There are 2 main reasons why you should use a tripod for vlogging:
1. Stability: Holding your camera on a tripod will make the camera move less when walking. The combination of a tripod (or even better, a gimbal) and a camera with image stabilization is what makes video smooth.
2. It will make your face look more beautiful (no, really): This is something I struggled to understand when I was thinking about getting my first phone holder. Holding your camera away from your face allows you to capture more space around you and helps you get rid of perspective distortion.
You might not have thought about this, but using a wide-angle lens will make things look a lot less natural. Your face will look much thinner than it actually is. This is why you will look like an alien if you put your face right onto the lens. The only way to get rid of this unnatural look is by putting your camera further away from your face.
I’ve owned many tripods over the years, and the best ones for vlogging have to be lightweight but also sturdy. This is the key combination. Here are my top picks.
Our Top 3 Picks
These 3 are our favorite picks and the ones that most people will choose. But we will give you a lot of other good options further below this post.
How Will Your Videos Look With Each Tripod?
Here’s a comparison of how your vlog is going to look using my favorite three tripods on this list: the Joby GorillaPod 5k, the Sirui 3T-35K, and the Manfrotto Pixi Evo 2.
The following comparison was made with a 24mm lens on an APS-C mirrorless camera, which is the most common choice for vlogging. These pictures will help you see the difference that each tripod’s height will make.
Best Vlogging Tripods Comparison
| Tripod | Min Height | Max Height | Max Load | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Joby GorillaPod | Multiple options | Multiple options | Multiple options | Varies |
Manfrotto EVO PIXI 2 | 3.94″ | 7.68″ | 2.5kg | 260g |
Sirui ET-35K | 4.5″ | 10.1″ | 4kg | 250g |
Neewer Desktop Mini Tripod | 9.06″ | 19.69″ | 5kg | 780g |
Xiaomi Mi Selfie Stick Tripod | 2.2″ | 3.5″ | – | 155g |
Joby GorillaPod Mobile Rig | 2.76″ | 12.99″ | – | 363g |
Joby GripTight ONE Micro Stand | 3.35″ | 3.35″ | – | 71g |
SwitchPod | 9.7″ | 9.7″ | 45.4kg | 454g |
Table of Contents
Joby GorillaPod
The Good
- Good build quality
- Can adapt it to almost any surface
The Bad
- Not the most lightweight
- The balls end up wearing out after a lot of usage
Joby’s GorillaPod is truly an outstanding invention. You can’t really start vlogging without considering getting one. It is so useful and versatile that is hard not to recommend one, and there’s one size for each kind of camera you have.
If you don’t know what a GorillaPod is, it’s basically a tabletop tripod that has fully articulated legs. This allows the tripod to adapt to any surface and almost any position you can think of. This allows it to be used as a vlogging stick too. So with Joby, you have a selfie stick that you can turn to a tripod for any surface. It is by far the most versatile tripod there is.
Things can get a bit complicated when choosing what GorillaPod to buy, as there are a lot of sizes available. Joby has a useful video that explains which one to get. Here it is:
And here’s a chart to find the right model for you. There are 5 models you can get depending on your camera’s weight:
Even though it says it’s recommended for your kind of camera, make sure you know the weight of the body plus the lens you’ll use. This is the way of making sure you are getting the right GorillaPod for your model.
I love how they named their tripods according to the maximum weight they can handle. You only need to find out your camera’s weight and choose the stick that can hold just enough weight. No need to overcomplicate things.
If you decide to choose a Joby with much more capacity, remember you will also have to deal with the extra weight. That’s why I prefer sticking to the one that can hold just enough weight.
Finally, another advantage of the GorillaPod is that you can change its ball head, but only for the 1k, 3k and 5k versions. This makes it easy to replace in case it gets damaged.
However, there’s an important thing you should know about Jobys. I’ve seen many vloggers ditch a Joby for a lighter tripod. I’m also one of them.
If you own a DSLR, you will need to get the heaviest Joby available, which weighs almost 2.2lb (1kg).
You will need strong arms to hold the Joby tripod up while your camera is mounted, which can add up another kilogram.
Also, Joby’s junctions become a lot weaker with usage. It’s not rare to see people having to get a new tripod after a while because the dozens of joints start to weaken and can’t hold a heavy camera up and sturdy.
The weight problem is almost nonexistent if you use the lighter versions of Joby. In case you have a light mirrorless or a compact camera, then choosing a lighter Joby is just fine. But if you have a heavy camera, I’d recommend you to get another kind of tripod.
Manfrotto EVO PIXI 2
The Good
- Good build quality
- Very compact when folded
The Bad
- Small max-height
- Can feel unstable due to the small legs
Min Height: 3.94″ | Max Height: 7.68″ | Max Load: 2.5kg | Weight: 260 Grams
Even though this tripod doesn’t have the functionality and versatility of a GorillaPod, it is a lot lighter. This automatically makes it better for the sole purpose of vlogging, at least in my opinion.
If you don’t think you will use the functionality of the Joby to adapt to any surface, then this Manfrotto is much better. You can still use it as a tabletop tripod but it’s much lighter to carry as a stick.
I would recommend it if you have a DSLR and have weak arms— as your fellow writer has.
If you’re wondering, the EVO 2 weighs only 9 oz (260g), and it can reach 8 inches (20.5 centimeters). The maximum weight it can hold is 5.5lb (2.5kg).
