PIVOT TRIPODS
For many of the tripods on the market today, the centre column is a missed opportunity. To add versatility, the tripods featured here all have a pivoting centre column, which can be a real bonus in some shooting scenarios.
The ability to turn a vertical centre column into an extending horizontal boom is great for macro photography, enabling you to get the camera close enough to what you’re shooting without the tripod legs holding you back. It’s also a big help if you want to photograph objects shooting directly down from above. Another advantage is that you can shoot with a really wide-angle lens, without the tripod feet creeping into the picture.
Combined with the multi-angle legs featured on most modern tripods, a horizontally positioned centre column can enable ultralow level shooting without the need to invert the column and use the camera upside down. Some of the tripods go further still, offering a full 180° of column rotation.
THE CONTENDERS
1 Benbo 2 BEN102C £250/$360
2 Benbo Trekker Mk 3 BEN107C £125/$220
3 Benro Go Plus Classic TGP17A £205/$300
4 Benro Go Plus Travel FGP28A £259/$390
5 Kenro Karoo Ultimate Travel £160/$240
6 Manfrotto 190 Xpro3-BHQ2 £200/$300
7 Manfrotto 055 Xpro3-BHQ2 £300/$370
8 Vanguard Alta Pro 264AB £170/$180
Benbo 2 BEN 102C £250/$360
Different by design, with an XL build
Something of a monster, this Benbo 2 kit weighs a hefty 4.1kg, and is It rises to a towering 256cm at full stretch, requiring the use of a step ladder to look through the camera’s viewfinder. It’s well suited to high-level shots but is equally adept at low-level shooting, thanks to its design.
