Which tripod for food photography

Manfrotto Befree GT XPRO carbon tripod

Which tripod is best for food photography?

I get asked this question a lot! And as is the case with most photography gear, there are many confusing alternatives and a risk of making an expensive mistake.

But before we dive into the features you should be looking for in a tripod you'll be using for food photography, let's look at another question I get asked all the time.

Do I need a tripod for food photography?

This may depend on whether you are using a phone or a camera (I prefer to use a tripod in either case but more on that later).

The main reason people use tripods is to keep the camera steady when using slow shutter speeds. If you are using a phone to photograph food this usually isn't something you need to worry about. Phone cameras use software and algorithms to enhance the light and minimise camera shake.

However, with a camera it's a bit different. If you don't use a tripod you need to use a faster shutter speed to avoid camera shake (at least 1/60th of a second) and as you are usually inside in low light, this requires a higher ISO. This can impact the image quality, causing graininess. By using a tripod you can use much slower shutter speeds and, therefore, lower ISO values. I usually set the ISO to between 100-400.

The other reason to use a tripod specifically for food photography, is to hold it in the same place whilst you arrange the items in your shot. If you've not done it before, it's a game changer. It takes time to arrange and style the food and props, and it makes it much easier if the camera or phone is in a consistent position. This is why I almost always use my tripod when I'm photographing food. The only time I don't is if I'm taking shots of my meal in a restaurant and don't want to inconvenience other diners or staff.

Manfrotto Befree GT XPRO carbon tripod
Key considerations when choosing a tripod for food photography

Whether you are using a phone or a camera (or both, like me) these are the main things to think about.

Budget: tripods range from as little as £10 to as much as £1000. If you're going to be using it frequently, go for the best one you can afford and consider buying second hand.

Weight: if you are going to be carrying it around a lot, then take this into consideration. And does it pack up easily into a compact carrying case?

Stability: your precious camera and lens or pricey phone will be perched on top of three legs and it's important that it's not going to fall over. If you're using a camera you need to make sure it can support its weight along with the weight of your heaviest lens. Phones obviously weigh much less but that doesn't mean a cheap tripod with spindly legs will suffice, as they can be easy to knock over.

Height: you'll be surprised at how high you will need the tripod to go, when you're photographing food. One of my favourite angles is high over the food and with the phone or camera slightly tilted rather than overhead. When you're using backlight (facing the window) this high angle reveals any gloss or shine on the food. Look for a tripod with a minimum height of around 1.5 metres.

Manfrotto Befree GT XPRO carbon tripod
Manfrotto 055 with horizontal arm

A horizontal arm for shooting directly overhead (flat lays): many tripods don't have this feature so check carefully when you are selecting one. I prefer the type that has a centre column that can easily be switched into a horizontal arm. The length of the arm is important too. Ideally it should be around 45cm (not including the additional height of the head).

Tripods for phones don't have the horizontal arm for overhead photography but there are phone stands available that give multiple shooting positions, including overhead. In my experience they can be flimsy and don't hold the phone steady, especially in the overhead position. The overhead arm tends to be too short and you can see the base of the stand in the photos.

I've been unable to find a stand or tripod for my phone that does everything my camera tripod can do, so I use my camera tripod for everything. If you only ever use a phone for food photography it might feel like a big expense but in my opinion it's well worth it, and again, you could buy second hand. Alternatively you could buy a standard tripod without the horizontal arm, (click link for Manfrotto tripod for £99) and you'll be able to do everything except the overhead shots with it. These you can, of course, take without using a tripod, as it's easier to find the same angle with your phone with flat lays.

Manfrotto Befree GT XPRO carbon tripod
Manfrotto Befree GT XPRO carbon tripod

A tripod head included with the tripod: this might seem obvious, as how useless is a tripod with just the three legs and no head! However, if you're buying a tripod for the first time, or have previously bought cheap little tripods, you may not realise that many tripods are sold without the head and you have to buy that separately and there's a dizzying variety of tripod heads available. 

