Lightweight tripod

[Donna C]

Does anyone have suggestions for a light tripod that I can pack in my daypack or at least my backpack? I have an old one which is quite heavy and unruly for what I want to do now. I have a little Gorilla pod but I want something that can telescope.

[Cameron M]

There is no free lunch when it comes to tripods- some weight is needed for rock-solid performance in wind.  You can always find something light, but you may be disappointed when using it. Of course the size and weight of your camera completely dictate your options. I don’t know anything about super-UL tripods, but to use my heavy full-frame equipment at eye height when traveling I take a very compact Me-Foto. It appears that they now offer a “backpacker” one as well. Some attachment to use your trek pole as a mono-pod is the lightest way if you don’t need extended exposures.

[Greg Mihalik]

If wind isn’t an issue, and your willing to fiddle a bit, something like this might work –

Details

[Lester Moore]

Donna – do you hike with trekking poles? If so, that opens up some good multi-use options for your poles to be used as sturdy tripod legs.

[BlackHatGuy]

Ian turned me on to the Sirui T-025x and T-024x carbon tripods. Around two pounds with ball head, each with a hook on the bottom to hang something heavy to help better stabilize in windy conditions. My only gripe is rubber feet instead of spiked feet, but that’s a very minor gripe. I got the 024 and like it quite a bit, though I haven’t had a chance to take it on a backpacking trip yet.

[Cameron M]

Unfortunately wind is often an issue. One can lock down at the points, spread the legs wider, and can weigh down everything by a suspended weight in the middle, but even then if the tripod is not substantial the connection between camera and tripod, ball head or whatever, can disappoint in wind. If you can live with a tabletop tripod then that is probably the lightest way to go.

[Donna C]

Maybe I should rethink this. I don’t think I will take it on any backpacking trip. I would use it for day hikes or just to get outside and shoot. I really want to take it to Death Valley which will be day hiking and trying my hand at astro photography out there.  I do use trekking poles but that seems very unstable. I don’t need fiddly.  I have a Sony a6000 which is light for what it does. I certainly will take a tabletop size pod, though. I just need to experiment some more out in the field.

 

[Greg Mihalik]

^^^

“… astro photography …”

Long exposure star tracks right?   (versus tracked long exposure shots)

[Donna C]

Yes, Greg. I hope to capture some shots of the Milky way if possible. I’d like to do so without the tracking of stars. I’m a beginner with all of this and the learning curve is more about letting go and just shoot.

[Miner]

I sometimes do carry a Sirui T-025x for shooting nightscapes for 2-3 day trips and I also have that 9oz. Tamrac Tripod with the fiberglass tent pole legs which can work if you know what the limitations are and know when it won’t work.

That said, I wouldn’t carry the Sirui tripod on a long trip due to the heavier food weight.  I’ve had decent success just sitting my camera on a large boulder or sometimes right on the ground and some stuff sacks to position and hold the camera where I want it.  I’ve been able to get some descent shots of the Milkyway that way over the years.  Tripod is the way to go if you want to stitch together or stack photos by post processing, though it’s not absolutely required.

Memorial weekend backpacking trip in 2017 on the PCT near Kennedy Meadows. 5 photos stitched together having used the Sirui tripod.  Camera was a Sony 6300.

Photo taken from 2014 on a thru-hike of the Tahoe Rim Trail using a micro 4/3 camera bought in 2011.  Taken on a boulder with my wallet propping it up.

[Donna C]

Really nice..I will be creative for a tripod right now.

[Donna C]

I picked up a a little tabletop Manfrotto for the a6000 and it also comes with a cell phone attachment. This will work just fine.

[Eddie Rivera]

I picked up a a little tabletop Manfrotto for the a6000 and it also comes with a cell phone attachment. This will work just fine.

Curious which model you purchased… gearing up for a trip myself. Have you used it backpacking yet?

[Arthur]

PEDCO UltraPod II Lightweight Camera Tripod  works well for me.  Supports my Sony mirrorless and anything of lesser size.  Its only 6 inches, so you need a rock if you want higher positions. I use a JOBY Micro Tripod for my point and shoots.  It will not support the Sony.

[Matthew / BPL]

Thread drift but maybe helpful to people who find their way into this conversation. After several years of searching and three unsatisfactory products, I’ve finally found a phone tripod I like. It’s secure, adjustable, compact and robust. It allows me to make minute adjustments that are difficult using rocks and my headphones act as a remote shutter release.

Joby Griptight Micro Tripod

[Bruce Tolley]

If you go the full tripod or even table top route, you probably want a Arca Swiss quick release plate compatible with, if not specially manufactured for your Sony camera. The generic ones with cork on the bottom often slip and slide at the wrong moment.  For examples of plates specifically made for Sony see https://www.acratech.net/categories/quick-release-plates/sony.html  If you wonder why pay extra, the plates made specifically for certain models have edges and grooves that help prevent the plate from moving once it is attached to the camera forming a stable mechanical link between the tripod and the camera itself.