Sirui ET-35K
The Good
- Good load capacity
- Good build quality
- Extendable
- Very compact when folded
The Bad
- Expensive
- Can feel unstable due to the small legs
Min Height: 4.5″ | Max Height: 10.1″ | Max Load: 4kg | Weight: 250 Grams
This Sirui ET-35K is probably a tripod you have never heard about before, but it has gained a bit of fame really quickly, especially among vloggers.
After all, it only weighs 8.8 oz (250g). That is 10g lighter than the EVO 2—although that’s a barely noticeable difference. It can hold up to 8.8lb (4kg).
The true advantage is the maximum height. It can completely turn into a vlogging stick with a total height of 13.4 inches (34cm), much longer than the Manfrotto’s 8 inches (20.5cm). This allows you to use lenses that aren’t as wide, and to capture more space when you record in selfie mode (see below for a comparison).
It can also turn into a tripod, but it is only useful on completely flat surfaces. This is probably the least versatile tripod on the list, but it is the best if you mainly want a vlogging stick because of its weight and height.
It is the lightest of the three tripods and the best one at being a simple, yet convenient vlogging stick.
Neewer Desktop Mini Tripod
The Good
- Good maximum height
- Good build quality
- Can hold a lot of weight
- Very compact when folded
The Bad
- Extremely heavy for a tabletop tripod
Min Height: 9.06″ | Max Height: 19.69″ | Max Load: 5kg | Weight: 780 Grams
The three things that stand out from this tripod are: how far it can go without turning into a vlogging stick, how much load it can hold, and how small it can become when folded.
The only thing that is not so good is the weight. This is definitely a problem if you’re going to carry your tripod all the time with you. You will be adding almost 1kg of extra weight with it. I’d recommend it only for vloggers that want to use it mostly from home, but that want to travel with it from time to time.
Xiaomi Mi Selfie Stick Tripod
The Good
- Good build quality
- Very compact when folded
The Bad
- Only for smartphones
- A bit short
Min Height: 2.20″ | Max Height: 3.5″ | Max Load: 155g
This is a very lightweight tripod for smartphones that can reach a distance just enough to use a selfie stick. It comes with a Bluetooth remote that fits right onto a slot on the tripod itself.
It’s made of aluminum and feels sturdy and well-built. And it’s very easy to fold and unfold.
However, take into account the maximum height. Some people find it difficult to fit in large smartphones like the iPhone Pro MAX while using a thick case.
Joby GorillaPod Mobile Rig
The Good
- Good build quality
- Can adapt to almost any surface
- Can attach multiple arms for different accessories
The Bad
- The ball junctions get weaker after a lof of usage
- On the pricey side
- Short maximum height
Min Height: 2.76″ | Max Height: 12.99″ | Max Load: Unspecified | Weight: 363 Grams
This is one of the most versatile vlogging tripods you’ll find. With it, you won’t be limited to carrying only your smartphone. You can attach up to 2 more arms that can hold different accessories: another camera, an LED light, or a microphone.
If you take into account the adaptable hot shoe that you can put on top of the smartphone, you can have up to 3 additional accessories.
This is all you need to make the ultimate vlogging rig. Technically, you can also buy the additional arms for the 3k and 5k versions of the Joby tripods. But the good thing about this version is it comes with the tripod and the arms included.
It is heavier than most small tripods, but not by a lot. This is to be expected due to the additional arms.
Joby GripTight ONE Micro Stand
The Good
- Pocketable tripod
- Extremely lightweight
- Good build quality
The Bad
- Nonextendable
Min Height: 3.35″ | Max Height: 3.35″ | Max Load: Unspecified | Weight: 71g
This tripod can fold and become almost as small as a nail clipper. It’s the lightest tripod you’ll find on this list, and also, the one with the most personality.
It’s the easiest tripod to carry around with you, but it’s also meant to be used on top of a table, so there’s no way to hold it while walking around.
It’s an impressive little tripod that anyone can use as a secondary tool. But it’s not what most vloggers will choose as their main tripod to work with. You will need something that can extend a bit. This is the only reason why it’s further down on this list even though we love it.
SwitchPod
The Good
- Goes from tripod to holding a stick in one movement
- Can hold a lot of weight
The Bad
- Nonextendable
- Expensive
- Ball head not included
- Not too versatile
Min Height: 9.7″ | Max Height: 9.7″ | Max Load: 45.4kg | Weight: 454g
If you’re a vlogger that likes to hold your camera a lot while walking, but that also end up having to set it up on a surface all the time, this might be for you. The main selling point is that you can spread the legs and fold them in one simple movement instead of having to set up each leg one by one.
That’s the problem with tripods like the Joby. They’re the most versatile, but they require a lot of movements to set up. The Switchpod tries to fix this problem, but it also creates another: it becomes less versatile in terms of where you can place the tripod.
The legs have a fixed distance between them, so you will always need a surface that is large enough for the three legs to fit. The Joby might take longer to set up, but it can adapt to almost any surface, no matter the size, which is pretty handy for vloggers.
The SwitchPod is a good option, but it’s for very niche needs. Maybe that is why it’s also really expensive if you take into account that the flexible ball head is not included.
Will has been a full-time content creator since 2014. He’s an audio, video, and tech hobbyist dedicated to reviewing products and giving you the best tips he knows to grow your audience.