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Best Tripods For 600mm Lenses in 2023 – Which One Should You Get?

Are you tired of getting the perfect shot at the ideal time, just for it to get ruined by your shaky hands?

Fortunately, there is a life-saving tool, none other than the majestic tripod.

However, this article isn’t about just any tripod; here, we will discuss finding the best tripod for a 600mm lens.

A Quick Look At My Favorite Tripods For My 600mm Lens

Key Takeaways

  • 600mm lenses are super-heavy, and using them with a tripod will ease your job in many ways.
  • If money is your concern, the MACTREM Professional Camera Tripod is the most affordable tripod you can find.
  • Durability is one of the main features you should look for in a tripod for a 600mm lens.
  • The Sirui W-2204 tripod is one of the tripods with a fantastic load capacity.
ImageProductFeaturesPrice
Best Budget
MACTREM Professional Camera Tripod

MACTREM Professional Camera Tripod

10
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Best For Travel
GEEKOTO 77-INCH

GEEKOTO 77-INCH

9
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Best High-End
Sirui w-2204

Sirui w-2204

8.6
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Best Mid-Range
Induro Tripods CLT104

Induro Tripods CLT104

8.5
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Best For The Money
Benro Mach3

Benro Mach3

8.6
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To make sure that you don’t end up buying the wrong tripod, or miss an opportunity, I have created a list of what I feel are the best tripods for 600mm a lens.

Top 5 Best Tripods For a 600mm Lens

5. MACTREM Professional Camera Tripod – Best Budget

What I Like

  • Easy Adjustable
  • Super-Lightweight

What I Don’t Like

  • Only for DSLR and GoPros

Starting the list right away with MACTREM, a brand that focuses on bringing photographers cost-effective tools. That’s the case with their tripod also which is billed as a 4-in-1 tripod, it can be used as a tripod, monopod, selfie stick, and hiking stick.

This tripod weighs only 2.9 lbs. However, don’t let the lightweight lie to you, as this is one tough tripod that can withstand up to 33 pounds of weight.

Besides being tough, this tripod is also quite adjustable. It features four sections and three quick-release locks that allow you to change the height from a minimum one of 21 inches up to a maximum of 62 inches.

Both entry-level photographers and professionals will love the MACTREM thanks to its ability to rotate 360 degrees for panorama shoots, and without leaving behind the ability to macro shoot.
So, if you feel like taking a picture from a low angle, you’ll be able to do it too.

Setting the ball head and locking it down tight is a hassle-free operation and will hold the camera firmly, so you don’t have to worry about the camera dropping from the central column.

As I mentioned above, If needed, you can detach the tripod and convert it into a monopod, or an alpenstock.

Additionally, there’s a phone holder that will benefit your smartphone for different purposes.

Key Specifications:

  • Tripod Weight: 2.9 Pounds.
  • Maximum Height: 62. 5″
  • Minimum Height 21. 5″
  • Load Capacity: 33 lb

Why should you buy it?

Relying on its name, this one is a very compact tripod with excellent ergonomics; at the same time, it is packable.

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4. GEEKOTO AT24 Dreamer Tripod – Best For Travel

What I Like

  • Lightweight and Portable
  • Very Flexible
  • Easy to Adjust
  • Great Load Capacity

What I Don’t Like

  • Bit Bulky When in Max Height

The next one comes from the Geekoto, although this is not a really known manufacturer, it is sure loved by those who know it.

It is mostly known for its sophisticated features and extreme convenience that please all kinds of customers.
No doubt that this is a perfect travel buddy who can steadily hold your camera and surely deliver a performance you will remember for upcoming years.

What makes this a great tripod is its lightweight nature; which results in a highly portable item. Weighing only 3.37lbs or 1.53 kilograms, AT24Pro can withstand heavier lenses such as the 600 mm without a problem, due to having a load capacity of 17.6 lbs.

It is built specifically for outdoor shooting, and each of its legs can be altered to have various heights. You will not have to worry about placing it on uneven interfaces.

