Whether you are a photographer or a videographer, whether you are a beginner or a professional, there is one accessory that might be extremely important to your work. Aside from a camera and a lens, what else could you possibly need? A strong, sturdy, heavy-duty tripod!
Maybe you are a landscape photographer, or maybe you are a portrait photographer. Maybe you create cinematic films, or maybe you create night time-lapses. There are all kinds of content where having a heavy-duty tripod is helpful.
[Related: The Best All-Around Tripods]
Of course, there are plenty of reasons to consider a lightweight travel tripod instead, and we will cover that subject in a different article. In this article, we are going to answer the question, “why a HEAVY tripod?” Then, we will go over the six best heavy-duty tripods that are strong, sturdy, and ready for anything.
Why Do You Need A Heavy Duty Tripod?
If you are thinking, “why would I want a heavy tripod, shouldn’t I be looking for a lightweight tripod?” …then you are not alone. In fact, most photographers should probably purchase a lightweight, compact, and/or medium-duty tripod. Whether you just don’t use a tripod very often, or you are a traveling content creator who uses a tripod often but needs it to be ultra-compact and lightweight, you honestly shouldn’t be considering the tripods we are about to recommend.
However, if you do any of the following things, then you need to read this whole article…
Heavy Duty Tripods For Large Cameras & Lenses
First and foremost, of course, if you have a bigger, heavier camera and/or lens, then you simply don’t want to be trusting a flimsy tripod with supporting such hefty (and pricey) equipment. You want a tripod that is strong, stiff, and yes, heavy. Why heavy? We’ll get to that, but, simply put, a weighty tripod is good for many reasons.
How big of a camera qualifies as “heavy”, though? Most full-frame mirrorless cameras these days are actually relatively lightweight and compact, and only a few are truly “oversized”. Namely, the Nikon Z9 and the Canon EOS R3 are just about the only camera bodies that really require a strong, heavy tripod. (Unless, of course, you jump from full-frame to medium format!)
With lenses, however, it’s a whole different. Story. There are quite a few lenses that weigh much, much more than either of those two aforementioned cameras! If your lens weighs at least 2-3 lbs, (1kg or more) and especially if it balances best on a tripod collar, then you’re much better off using a large, heavy tripod, too!
Strong & Sturdy Tripods For Telephoto Photography & Video
One aspect of both photo and video production that many creative people don’t realize is extremely important is, sharpness when using telephoto focal lengths. Simply put, if you frequently use a large telephoto zoom that reaches 200mm or more, then a thin, lightweight tripod may not even be capable of delivering sharp results!
Especially when reaching 400mm or longer; the slightest breeze may cause thin tripod legs to vibrate, and your imagery will make that faint vibration very noticeable. For this reason, you absolutely should consider a strong, stiff, sturdy tripod for telephoto work at 200mm or beyond.
Also, you’ll notice that all of the tripods we’ve recommended use a “platform” style base, and either don’t include a center column at all, or make it available as an accessory. This is another element of design that you might miss if you’re used to travel tripods, however, a center column will usually significantly reduce the stiffness of your tripod and its ability to deliver sharp results at telephoto focal lengths.
Heavy Duty Tripods For Harsh Conditions
If you are going to be working in bad weather, then a lightweight tripod just won’t do. Even if you’re not using telephoto focal lengths, a strong wind can wreak havoc on your images’ sharpness at any focal length!
DISCLAIMER: Even if you are using a heavy-duty tripod, do not leave your camera unattended! If you’re working in harsh conditions, stand by your gear at all times, and be mindful of any strong gusts of wind that may pick up. The above disaster was caused because this rule was broken, and winds were gusting up to 50-60 MPH.
Stable Tripods For Nightscape Photography & Time-Lapse
What if your camera and lens don’t weigh much, and the conditions are calm, and you’re using a wide-angle lens? You may still want a heavy-duty tripod for this one final reason: stability while actively touching your camera.
This is common for nightscape photographers who may be operating their camera in the dark, creating a time-lapse video, or a long exposure. In these situations, you may need to touch your camera while it is actively creating an exposure, or in between exposures, and the slightest bump to your tripod could ruin literal hours of hard work!
Heavy Duty Tripods For Videography
Of course, it should be mentioned that all of the above criteria apply to not just photography but videography as well. In fact, because you are recording motion itself, the slightest bump, nudge, or breeze will be very noticeable in your final result.
Furthermore, having a heavy, steady platform to record video is extra helpful for panning your video smoothly. Especially at telephoto focal lengths, it is not easy to create video that smoothly, steadily pans left or right. For such applications, we recommend a heavy-duty tripod with a wide platform/base, and a dedicated video head as well.
With that being said, let’s cover which heavy-duty tripods are our favorites for your various potential needs!
[Related: Best all-around tripods for all types of photography/videography]
Best Heavy Duty Tripod For Photography
Slik VARI CF-703 Carbon Fiber Tripod Professional Kit ($399)
If you’re looking for one heavy duty tripod that can do almost anything and everything, the Slik VARI series is an excellent choice. It is essentially 2-3 tripods in one, because the platform base is interchangeable, and the kit includes a leveling base, a center column, and a bare platform.
Simply put, this tripod is very strong and stiff, but it is also capable of being decently lightweight if you do at least some traveling. (The Slik VARI CF-704 is even more compact when fully collapsed, too.) Weighing in at a mere 2.4 lbs with the bare base, and just 2.7 lbs at its heaviest, (with the center column) …the Slik VARI CF-703 reaches an impressive height of 64.6 in. (1635 mm) At under $400, it is one of the best values with some of the most impressive performance specs available.
