STURDY CARBON TRIPODS
For most photographers, the perfect tripod should offer solid support with a lofty maximum operating height, yet fold down reasonably small for stowing away, and it shouldn’t be overly heavy; after all, nobody wants to lug around more weight than they need to. Big, heavy tripods often feel like a bit of a chore and end up being left at home, where they’re no use at all, while at the other end of the scale, lightweight tripods are often disappointingly short and comparatively flimsy, making them prone to swaying around in a breeze.
Carbon fibre has distinct advantages over aluminium. It’s impressively rigid, yet lighter in weight to the extent that most full-sized carbon tripod kits (including head) are about 20 per cent lighter than their aluminium counterparts. Another bonus of carbon fibre is that it tends to be better at damping vibrations. Moreover, on a chilly day, carbon fibre feels less cold to the touch than aluminium. Let’s take a look at our top picks…
3 Legged Thing Pro 2.0 Winston
£349/$400
The Winston has three rather than four sections in each leg, and a single centre column section. It doesn’t fold down as small as
