Recommended Tripods and Heads for Video

We recommend some models of video tripods with good value for money depending on the use and the type of video you are going to record.

Tripods: differences between photography and video

The basic utility of the tripod is the same for photography and video: to provide a stable position for the camera, to avoid vibrations, shaking and unwanted movements.

In photography, the camera position is usually fixed for each shot. We want the camera not to move during the exposure time.

In video, on the other hand, camera movements intervene, which are very important to give dynamism in certain shots. Typical tripod movements are pan or pan (pan) and tilt (tilt).

These turning movements have to be very smooth, without jumps and with constant speed, otherwise they are quite annoying to the eye.

Therefore the video challenge is more demanding: on the one hand the tripod itself has to provide great stability to avoid vibrations and on the other hand the head has to allow very smooth camera movements.

Ball joints or heads for video

We are going to start with the head because it is the element that can condition the characteristics of the other elements of the tripod.

In principle we are going to differentiate two types of heads:

Fixed head . If we are always going to take shots with a fixed frame, we can use practically any type of head: ball, 2 or 3-way, etc. In these cases, practically any tripod will work for you, preferably a mid-range or upper-medium range with the head that suits you best depending on the use and weight of the camera (and accessories).
Fluid head . If we want to make camera movements from the tripod we will need a fluid head of a certain quality. The 2-3 way heads and even some ball heads include the possibility of horizontal turns (pan) but they have no internal fluid, only a solid friction material, which is very difficult, if not impossible, to achieve movements smooth, without jumps and at constant speed.

On the heads with internal fluid

In the fixed heads or ball joints, the system is still a brute force mechanism. Once the desired position of the chamber is achieved, it is fixed by one or more screws that exert pressure on the moving parts.

The fluid head is quite different, it is a much more delicate system in which there is a balance between achieving stability and allowing a smooth movement, without jumps and with some inertia in the two axes: pan / tilt. A fluid head with good performance and quality of materials is generally quite expensive.

In fluid heads, each axis usually has a set of facing blades internally. Between these sheets is a viscous liquid , usually some type of oil. Although the blades are separated, they do not rub directly against each other, the movement is not free since the fluid offers some resistance to movement. To control the level of friction, the sheets can be brought together or separated in such a way that the fluid has less space to flow between the sheets and will offer more or less resistance to movement.

Unlike mechanical friction (friction between two solids), the friction provided by the fluid is very smooth and the movement is very constant, without jumps or stops, and the equipment acquires an inertia that helps to maintain that smoothness of movements. The heavier the equipment, the more inertia and the smoother the movements (as long as the head can support that weight).

Some models include an anti-roll or counterbalance system ( counterbalance , for pitching) in such a way that when the load is correctly balanced (center of gravity of the camera with respect to the tripod and adjustment of the anti-roll system) the head stays in the angle at which we leave it without having to block the vertical movement.

The anti-roll system is very useful. If the head does not have anti-roll, it is the camera operator who has to compensate at all times for the force of gravity to avoid unwanted pitching of the camera. This is quite annoying, especially when we have to take shots with the camera tilted and we work with equipment with a certain weight.

In the more advanced models, the friction of each axis can be controlled by a wheel or some control device. And in all models, regardless of their range, the shafts can be locked in the position we want to take fixed shots.

In the case of heads with internal fluid it is very important to leave a margin with respect to the maximum load indicated by the manufacturer. That is, if the equipment you are going to work with weighs 2Kg, I would choose, for example, a head that supports at least 4-6Kg, thus we will extend the useful life of the head and we will have margin for specific situations in which we use it with more load than originally planned.

Nor should you go overboard, since logically the price increases a lot as the maximum load supported increases. And we also unnecessarily increase the weight and volume of the tripod.

Flat base vs hemispherical base

The heads with hemispherical base having at the bottom a hemisphere which is used to perfectly level the camera with respect to the horizontal, so that doing a sweep, a movement of horizontal chamber not produce unwanted effects tilt.

These heads must be used with ‘bowl’ or cup type tripods:

The hemispherical base of the head fits into the tripod cup (they must have the same diameter, because there are several standardized sizes) and allows the camera to be easily leveled with respect to the horizontal without having to adjust the height of the legs. It may sound silly, but leveling with the tripod legs is a lot more tedious and time consuming.

Please note that the hemispherical base heads cannot be used directly on photography tripods or other devices such as sliders or the like. The hemisphere is part of the head, it cannot be removed on these models.

The flat-base heads can be used on any photography tripod or device that has the corresponding thread (3/8-inch). The base is like that of any kneecap or photography head.

To use a head with a flat base on a cup tripod, you must buy an adapter, you just have to take into account the diameter of the cup. Standard diameters are 60mm / 75mm and 100mm

Smaller hemispheres can be adapted to larger cups, for example: a 75mm hemisphere could be used on a 100mm tripod (cup) using a specific adapter.

If we use the head with a flat base on a typical photography tripod (without a bowl) we will have to level by adjusting the height of the legs. Or we can use an intermediate leveling base .

