Top pick

This stable, easy-to-use, and versatile tripod has an angling center column. It gets taller and has more leg-angle positions than the other models we tested.

The Vanguard Alta Pro 2+ 263AB100 offers the best combination of stability and height of the tripods we tested. It has the tallest maximum height (68.2 inches), its legs can angle outward at four angles (most models offer only three) to bring the camera closer to the ground, and its angling center column lets you position the camera in a multitude of ways when you’ve set the tripod at any one of those leg angles. Although it’s a little heavier and longer than some other models when collapsed, its added weight and height increase its stability and versatility, and it’s still small and light enough to carry around for a day’s shooting.

The Alta Pro 2+ is rated to support up to 15.4 pounds. In our testing, it was very stable, even when we mounted pro-level gear that was heavier than any of the cameras and lenses we recommend in our guides. Each leg has three extendable segments, and although we experienced some wobbliness in the lowest segment when the legs were fully extended, it wasn’t enough to negatively affect our picture taking and was typical of all the tripods we tested when they were at full height. When the center column is fully extended, the Alta Pro 2+’s height (not including the head) is about 68.2 inches, the tallest of the tripods we tested, so it’s easier for taller photographers (anyone above the average height of 5 feet 6 inches) to use without having to stoop much. (With the center column collapsed, the maximum height is about 57 inches.) Although the center column is relatively stable when extended, keep in mind that all tripods are most stable when you have the center column lowered flush against the top of the legs.

Setting up the Alta Pro 2+ is quick and easy: Just turn the two twist locks on each leg—they unlock with a simple quarter-turn—and then tilt the legs down so that they slide to full extension. You lock the legs with a similar turn in the opposite direction. We like the nice feel of the textured grips on the locks.

Those three-section legs offer four angles relative to the center column: 20, 40, 60, and 80 degrees (most tripods offer only three angles). That gives you more versatility in terms of both lower height and the ability to adapt to uneven surfaces. The angles are marked at the top of the legs, and the legs ratchet into place so you can hear and feel when they’re in position. With the legs at the 80-degree position, the tripod is almost level to the ground; this position is perfect for low-angle and macro shots, especially in combination with the tripod’s multi-angle center column. A bubble level helps you ensure that the tripod is level even if the legs are extended to different angles.

It’s easy to put the Alta Pro 2+’s center column into multiple positions: You just turn a couple of knobs, lift the center column (it automatically stops when fully extended, so it won’t come all the way out in your hand), and angle it to whatever position you want. The hexagonal column won’t twist when extending or retracting, making angled work easier. However, although this column is generally stable in its angled position, even when horizontal, be sure to check the balance: If the center column is positioned too far to one side, the weight of the camera and lens can cause the entire tripod to tilt over and fall—a law of physics that applies to any tripod with a multi-angle center column.

The included ball head and quick-release plate also work well. The ball head moved smoothly when we adjusted it, and it locked solidly into place. It has its own bubble level (to supplement the one on the legs), as well as a rotation gauge at the base of the head to help you duplicate panning positions when you’re shooting multiple images to stitch into a panorama later.

We also like the overall build quality of the tripod—none of the pieces seemed to be straining substantially even when we subjected them to heavy camera-and-lens combinations. The smoothness of the sliding parts was impressive, too. The Alta Pro 2+ feels like it will last a long time, and it comes with a two-year warranty.

In addition to the ball head and the quick-release plate, the Alta Pro 2+ 263AB100 kit comes with Allen wrenches in case you need to swap out the head or replace a broken leg, as well as a carry bag with a shoulder strap. The bag isn’t as well made as those that accompany some other tripods we’ve tested, but it’s good enough for moving your tripod from one place to another.

Top pick

This stable, easy-to-use, and versatile tripod has an angling center column. It gets taller and has more leg-angle positions than the other models we tested.

The Vanguard Alta Pro 2+ 263AB100 offers the best combination of stability and height of the tripods we tested. It has the tallest maximum height (68.2 inches), its legs can angle outward at four angles (most models offer only three) to bring the camera closer to the ground, and its angling center column lets you position the camera in a multitude of ways when you’ve set the tripod at any one of those leg angles. Although it’s a little heavier and longer than some other models when collapsed, its added weight and height increase its stability and versatility, and it’s still small and light enough to carry around for a day’s shooting.

The Alta Pro 2+ is rated to support up to 15.4 pounds. In our testing, it was very stable, even when we mounted pro-level gear that was heavier than any of the cameras and lenses we recommend in our guides. Each leg has three extendable segments, and although we experienced some wobbliness in the lowest segment when the legs were fully extended, it wasn’t enough to negatively affect our picture taking and was typical of all the tripods we tested when they were at full height. When the center column is fully extended, the Alta Pro 2+’s height (not including the head) is about 68.2 inches, the tallest of the tripods we tested, so it’s easier for taller photographers (anyone above the average height of 5 feet 6 inches) to use without having to stoop much. (With the center column collapsed, the maximum height is about 57 inches.) Although the center column is relatively stable when extended, keep in mind that all tripods are most stable when you have the center column lowered flush against the top of the legs.

Setting up the Alta Pro 2+ is quick and easy: Just turn the two twist locks on each leg—they unlock with a simple quarter-turn—and then tilt the legs down so that they slide to full extension. You lock the legs with a similar turn in the opposite direction. We like the nice feel of the textured grips on the locks.

Those three-section legs offer four angles relative to the center column: 20, 40, 60, and 80 degrees (most tripods offer only three angles). That gives you more versatility in terms of both lower height and the ability to adapt to uneven surfaces. The angles are marked at the top of the legs, and the legs ratchet into place so you can hear and feel when they’re in position. With the legs at the 80-degree position, the tripod is almost level to the ground; this position is perfect for low-angle and macro shots, especially in combination with the tripod’s multi-angle center column. A bubble level helps you ensure that the tripod is level even if the legs are extended to different angles.

It’s easy to put the Alta Pro 2+’s center column into multiple positions: You just turn a couple of knobs, lift the center column (it automatically stops when fully extended, so it won’t come all the way out in your hand), and angle it to whatever position you want. The hexagonal column won’t twist when extending or retracting, making angled work easier. However, although this column is generally stable in its angled position, even when horizontal, be sure to check the balance: If the center column is positioned too far to one side, the weight of the camera and lens can cause the entire tripod to tilt over and fall—a law of physics that applies to any tripod with a multi-angle center column.

The included ball head and quick-release plate also work well. The ball head moved smoothly when we adjusted it, and it locked solidly into place. It has its own bubble level (to supplement the one on the legs), as well as a rotation gauge at the base of the head to help you duplicate panning positions when you’re shooting multiple images to stitch into a panorama later.

We also like the overall build quality of the tripod—none of the pieces seemed to be straining substantially even when we subjected them to heavy camera-and-lens combinations. The smoothness of the sliding parts was impressive, too. The Alta Pro 2+ feels like it will last a long time, and it comes with a two-year warranty.

In addition to the ball head and the quick-release plate, the Alta Pro 2+ 263AB100 kit comes with Allen wrenches in case you need to swap out the head or replace a broken leg, as well as a carry bag with a shoulder strap. The bag isn’t as well made as those that accompany some other tripods we’ve tested, but it’s good enough for moving your tripod from one place to another.