable than a pan/tilt head. Ball heads have a stability advantage as well-because of their extremely simple designs, even inexpensive ball heads are less likely to move once you lock them down. Pan/tilt heads are prone to drifting.
Size, Weight, and Height Balancing features with size and weight is a main concern when choosing a tripod. Fancier materials such as carbon fiber or magnesium alloys can greatly reduce weight, but you'll have to pay more for them. Height is important too-ideally, you don't want to stoop to use your tripod. I f you can get one that rai es all the way to eye level, you'll be more comfortable. However, a taller tripod won't collapse to as small a size. Also keep in mind that compact tripods can take a little longer to set up.

Maximum Load Capacity Every tripod and head has a limit to the weight it can support. Consider the heaviest thing you'll want to put on the tripod, which is usually your biggest SLR with its biggest lens. Bear in mind that a tripod that can hold more is also a physically larger and heavier tripod.
Other Features There are other important details to consider. Do the tripod legs use a twist clamp or a flipping lever? Play with each to figure out which you like better. Some tripods have an additional column that rises up out of the center to provide more height I f you opt for a center column, check to see if it has a weight hook that allows you to hang your camera bag or a sandbag, to gain more stability.
If you want to shoot straight down, get a tripod that allows you to place the center column in the head upside down or to remove the center column and insert it into the head so that it's parallel to the ground.
Finally, what thread size does the tripod use? If your tripod head doesn't use the same size screw as the top of your tripod, you'll need to get a small shim to serve as an adapter.
Balancing all of these options can be tricky and co tly. This is another reason to opt for a separate tripod and head. Being able to swap out components as you learn can make it easier to adapt your kit as your needs change.