How should very tall photographers choose and use a tripod?

Asked 1/21/2012

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I’m 200cm (6'6") and shopping for my first tripod. Many models seem to max out around 175cm, so I’m wondering how taller photographers handle tripod height in practice.

Do you look for unusually tall tripods, use a different shooting stance, rely on live view, or accept that you’ll often need to crouch or kneel? I’m also concerned that fully extended tripods and center columns may be less stable. What’s the best approach when choosing a tripod if you’re much taller than average?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

14y ago

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There are quite a few tripods that are taller than you (without a head), and many more that would come to eye level comfortably with a head. Brands include Benbo, Benro, Berlebach (wooden), Cullman, Davis & Sanford, Giottos, Gitzo, Induro, Kowa, Linhof, Majestic, Manfrotto, Slik and the 3-Legged Thing. Some of those you would need a stepladder to use at their full extended height. If you're a studio shooter, most camera stands go to eight feet (240cm) or higher. To go shopping, I'd suggest using the B&H Photo and Video site and it's excellent search filters. (You don't need to buy from them, but their site is probably the best way to find out what you want to buy.)

But that's not the whole story in any case. I'm not particularly tall (5'9"/173cm), and while I have used the Benbo 2's full reach (253 cm without a head) out in the field and spent some time on a ladder with studio camera stands, that's not the normal state of affairs. Hunching, crouching, kneeling and lying down are. That's not because of the height of the camera support, but because the subject demands it. One of the pleasures of working with real fashion models was that they were some of the few people I could shoot even part of the time from anything like a standing height (take somebody who stands a little taller than me, then add heels, and I'd barely have to bend to get down to a good level for a 1/2- or 3/4-length shot -- but I'd still have to bend). You can always put people on risers, of course, but landscapes are rarely cooperative in that way (and there are Laws of the Universe stating that the best angle for a landscape will always be something other than your normal standing point of view; like the time of arrival at a restaurant, it is a recipriversexcluson).

So yes, you can find a tripod that will let you work comfortably, but you'll find that comfort and photography are almost mutually exclusive.

Originally by user2719. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user2719

14y ago

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AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

You usually don’t need a tripod to match your standing eye height exactly. Tripod height should be chosen for the composition, and many photographers—tall or not—end up crouching, kneeling, or adjusting stance anyway.

A few practical points:

  • Extra-tall tripods do exist, and a head adds more height.
  • Fully extending a tripod, especially the center column, often reduces stability.
  • Taller tripods are typically heavier and larger when folded.
  • Live view can reduce the need to put your eye to the viewfinder.

So the best approach is usually to prioritize stability, load capacity, folded size, and working height without the center column, rather than chasing maximum height alone. If you truly need eye-level shooting while standing upright, look for a taller model or, in studio use, a camera stand. But for most photography, a solid tripod used slightly below eye level is normal and often preferable to a very tall, less stable one.

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14y ago

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