The leveling bases usually have a much smaller angle of adjustment than the hemispheres on the cup tripods, but for most situations, if we do not have to work with heavy equipment, they perfectly cover the needs.

When choosing a leveling base you have to see its maximum load and, as in the case of tripods and heads, it is interesting to choose with a certain margin.

The ideal tripod for video

We have already talked about the heads, now we have to talk about the tripod.

The ideal tripod for video

We have already talked about the heads, now we have to talk about the tripod.

That provides the maximum possible stability
That is usable and facilitates the photographer’s work
Keep it small and light to transport
High enough to work comfortably in most situations
That allows very flexible configurations : variable height, independent leg mobility, spine mobility …
That it has a good relationship between benefits and price
That it doesn’t cost a fortune

In the case of video, we also have the addition of camera movements, and although this is fundamentally related to the head, keep in mind that camera movements transmit the tension (lateral forces) to the legs , especially panning movements. horizontal.

That is, if we have a good video head but we mount it on a tripod that provides little stability, we are going to spoil the camera movements.

The ideal for video is to have a tripod as heavy and robust as possible , which perfectly absorbs the inertia of the equipment (especially with heavy equipment) and any tension or vibration caused by the rotation of the head.

If you are always going to record in a certain place (which would be your recording studio) then a studio tripod is possibly the best option.

If you are going to record in many places you will have to find a balance between stability and portability. Maybe a medium load tripod if you are not going to make a lot of trips (plane, etc.) or a lightweight travel tripod that is as stable as possible if you need to move a lot with the equipment.

Tripods for studio recording

For situations in which we record most of the material in the same environment, that is, what would be our recording set: a real studio, a room that we have enabled as a recording set, or if we use several rooms and places in the home for different shots, etc.

What options would be interesting:

Specialized video tripod
Sturdy photography / general purpose tripod

Video-specific tripods usually have several features:

They are usually bowl or cup type tripods . The upper part, where the head would connect, is shaped like a bowl or bowl, where you can attach a hemisphere that serves to level the head.
The legs are wider to provide more stability. The upper sections are usually made up of 2 parallel tubes (instead of a single tube) to achieve greater rigidity, especially in the area of union with the head.
The legs usually include a stabilizer , a tie bar that connects the legs at mid-height or at ground level. These bars provide extra rigidity to the set
The rubber soles of the legs are usually larger to have more support surface and prevent them from slipping
The legs can be connected with a system of wheels (dolly) to make camera movements or simply to move the set more easily if we work with very heavy equipment.

Tripods for shooting outdoors

In this case we refer to recording situations in which we will not know in advance what surfaces we are going to find, and we must also take into account the weight and volume of the tripod because we will have to transport it, and sometimes we will have to carry it if We cannot drive to the recording area.

One of the elements we will have to fight against is the wind. In the case of video, it can be especially annoying because it can generate vibrations and ruin the shot.

On the other hand, video studio tripods can be very bulky and very heavy if we have to carry them around. Here you will have to assess in which situations you will have to record, if you are going to do it mainly in an urban environment and indoors, the studio tripod is still a good option.

In general, if you are not sure where you are going to shoot, a sturdy photography tripod or a medium duty bowl type tripod should work perfectly in most situations.

If you are going to do photography and video, you may be interested in buying a tripod with a ball head (or the one that best suits your type of photography) and the video head separately. Packs with a photo head are usually cheaper, as they have a wider market.

We can also see the option of buying a robust bowl-type tripod that would serve us both for photography and video if we buy the adapter from flat base to hemispherical base, and we would have an excellent leveling system.

Lightweight travel tripods

It is perhaps the most critical situation, because on the one hand we want a robust tripod that provides a lot of stability during video recording and camera movements, but on the other hand the main criterion will be the size and weight of our equipment, about all if we have to travel by plane or simply not to go around dragging a heavy tripod with its corresponding head, etc.

In these cases, I would value the option of having a specific tripod for travel and to go light with equipment. That is, if you are going to record in all kinds of situations: in the studio, outdoors (nearby places) and on trips, I think it is preferable to invest in two tripods: one more robust studio or generic type of photography and another much lighter for travel.

In a light tripod, it is not usually a very good idea to carry a fluid head of medium or high load, it will be very unbalanced, due to the distribution of weights and the stresses that we generate in the legs when making camera movements. It would have to be a very robust tripod and we would have to fix it very well to the ground.

Some lightweight tripods include small video heads, which can save us in most situations. Small heads do not usually give the same performance and feel as larger fluid heads, but they can be a good compromise in these situations.

Recommended Tripods and Heads for Video

We recommend some models of video tripods with good value for money depending on the use and the type of video you are going to record.

Tripods: differences between photography and video

Ball joints or heads for video

On the heads with internal fluid

Flat base vs hemispherical base

Recommended video heads

Manfrotto 500AH / 502AH

Benro S series (S6, S7, S8)

Manfrotto Nitrotech

The ideal tripod for video

The ideal tripod for video

Tripods for studio recording

Tripods for shooting outdoors

Lightweight travel tripods