There's no doubt that when it comes to improving the quality of your photos a tripod can help more than just about any other camera accessory.

The million dollar question is: Which Tripod? This is always a fascinating and challenging question to answer as it can depend on many different parameters and situations as well as people's individual tastes and brand allegiance.

In its July issue Digital SLR Photography magazine set out to answer exactly that question, first outlining the key benefits of a tripod and then sorting the wheat from the chaff, saying: 'A tripod is one of those investments that will stand the test of time, so spend time choosing wisely'.

The comparison test looked at 16 tripods no less and singled out the Manfrotto 190XPROB as its 5-star 'Best Buy', saying: "The well-designed reversible column makes this a good choice for the nature enthusiast. It'll perform well in many applications.

"A lightweight, aluminium tripod that is especially suited to the close-up photographer...it is very well made and stands very solidly even when carrying a heavy DSLR and telephoto lens. At just 1.8kg it's also light enough not to weigh you down, even if you're carrying it around all day."


 

5-stars for Manfrotto 055CX3

It also worth noting that in the same comparison test Digital SLR Photography also gave the Manfrotto 055CX3 a 5-star rating, commenting: "A great tripod that will last for years and perform well in a variety of situations. Not cheap, but one of the better quality units out there...

"The plastic leg locks and other controls are very well made on the 055CX3, and easy to use, even with gloves on. In fact the construction of this updated classic is excellent. A great choice for the outdoor photographer."