A good photographic tripod should be able to hold a camera motionless; for video, it should have a fluid head that allows you to tilt and pan the camera smoothly, producing dynamic, fluid, and cinematic shots. Investing in a high-quality video tripod is highly recommended for anyone involved in videography or vlogging.
Additionally, compared to photography tripods, video tripods typically have longer top platers, which allows for greater camera positioning flexibility. A counterbalance system, which facilitates the attachment of accessories such as a microphone, light, or external recorder without overbalancing the tripod, is another typical feature. Additionally, some have spirit levels for perfectly straight horizons and leg spreaders for added stability.
In this blog post, you will get to know the 8 Best Video Tripods in 2023 available.
8 Best Video Tripods in 2023
1. Velbon DV-7000N
The Velbon DV-7000N is a versatile and sturdy camera tripod designed to meet the needs of photographers and videographers. Its sleek black color adds a touch of elegance to its design, while its durable rubber construction ensures a secure and stable foundation for your camera equipment.
With an item weight of 7.35 pounds and a weight limit of 13.2 pounds, this tripod is capable of supporting a variety of camera setups, making it suitable for both amateur and professional use.
The tripod features a maximum height of 162.5 centimeters, allowing you to achieve different shooting angles and perspectives. The use of fluid heads in the tripod head type ensures smooth and precise pan and tilt movements, making it ideal for capturing professional-quality video footage.
Additionally, the tripod’s number of leg sections provides flexibility and adjustability, allowing you to set up the camera at your preferred height and angle. Overall, the Velbon DV-7000N is a reliable and versatile camera tripod that caters to the diverse needs of photographers and videographers.
Pros:
- Good tilt and pan
- The highest point at 162.5 cm
Cons:
- Antique cork top
- Not very good QR plate
- No adjustment to counterbalance
2. Manfrotto Travel Befree
The Manfrotto Travel Befree is a high-performance video tripod kit specifically designed for travel enthusiasts and videographers on the go. It features a new and innovative M-Lock twist lock system, which ensures fast and secure operation, allowing you to set up your equipment quickly and confidently.
This feature is especially valuable when you need to capture those fleeting moments while traveling. The tripod is equipped with the Be Free Live Fluid video head, delivering exceptionally smooth footage for professional-quality video recording.
The side pull selector further enhances ease of use, enabling you to set up your equipment swiftly and efficiently with both hands, ensuring you never miss a shot.
Not only is the Manfrotto Travel Befree highly functional, but it also boasts a unique premium design, proudly made in Italy. With a front tilt range of -90° to +65°, this tripod provides the versatility needed to capture diverse angles and perspectives during your travel adventures.
The combination of its compact design, fast setup, smooth footage capabilities, and Italian craftsmanship make the Manfrotto Travel Befree an ideal choice for videographers who demand performance and portability in their equipment, ensuring you can document your travels with the utmost professionalism.
Pros:
- Folds up nicely
- Quick to assemble
- Light in weight
Cons:
- No adjustments for pan and tilt drag
- No adjustments for counterbalance
- Maximum payload of 4 kg
3. Vanguard VEO3+263CP
The Vanguard VEO3+263CP is a versatile and feature-rich tripod designed to cater to a wide range of photography needs. One of its standout features is the Multi-Angle Center Column (MACC) that offers almost 360° rotation in any direction, allowing photographers to achieve the perfect setup for various shots, from sweeping landscapes to detailed macro photography.
Additionally, the MACC can be utilized as a multi-mount with the included VEO+ MA1 Adaptor, enhancing its flexibility and utility. The tripod extends to an impressive height of 68.3 inches and boasts a robust maximum load capacity of 13.2 pounds, ensuring stability and support for a variety of camera setups.
When not in use, it conveniently folds down to 30.5 inches and weighs a portable 5.1 pounds, making it an excellent choice for photographers on the move.
The Vanguard VEO3+263CP is designed for convenience and ease of use. Its easy set, solid, and easy-to-clean twist locks ensure quick and secure setup, while the three adjustable leg angles (23°, 50°, and 80°) with an innovative push-button lock provide flexibility in different shooting scenarios. The tripod comes equipped with rubber feet for stable support, and these can be replaced with included spiked feet for enhanced grip on uneven terrain.
