Tripod Reviews

There were so many three-legged accessory creatures at the last Photo Plus Expo in New York that for a moment I thought I was at a petting zoo in Chernobyl. Seriously—I dreamed I was surrounded by a herd of tripedal giraffes with skinny, hairless legs. The experience made me realize that for most photographers, choosing the right tripod is more difficult than searching for the right emoji on a smartphone while wearing mittens. Henceforth and therefore, here’s a non-zoological look at a trio of terrific tripods.

3 Legged Thing just introduced their 2023 lineup of monopods, and Shutterbug had a chance to evaluate the model of our choice several weeks in advance. Here's why the 3 Legged Thing "Taylor 2.0" works for us.

There is only one photo accessory that improves 100% of your images: the tripod. However, traveling with an extra set of legs can be cantankerous. Ask any centipede. Our friends across the pond have a couple new products that eliminate the temptation to leave the tripod at home.

Our maniacally creative friends in England have been at it again. Fresh on the heels of introducing their first-ever camera bags, 3 Legged Thing has updated their entry-level Punks line of tripods to version 2.0. The Punks lineup includes Corey, Travis, Brian and Billy. We found Billy 1.0 (now known as ‘plain old Billy’) to be highly reliable and easy to use. But now Billy 2.0 has joined the stable. How does this interloper compare with the incumbent, and should we care?

Two new tripods in the famed Legends range from 3 Legged Thing were just announced and I got my hands on them for a review. It’s almost unbelievable, the way the folks at 3 Legged Thing keep refining perfection in their tripods, but somehow they do. The latest additions to their Legends series of tripods honor Ray Barbee and Bucky Lasek.

If you never use a tripod, there are a few photographic techniques you’re not using. Why miss big chunks of the fun?