Luckily there are lots of tripods available with a head attached and you just need to make sure it's the right sort of head. For food photography a ball head gives you the most flexibility for adjusting the angle and switching between landscape and portrait orientation.

A ball head is usually very smooth to manoeuvre and is adjusted via knobs or levers. Consider which you prefer, knobs are usually easier to pack up into the carrying case, without bits sticking out.

If you are using a phone you'll also need a phone holder that is the right size for your phone and will hold it securely. You may need to buy the phone holder separately to the tripod.

The phone holder attaches to the same plate as a camera.

Ease of use: if a tripod is tricky to use, not only will it slow you down but it can make you feel conspicuous when you're setting it up. I've had tripods that are like drunk giraffes, legs at all angles and prone to falling over!

There are quite a few features that affect how easy a tripod is to use:

  • how easy is it to attach the camera or phone to the tripod? There's usually a plate and it should be 'quick release'. Some plates require a tool or a coin to tighten a screw and I'd steer clear of this. The plate also needs to hold the camera or phone very securely so that it doesn't loosen during use or even worse, come off altogether.
  • How easy is it to extend the legs? Is it a twist mechanism or a lever to tighten or loosen the extenders? You'll be adjusting the height of the legs a lot so which do you prefer? I've used both and find that the locking levers can be a bit stiff.
  • How easy is it to adjust the angle of the legs? For food photography I tend to stick to the regular angle and don't need the legs splayed out wide. But they do need to lock securely into position and be easy to release when you pack the tripod away.
The Manfrotto Befree GT XPRO carbon tripod
Which tripod(s) do I use for food photography

I've owned or used many different tripods over the years - big ones, small ones, flexible ones, 'drunk giraffe' ones and still have some gathering dust in a cupboard somewhere. The ones that were quickly discarded or sold were usually too flimsy or too fiddly to adjust. 

My tripod of choice and the real work horse for food photography has always been a Manfrotto with an integral horizontal arm. I've had one for around twenty years and it's been doing a sterling job. It's called a Manfrotto 055 kit and to buy new nowadays is around £290. It's quite heavy as it's aluminium and I've moaned quite a few times about lugging it around when I'm working on location. It's also not very compact when folded up and barely fits in the boot of my Fiat 500. I would. however, still highly recommend it for anyone who will only be using it at home or in a studio.

I was recently lucky enough to be gifted a different tripod by Manfrotto, the Befree GT XPRO carbon tripod. I chose it from a number of different options as I thought it would be the ideal tripod for food photography. It looked to have all the features of my old tripod, except it's half the weight at just 1.76kg and packs away to almost half the size (43cm) in a handy bag. This makes it much more portable and yet it feels nice and sturdy. It is 21cm shorter than the 055 kit but is still more than enough at 162cm high (when fully extended).

It ticks the boxes for almost all of the desirable features I've mentioned, with a great and very secure quick release plate and knobs rather than levers to adjust the height and to move the ball head. It has several different angles for the legs, including almost flat to the floor for overhead macro shots.

It has the all important horizontal arm but it is about 16cm shorter than the one on the 055 kit. It's still great for overhead shots as long as you style on the floor rather than a table and don't shoot wide angle (i.e. you need to zoom in a bit to avoid getting the legs in shot). I took this image with the Beefree tripod with a 50mm lens on my camera.

IMPORTANT NOTE: When you use any tripod with a horizontal arm you may need to use a weight on the other end of the arm to counter balance the weight of the camera. I use a bag with some tins of beans in!

The tripod will support up to 12kg in weight, more than enough for my Sony A7iii with the 90mm macro lens I normally use for food photography

Current price for the Manfrotto Befree GT XPRO carbon tripod is around £329.

To attach my phone to the tripod I use a Joby phone holder that I've had for several years. There are lots of holders available that are compatible with tripods, just make sure it's big enough to hold your phone (ideally in its case) and that it's not too flimsy.

In conclusion, this tripod isn't the cheapest available, but you get what you pay for. I'm really pleased that I've got a tripod that is lighter and more portable than my other one, but still does everything I need it to. And if it lasts me over twenty years like the old one I'll be very happy!

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