Best Mini Tripods for Photography

Mini tripods are the best way for photographers with compact setups to achieve solid picture stability.

Feature-rich and flashier larger aluminum tripods are usually preferred by professional photographers.

However, a mini tripod, also known as a table top tripod, can provide both beginners and enthusiast photographers with many benefits you might not have considered.

For starters, they are much easier to transport!

When folded, many micro tripods fit into a jacket pocket or a small backpack, allowing you to have one with you at all times!

Some tiny tripods are also multi-functional, offering the ability to be a table top tripod and converting to a handgrip or a selfie stick, providing you with added mobility while on the road.

Best mini tripods at a glance:

1. Manfrotto Pixi Evo (MT PIXIEVO-BK) – Best for indoor use
2. Gitzo Mini Traveler – Best for heavier cameras
3. JOBY 5K GorillaPod – Best adaptability and flexibility
4. Neewer Portable Desktop Mini Tripod – Best for professionals
5. Platypod Max (The Flat Tripod) – Best ultra mini tripod

This is a compilation of the best tiny tripods in 2022. Each item on this list is capable of sustaining a camera and more!

So, follow along as we explore the best mini tripods and their functionalities.

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Manfrotto Pixi Evo (MT PIXIEVO-BK) – Best for indoor use

The Manfrotto Pixi Evo Mini is minimalist and sleek, with a high-grade plastic finish that is highly scratch resistant.

With three legs looking like thick palette sticks, and a ball head of more-than-average proportions, the Manfrotto Pixi Evo is one stylish product that is a must-have for every photographer.

Unlike the original Pixi that employed a push button to modify the ball head, the Manfrotto Pixi Evo incorporates a conventional ball head.

While the Manfrotto Pixi Evo tripod is portable, it lacks adaptability due to the lack of grippable rubber on the bottom of each leg.

It’s also quite short, hence obstacles like tall grass will obstruct the lens’s perspective, and there is no way to increase its height. The Pixi Evo Mini Tripod is limited to flat surfaces, but this is a limitation of small camera stands in general.

Also, it cannot be stood halfway up to gain added height – it must be used fully extended or flat down.

Thus, while it is lightweight, well-built, and simple to use, it can be quite dysfunctional for outdoor shooting.

Pros

• Scratch resistant.
• Lightweight.
• Excellent table top tripod.
• Useful and large ball head.

Cons

• Limited height usage.
• Legs don’t spread very wide.
• Limited to flat terrains.

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Gitzo Mini Traveler – Best for heavier cameras

The Gitzo Mini Traveler’s cost suggests that it’s one very awesome mini tripod. And yes, this is true.

Its head is made from aluminum, while the legs are carbon fibre. Also, when the legs are at their widest, the tripod can support up to 3kg, which is okay for most camera setups.

However, it is recommended that the Gitzo Mini Traveler stand carries only cameras with small lenses. This is smart, considering the tripod is only 22cm long and may tumble over with a long front-heavy load.

If more weight-bearing capacity is needed, the head can be disconnected, and the legs directly attached to a camera. This increases the load capacity to 25Kg.

With a weight of 265g, the Gitzo Mini Traveler tripod easily fits into any camera bag’s side pockets. The Mini Traveler’s legs can be employed at two different orientations. Selecting the angle could not be simpler; all you need do is pull the leg downward and then tip it to the desired angle.

However, one feature distinguishing tiny tripods from normal tripods is that the head is typically screwed directly onto the camera, cutting the need for a quick release plate. As a result, you must attach and detach the tripod between use.

This might be inconvenient at first, if you are accustomed to using a regular tripod.

Another issue is that the tripod’s mounting plate does not always lay squarely beneath the camera when attached.

To be fair, the tripod still adequately holds the camera, but it seems awkward having the supporting plate slightly off.

Pros

• Multiple leg angles.
• Rubber tips.
• Secure stand for a camera and small lens.

Cons

• No fast release plate.
• Less palatable camera movement.

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JOBY 5K GorillaPod – Best adaptability and flexibility

The GorillaPod 5K mini tripod has a highly adaptable and flexible support tripod system. You can precisely regulate the angle and direction of your kit and rapidly connect and detach it.

This kit is designed for professional DSLRs, mirrorless cameras, LED lighting, and other equipment weighing up to 11 lbs.

The Joby GorillaPod 5K Flexible Mini-Tripod boasts surprising versatility for holding your gear, with legs formed of many joints that allow you to wrap it around things and change it for use on uneven ground. Its 11-pound weight capacity enables it to safely transport professional DSLRs, mirrorless cameras, and other types of gear.

