Hey, y’all!! Any recommendations for the best camera tripod for hunting? I usually hunt out of a tree for deer and have that set up complete but for turkey season and the few times I may find myself on the ground during deer season, I’d love to find one that’s money! I used a little cheap-o during this past turkey season and it was terrible!!!
I am personally a fan of Manfrotto tripods. They are just well built. But there are many other good brands out there. Tons of features to choose from too. Often many want a light weight tripod and it makes sense from the standpoint of packing in. But you really have to watch the light weight ones even if they are rated for your camera gear weight. The light weight ones tend to be less stable. Just something to consider. I mentioned Manfrotto and one of the reasons that I really like mine is that I was able to add a Manfrotto Leveling Column to it. It makes leveling out the camera a breeze and so much easier than adjusting legs to get the camera level. I have had my setup for over 10 years now, but these links show pretty much the gear that I use. Zero complaints from me, though it is a bit heavy on a long pack in. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1034139-REG/manfrotto_mt055xpro3_aluminum_tripod.html https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod..._555B_555B_Leveling_Center_Column.html?sts=pi
I use a cheap one too and it works to hold the camera but that's about it. Looking for a better one too since I do most of my hunting from a blind. I've been looking at Vortex. They aren't super fancy but look reasonably sturdy and compact. They won't break the bank either and they have 3 ranging from $80 to $150. As DEC said above, Manfrotto makes good stuff. I'm just not sure about the price point.
I used the Manfrotto BeFree Video tripod all last season and liked it. It's lightweight, folds down to nothing, but was sturdy enough for my rigs. I used the head off of it for my camera arms also. Way lighter weight than the 502AH I've been using. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1273964-REG/manfrotto_mvkbfr_liveus_befree_live_video.html
There are so many good tripods out there. Like I said, I like Manfrotto as a brand. Most important to me though is that leveling column. Literally some of the best money that I have ever spent, but it tends to be very tripod specific. Manfrotto also makes a cool leveling adapter that works with most any tripod as well and while it doesn't give quite the full range that the leveling column has, it is great for fast leveling and weighs less too. Definitely worth looking at if you are going to use one of the Befree (great product) or other tripods out there. Here is a link ... https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/554093-REG/Manfrotto_438_438_Compact_Levelling_Head.html
I've got the same one. Has been great and there is nothing I don't like about it. I don't have a ton of experience with other setups, so I can't really compare but this one does everything I need for sure.