Furthermore, the tripod features a unique design element—a removable hook that can be utilized to hang weight, adding extra stability to your setup. Additionally, one of the tripod legs can be converted into a monopod, offering further versatility to photographers. The tripod is paired with an Arca-compatible VEO 2 PH-38 3-way pan head with a top handle that rotates 90° for precise adjustments.
For easy transportation and storage, the package includes a premium padded tripod bag with a shoulder strap and an internal zip-up pocket, ensuring that your gear remains protected and portable wherever your photography adventures take you.
Pros:
- Multipurpose, adaptable center column
- Carbon fiber to reduce weight
- Three-section legs for increased stiffness
Cons:
- Maximum load may be higher
- Long when fully loaded
- For a video, the arca swiss head is unusual.
4. Libec TH-X
The Libec TH-X is a versatile dual-head tripod system designed to cater to the needs of both videographers and photographers. This unique feature makes it compatible with a wide range of equipment, including video tripods, photo tripods, and sliders, providing users with the flexibility to adapt to various shooting scenarios.
Despite its lightweight design, the Libec TH-X offers a remarkable 4 kg (approximately 8.8 pounds) load capacity, ensuring stability and support for a range of camera setups. This combination of lightweight portability and a respectable load capacity makes it an excellent choice for those who require flexibility and stability in their camera support system.
The package includes the tripod itself, a dedicated video head, and a convenient tripod bag for easy transportation and storage. The Libec TH-X tripod system offers a user-friendly and versatile solution for content creators, whether they are capturing video footage or still images, all while maintaining a lightweight and flexible design for convenient use in various shooting environments.
Pros:
- Lightweight and Portable
- Quick Setup
- Smooth Pan and Tilt
Cons:
- Limited Load Capacity
- Limited Compatibility
- Limited Height Range
5. 3 Legged Thing Legends Nicky Carbon Fiber Tripod
The 3 Legged Thing Legends Nicky Carbon Fiber Tripod is a high-performance tripod designed for photographers and videographers who work with heavier camera equipment and longer lenses, making it an ideal choice for wildlife photography and challenging terrains. Nicky boasts exceptional stability with its 4-section carbon fiber legs that can extend from a compact 4.88 inches to an impressive 61.41 inches.
These legs are equipped with internal anti-rotation shims, aptly nicknamed “Chicken Lips,” which enhance the leg locks’ strength and grip, ensuring your camera setup remains secure. The tripod’s versatility is further enhanced by its flat plate and bowl mount options, accommodating a wide range of work scenarios.
Despite its robust capabilities, Nicky is relatively lightweight, tipping the scales at just 5.29 pounds. It exhibits an impressive load-to-weight ratio of 25:1, providing a stable and reliable platform for your photography or videography gear. Rapid-Latch levers make it easy to adjust the leg angles quickly, even in challenging weather conditions or for users with limited dexterity.
The tripod features raised O-Pads with Bubble Grip texture, which offer superior grip, torque, and water dispersion compared to other leg locks.
In addition, Nicky’s three detachable legs can serve as monopods or boom arms, and the tripod can be converted into a convenient table-top tripod. It comes with detachable rubber Bootz that can be replaced with other foot accessories for maximum stability on various terrains. With a commitment to innovation and quality, 3 Legged Thing provides a 5-year global warranty on their products, ensuring peace of mind for users.
Pros:
- Extremely powerful
- Incredibly tall considering how folded it is
- Comes with flat and bowl plates
Cons:
- The cost is high
- A head must be purchased separately
- There is no center column
6. SmallRig AD-01
The SmallRig AD-01 is a professional video tripod system that offers a range of features to meet the needs of videographers and photographers. It includes a dual-mode quick-release plate mount, providing compatibility with two quick-release plate modes: one for DJI RS 2/RS3/RS3 PRO and another for Manfrotto.
This design allows users to easily switch between the two quick-release plate systems, making the video head adaptable to various camera setups. The quick release plate for Manfrotto is equipped with both 1/4″-20 and 3/8″-16 screws, ensuring compatibility with most cameras.
