Aluminium Versus Carbon Fibre Tripods

Should you buy a stronger and lighter carbon fibre tripod over a cheaper aluminium one? Jason Parnell-Brookes weighs up all the options…

As you can see in the image to the right, a tripod has been used to create a long exposure, blurring the clouds as they move past the building to create an ethereal look. Tripods are also commonly used to steady the camera, reducing involuntary camera shake caused by shooting handheld at slow shutter speeds, or simply to give the photographer the ability to tweak composition more accurately than a handheld shot would allow.

Tripods were traditionally made from aluminium, but more recently carbon fibre models have become popular, being touted as stronger and lighter than their metallic counterparts. And while carbon fibre is the more expensive material, prices have come down over recent years.

When we refer to tripod ‘strength’ we’re essentially talking about stiffness – resistance to compression when a load is placed on top.