5 Budget Saving Camera Tripods in 2020

Tripods are necessary for many shooting when camera needs to be fixed and stays still to achieve the best effects, for example, time-lapses, long exposure, traffic trails, panoramas, video recording, etc.

The main factors to choose a suitable tripod mainly consist of these:

  • Price: depend on budget
  • Material: carbon fibre material makes the strongest and lightest tripods, but is also the most expensive one. The quality and price of aluminum comes between carbon fibre and plastic, enough to use and also cost-effective. So most well sold tripods on the market are made of aluminium.
  • Height: the range of tripod adjustable height decides different shooting perspective. For example the macro shooting asks a much lower angle.
  • Weight/Size: i don’t doubt everyone wish to have a much more portable tripod for travel since the whole camera set could be quite heavy already.
  • Payload: the larger payload allows you to fit more camera combo including heavier DSLR with a bulky telephoto. But if you only use a light camera with a short lens, smaller payload tripod could be enough.
  • Structure/Accessories: According to different structure, tripods have different function and price. A completed tripod could include some of these parts: ball head, QR plate, safety pins, center-column hook, center-column, bubble level, phone holder, panorama control, degree scale, convert to monopod, etc.

Based on the best selling and most highly commented tripods on Amazon, combined with tripod specs, we chose the following 5 well performed and cost-effective tripods for your reference.

An overlook on specs of the 5 tripods:
Specs RetiCAM Tripod Moman Tripod UBeesize Trpod Moman Tripod AmazonBasics Tripod
MSRP check on Amazon check on Amazon check on Amazon check on Amazon check on Amazon
Material Aluminum CNC Aluminum Aluminum Aluminum Aluminum
Length(folded) 12 inches 6.6 inches 18.8inches 13.78 inches 16.5 inches
Max. height 19 inches 4.4 inches 60 inches 58.3 inches 50 inches
Min. height 10.75 inches 1.4 inches 17.6inches 20 inches 16.5 inches
Center column Y N Y Y Y
Weight 1.5 Lb 0.75 Lb 3.09 Lb 1.01 Lb 1.25 Lb
Load limit 6 Lb 176 Lb 11 Lb 6.6 Lb 4.4 Lb
Converts to monopod N N N Y N
Bubble level Y N Y Y Y
Degree scale N N N Y N
QR plate Y N Y Y Y
Special design N 1/4 to 3/8 Screw Adapter; 1/4 thread holes and slots Smartphone holder Axis Inversion Design N
Center-column hook N N Y Y N
3-Way Head Y N Y N Y
Anti-slip design N Y Y Y N


For table camera tripod, if you already have ball head, we recommend you Moman table tripod, much more portable and multi-functional. Otherwise you could consider RetiCAM tabletop Tripod for better price with 3 way ball head together.

For standard camera tripod, AmazonBasics tripod is budget friendly, but is very basic and doesn’t have functions like anti-slip, degree scale, center-column hook. UBeesize camera tripod has the most large payload, but is quite big and heavy itself, which means you need to carry extra weight for travel. Moman camera tripod is more expensive compared to the others, but it’s very portable, and have more functions such as axis inversion and degree scale.

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