The tripod’s particularly compact design, with a 15.2″ length and 17 oz weight, it’s easy to store or transport while traveling.

The Joby GorillaPod 5K’s joints and feet are rubberized in specific spots to aid grip and stability on unsteady surfaces. The tripod’s components are made of metal and a unique ABS plastic engineered for longevity and stability.

The stand is equipped with a 3/8″-16 thread adapter at the top that, when removed, reveals a 1/4″-20 screw. It can be used directly with your gear or with an optional ball head for enhanced shooting capabilities.

Here are some tips for getting the most out your Gorillapod.

Pros

• Compatible with cameras, lights, and speakers weighing up to 11 lbs.
• Flexible jointed legs which allow for multiple surface clamping. This is not just a regular table top tripod.
• Very compact and transportable small camera stand.
• Rubberized joint rings for increased stability on uneven terrain.
• Rugged construction of stainless steel, machined aluminum, and ABS plastic.

Cons

• Relatively expensive.

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Neewer Portable Desktop Mini Tripod – Best for professionals

This small tripod is made of aluminum and resembles a shrunk-down version of a standard tripod – its three legs open and splay even farther to provide a macro perspective.

Also, there is an adjustable ball head, fast release plate with separate tensioner, bubble level, and rubber tips.

The maximum load weight is a remarkable 11 lbs, which means that even the heaviest camera and lens combination will be supported easily on the Neewer Portable.

Extending the legs is done by rotating each leg base counterclockwise to unlock, pushing it out, and then moving it clockwise to lock — a fairly conventional procedure for standard tripods, but peculiar for a table top tripod, which typically has set leg length.

This is the only tiny tripod that allows for this level of customization, making it somewhat unique in this regard.

It is easily released and secured, and the tripod gives off a feel of security after every screw has been bolted.

Overall, the Neewer Portable is an excellent deal, and if you have room for it in your camera case, it’s a highly recommended purchase for any pro photographer!

Pros

• Exceptional build quality.
• 360-degree swivel ball head simplifies camera adjustment.
• Exceptionally adaptable small camera stand.
• Can support cameras weighing up to 11 lbs.

Cons

• Panning can be uncomfortable at times.

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Platypod Max (The Flat Tripod) – Best ultra mini tripod

It seemed like someone made a joke about a small tripod having no legs and Platypod accepted the challenge. Like how can a tripod have no legs?

Indeed, the Platypod pioneered a new style of ‘Flat Tripod,’ stabilizing your camera on uneven surfaces while allowing for angle adjustment through a ball head.

It is available in two sizes, Ultra and Max. Shorter than a 6-inch plus sized phone and weighing just 0.8 lbs, most users prefer the Platypus Max since it can handle up to 300 lbs. of equipment.

Because the legs are essentially two-inch-long screws with locking nuts, altering the angle is as simple as twisting the screws. It comes with four screws, which means you can use them together or individually, depending on the surface.

The holes along the Platypus Max’s surface are for the screws (or legs) and can be used to loop straps for easy lugging and shooting.

There isn’t much to the build, as it is essentially a plate of black anodized aluminum, but it is rated as ‘aircraft grade’ and can undoubtedly withstand abuse. Additionally, there is a 5-year warranty!

Pros

• Very light and easy to transport.
• Screws are easy adjustable.
• Great table top tripod.

Cons

• Can be less helpful in certain terrains.

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Conclusion

The functionality and usage of mini tripods cannot be underestimated!

Regardless of one’s skill level, they are small practical stands that every photographer should have for their camera. However, if you are finding you would like to improve your skill level, check out these beginner photography books!

Many of these tripods have adapters for cameras and smartphone photography.

Since they are very light, they can be carried about anywhere; functioning as a table top tripod to an outdoor tripod easily! 

Best mini tripod recap:

1. Manfrotto Pixi Evo (MT PIXIEVO-BK) – Best for indoor use
2. Gitzo Mini Traveler – Best for heavier cameras
3. JOBY 5K GorillaPod – Best adaptability and flexibility
4. Neewer Portable Desktop Mini Tripod – Best for professionals
5. Platypod Max (The Flat Tripod) – Best ultra mini tripod

I hope you found this guide helpful and get to enhance your photography experience by trying one of the mini tripods above soon!

Don’t forget if you’re looking to upskill, you can take an online photography course for expert tips how to take the best photos with a tripod.

These tripods all work great with compact cameras for travel!

Don’t forget to have fun!

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