Also you will need a quick release clamp for the Ultrapod II such as the Neewer Fish Bone Style Mini Quick Release Screw-knob Mount Clamp Adapter Compatible with Arca-Swiss for Tripod Head, Black Color.

Manfretto has its own system that it completely incompatible with the Arca Swiss “standard”. The Sirui tripod kits come with a Arca Swiss compatible ball head and should come with at least one clamp.

 

[Eddie Rivera]

yeah i am looking for something that would be compatible with the arca plate with my peak design capture clip system. that Ultrapod tripod looks like it would be perfect, but it appears like these table top tripods don’t accept a plate at all.

any recommendations on either an adapter or arca table top tripod?

[Bruce Tolley]

Manfretto and others sell the screw adapter. For example here” https://www.amazon.com/Foto-Tech-Convert-Adapter-Ballhead/dp/B00OKYWWMG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1529369419&sr=8-3&keywords=tripod+screw+adapter

But the Newer Clamp is in fact an “adapter” that holds the Arca Swiss plate from Peak Design or any other vendor.  I also sometimes use the PD quick release (QR) plate but it is a generic QR plate and will sometimes slip.

Cheers

Bruce

[robert tilley]

I just bought the AOKA 28in/1.1lb Lightweight Compact Carbon Fiber Tripod with 360° Ballhead from amazon. It is short but very well constructed. I use either  Fuji XT-3 or a Sony RX100V6 with it and both are steady. It is just what I wanted. I have a Benro Carbon fiber travel full size tripod which is great but it is 2.5 lbs.

[Don G]

Checkout the Oben CTT-1000L at BHPhoto.com , it weighs 1.1 # and while not very tall is solid enough for a DSLR.

[Alf B]

For a few years now my ultralight tripod of choice for backpacking has been the Tamrac Zipshot Mini.  It can hold a load of 1.6kg, at a maximum height of 28 inches and it weighs 265g.  It’s very quick to deploy and put away but it’s maximum height and it’s slightly wobbly aluminium tent pole like legs limit it’s use.

Then I managed to obtain it’s big brother, the Zipshot, which has a maximum height of 44 inches.  It weighs 312g.  This is still very light for a tripod of it’s height but again the slightly wobbly legs were not ideal to use, especially when trying to use it as a selfie stick.

Recently came up with a simple variable-height, multi-use, modification for the Zipshot…Firstly, I replaced the wobbly Aluminium legs with far stiffer but lighter Carbon Fibre legs, that have no wobble at all, and secondly, I decided to make the CF legs easily detachable from the tripod and with interchangeable sections.

This allows the legs to be used for other purposes around camp, such as props to allow you to guy open tent doors (to make windbreaks when it’s windy), as replacement tent poles, or when hiking, say as super ultralight trekking poles, rather than just having a single use as tripod legs (hence the multi-use aspect I mentioned).

This in turn can make camping far more comfortable, filming and photography in remote places much easier and more versatile, whilst saving a lot of weight at the same time.

Each leg is made from 9mm OD x 7mm ID (1mm wall thickness) CF tube, with joiner sections made from 7mm OD x 3mm ID (2mm wall thickness) CF tube.  And I used some short lengths of 11mm OD x 9mm ID CF tube to slide over the bottom of the upper tripod base and to mount the legs to it.

Each CF leg has four sections giving a total length of 104.5cm (around 41 1/8 inches).  Mounted to the tripod base they give the Zipshot a maximum height of 48 inches (4 foot or 122.5cm), four inches higher than with the original Aluminium legs, but it’s only 4g (0.14oz) heavier (316g)!

But I also previously mentioned variable height…And this where having interchangeable legs sections comes in.  I can’t make it any taller than 48 inches (unless I make extra legs sections), but I can reduce the height in stages.  Firstly by removing one section from the legs, then two sections from the legs, then three sections from the legs and then all four sections, giving the Zipshot a new minimum height of 12 1/2 inches (31.7cm) with a minimum weight of 156g.

Now in regard to the multi-use aspect, if I take two of the legs and add another section to each, taken from the third leg, I can make two 130cm super ultralight trekking poles that weigh just 67g each!

These can be also used as running poles or as props for guying open tent doors (as I previously mentioned).  This also means I can leave my actual ultralight trekking poles ( a pair of Mountain King Trail Blaze) at home saving 185g off my pack weight.

Or, if use 8 sections I can even make a tarp support/CF fishing rod/pole, 80 1/2 inches (250cm) long and with a weight of 106g.

[Author]

Posts