The tripod itself is constructed from heavy-duty aluminum with double-row tubes, offering exceptional stability. It features a built-in bubble level for precise leveling, and its 75mm bowl bottom ensures compatibility with a variety of video heads. The adjustable height of the travel tripod ranges from 85 to 186 centimeters (33 to 73 inches), and it can support a maximum load of 8 kilograms (17 pounds). The professional fluid head is equipped with damping and balancing systems, enabling 360° horizontal and +90°/-75° vertical movements.
It also features a side-pressed quick-release mechanism for convenient and quick camera disassembly and installation. Portability is made easy with a spacious carrying handle on the tripod, and the anti-slip design ensures comfortable transitions.
The included quick release plate even has a built-in wrench for added convenience. To make storage and transportation hassle-free, the tripod comes with a handbag equipped with storage options. The package includes the heavy-duty fluid head tripod, a carrying bag, a quick release plate for Manfrotto, 1/4”-20 and 3/8″-16 screws, and a user manual, making it a comprehensive and versatile solution for video and photography enthusiasts.
Pros:
- Smooth ball-head
- leveling bowl foundation
- Multiple accessory threads
- lightweight layout
- Max. height: 186 cm
Cons:
- Only suitable for lightweight setups
- It contains a plastic joints and buttons
- Feels a little light-weight
7. Benro A373F
The Benro A373F is a versatile and robust tripod designed to meet the needs of videographers and filmmakers. It offers a generous 13.2 lb payload capacity and features a 5+0 steps counterbalance system, providing precise balance adjustments to accommodate various camera setups. The tripod is equipped with a 65mm flat base with a 3/8″-16 thread, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of fluid heads and video accessories.
With an adjustable height range spanning from 11.8 inches to 63 inches and a two-stage design, this tripod offers flexibility for capturing shots at different heights. It also includes three leg positions, allowing users to achieve low-angle shots and adapt to challenging shooting conditions. The addition of a 75mm half-ball adapter further enhances the tripod’s versatility, making it a reliable choice for various video production scenarios.
The Benro A373F’s combination of a sturdy construction and versatile features makes it a reliable support system for videographers. With its generous payload capacity, counterbalance system, and adjustable height, it provides a stable platform for capturing professional-quality footage.
The inclusion of leg positions and a half-ball adapter adds to its adaptability, making it a suitable choice for different shooting environments and styles. Whether you’re working on documentaries, interviews, or other video projects, the Benro A373F offers the flexibility and stability needed to achieve your creative vision.
Pros:
- Adjusting the counterbalance in five steps
- Adaptable tilt drag and pan
- Tripod and head with a modern design
- Minimum height of 31 cm
Cons:
- The lowest payload possible
8. TR344L ProMediaGear
The ProMediaGear TR344L, part of the Pro-Stix 34 Series, is a premium 71-inch carbon fiber tripod known for its exceptional build quality and performance. It features four long leg sections with a top leg diameter of 34mm, providing robust stability and support for a wide range of photographic equipment.
The tripod’s legs are constructed from 10x layer carbon fiber, ensuring both durability and lightweight portability, making it an ideal choice for professional photographers and videographers.
The CNC machined apex is made from T6061 aluminum, which enhances the tripod’s strength and precision. The tripod mount utilizes a 3/8-16 thread, equipped with a flat center disk to accommodate various tripod heads, making it versatile and adaptable to different shooting scenarios.
The ProMediaGear TR344L is designed to meet the demands of photographers and videographers who require a dependable and rugged support system for their equipment. The tripod’s carbon fiber construction ensures it remains lightweight for easy transport while providing exceptional stability.
With four leg sections, it offers adjustable height options, making it suitable for various shooting conditions. The CNC machined apex and robust materials used in its construction add to its durability and reliability. Its compatibility with different tripod heads through the 3/8-16 mount makes it a versatile choice for a range of professional applications. ProMediaGear’s 5-year warranty underscores their confidence in the product’s long-term performance, making the TR344L a valuable investment for those seeking top-tier tripod quality.
Pros:
- Inbuilt spirit level
- Superb carbon fiber construction
Cons:
- High cost
- Slightly short spikes