[Read our complete Slik VARI CF tripod teview here!]
Slik AMT 700DX ($91-111)
For photographers and videographers who are on an extremely tight budget, our top recommendation is the most tried-and-true, simple, yet rock-solid tripod on the market: the Slik AMT 700DX.Priced at a mere $91 (with occasional savings) or $111, this tripod is an original, traditional, and basic design that just works. You can beat it up with harsh weather, from sandy beaches to dusty wilderness, and it will just keep going.
It’s just a tad heavy, at 5.7 lbs, (2.6 kg) but it is very tall, with a max height of 70 in. (178 cm) I recommend this tripod as an excellent everyday, all-purpose tripod. Also, considering the extremely low price, it’s a perfect choice for those photographers who more often use a lightweight, compact, (and potentially more expensive) tripod.
Feisol Tournament CT-3342 Tournament Rapid Carbon Fiber Tripod ($494)
If you want a heavy-duty tripod that is actually very lightweight, the Feisol Tournament series is an excellent choice. It weighs a mere 2.4 lbs, and yet achieves an impressive height of 54” (139 cm) without the need of a center column.
This makes it an excellent choice for landscape photographers and wildlife photographers who may travel or hike a lot, yet still require a stiff, strong setup. Just keep in mind that the Feisol is not a HEAVY tripod, and also, the leg angles are rather narrow, which translates into a setup that you really cannot step away from if there are strong gusts of wind blowing.
3 Legged Thing Tommy ($799)
Along with its more popular, affordable sibling “Winston”, (starting at $399) these two heavy-duty tripods live up to the reputation that 3 Legged Thing has established. With designs as unique as the brand’s name, (unlike the innumerable other “clones” that are just stolen designs from popular name brands) …we really appreciate both the strength and overall quality of 3 Legged Thing tripods.
The Tommy is one of their biggest, strongest tripods, with a relatively enormous platform. Videographers and photographers alike will appreciate that the base platform can be exchanged for a “half-bowl” leveling base, ($179) as well. The Tommy reaches an impressive height of 63.7 in (173 cm) even without a center column, and weighs 5.7 lbs. (2.58 kg)
For those photographers and videographers who want a unique tripod that is a little more affordable, portable, and yet still very strong, th popular 3 Legged Thing Winston is a good alternative to the Tommy. The Winston reaches 72 in (185 cm) and weighs just 3.8 lbs. (1.72 kg) Alternatively, for those who would rather have a mini leveling base instead of a center column, the 3 Legged Thing Mike will split the difference at $579, weighing 3.6 lbs. (1.65 kg) However, the Mike’s tallest version only raises to 58 in. (147 cm)
Really Right Stuff TVC-34 Versa Series 3 Mk2 Carbon Fiber Tripod
For photographers who simply want the absolute best, finest quality product imaginable, there are RRS tripods. (And ball heads!) Engineered with incredible precision and a downright luxurious user experience, Really Right Stuff sets the bar for all other heavy-duty tripod manufacturers.
RRS tripods don’t just look and feel amazing, of course; they offer measurably better stiffness and strength overall, especially relative to their weight. With a max height of 58 in (148 cm) and a weight of 4.3 lb, (1.95 kg) they are unmatched in their performance.
Don’t be fooled by the cheap copies and obvious imitation designs; the “faux RRS” products don’t come close in terms of quality. (They’re also basically committing international IP theft, but that’s a can of worms for another day.)
Simply put, all I can say is this: personally, I have broken dozens of tripods over the years. The only brand I have never broken is RRS. My very first purchase, a RRS-BH25 that is now nearly 20 years old, still works as smoothly as the day I bought it.
Robus RC-8880 Vantage Series 5 Carbon Fiber Tripod ($599)
For those who are looking for an alternative to the high-dollar heavy-duty tripods, with additional features such as a leveling base or Wimberly style Gimbal heads, the Robus RC-8880 Vantage Series 5is one of the best, most affordable values among large, heavy-duty carbon fiber tripods. At under $500, with durable quality and leg stiffness that rival the best options costing 2-3 times as much, it’s an excellent value.
Additionally, its 6.5 lb (2.95kg) weight gets you to a staggering height of 80 in! (204 cm) This is obviously much taller than virtually everybody, however, it can be very helpful for work on steep, off-angle terrain when one or two of your tripod legs need to actually be longer than normal. For those who may not need this height, the similarly designed Robus RC-8860 is an excellent alternative and only costs $499.
Make no mistake, however; the Robus Vantage series, like its competitors, are the polar opposite of a “travel tripod”. Not only is the RC-8860 quite heavy at 6.3 lb, (2.86 kg) they are quite large and bulky in general.
If you’re looking for an alternative that is a little bit taller, yet roughly the same weight and price, you can get the Robus RC-5570 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod ($449-549) which is a little less sturdy, but rises to 70” instead of the RC8860’s 63”.
Conclusion | Best Heavy Duty Tripod For Photography and Videography
In conclusion, there are many reasons why you should consider a heavy-duty tripod either instead of, or in addition to, a lightweight tripod. If you do any of the types of photography we discussed and depicted in this article, then you should absolutely be considering one of the tripods we’ve recommended!
Of course, you can certainly get by with a lightweight travel tripod, too. However, be very mindful of your camera gear; don’t leave it unattended in case even the slightest breeze picks up. Also, be very careful about checking your images’ sharpness at telephoto focal lengths.
If you have any questions or comments to add, please do so below!
Get Connected!