We should also mention that this is a very versatile tripod that can even be turned into a monopod, just like the above pick.

Adjusting the AT24Pro tripod is also very easy and does not take much time at all. Its legs sport flip locks with a quick-release feature that lets you adjust the height to your desired level in no time.

Yet again, the ball head can rotate 360 degrees rewarding in great panorama shots like you have never seen before. Macro photography is also there you just have to invert it and you’re ready to shoot closer to the ground.

Key Specifications:

  • Tripod Weight: 3.37 Pounds.
  • Maximum Height: 77″
  • Minimum Height: 19″
  • Load Capacity: 17.6 lbs

Why should you buy it?

Relying on its name, this one is a very compact tripod with excellent ergonomics; at the same time, it is packable.

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3. Sirui W-2204 Carbon Fiber Tripod – Best High-End

What I Like

  • Well Built
  • Weather-Sealed

What I Don’t Like

  • Expensive

The next tripod falls a bit more on the premium side of tripods and is unique in its own way. The Sirui w-2204 waterproof carbon fiber tripod is made to work in bad weather with waterproofing. It sports a waterproof sealing system to stop water, dust, or other particles from entering the leg tubes.

The amount of features and everything it can do simply blends in with most photographic styles. You can easily use it to mount big lenses, like the 600m for instance, so you can shoot wildlife, also it allows you to shoot landscapes in running water without worrying about damaging the tripod.

Besides that, it is also good for low-angle work close to the ground and it is lightweight enough to carry when hiking up for those great landscape shots. Yet, it is strong enough to handle a heavy setup, it is made to support 39.7 lbs, which is the highest on this list.

The locking rings on the legs are so easy to turn, that you will have no problem turning them or adjusting the leg-angle lock even with photography gloves on.

SIRUI tends to follow a discreet design philosophy using durable and high-quality materials. Twist joints are designed in a way to makes them easy to operate and easy to maintain.

It also has leg-angle adjusters that allow the legs to be flipped up to 180 degrees for shooting from a low angle or macro shooting.

At the bottom end of the center column, you’ll find a hook, which can be used to hang something heavy like a sandbag, in order to get stability in harsh conditions, or you simply can hang other accessories.

Key Specifications:

  • Tripod Weight: 4 Pounds.
  • Maximum Height: 70.9″
  • Minimum Height: 6.1″
  • Load Capacity: 39.7 lbs

Why should you buy it?

Relying on its name, this one is a very compact tripod with excellent ergonomics; at the same time, it is packable.

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2. Induro Tripods CLT104 – Best Mid-Range

What I Like

  • Made of Carbon Fiber
  • Great Load Capacity
  • Mid-Range Price

What I Don’t Like

  • Nothing at All

On the second spot we have yet another tripod that belongs to the mid/high range category, and that’s the Stealth Carbon Fiber Tripod from Induro.

This is one sturdy and reliable tripod that is designed to work in a wide range of situations and environments.

It is capable of supporting a whole mount of 30.9 lbs. With that being said it promises to hold your gear safely along with its carbon fiber legs and a magnesium alloy spider that makes the tripod quite portable at the same time while maintaining great strength while keeping the tripod weight down to 2.9 lb.

The legs of the tripod feature 4 sections with twist locks for quickly setting up or adjusting, so you won’t have to waste time and miss opportunities when shooting wildlife or sports with your 600m lens.

The minimum height goes down to 11.4″ while the maximum one up to 56.5″.

It also has a built-in bubble level for critical tripod head movements and it is slip-resistant meaning it will keep the same stability even in uneven interfaces.

What’s more, it is also dust and moister-resistant, something that we should expect from a premium tripod of this kind.

If the price is no concern to you, and you travel a lot, do yourself a favor and get this bad boy. It can withstand a lot of weight while being lightweight and compact itself, not something you usually see on a tripod.

Key Specifications:

  • Tripod Weight: 4 Pounds.
  • Maximum Height: 56.5″
  • Minimum Height: 11″
  • Load Capacity: 30.86 lbs

Why should you buy it?

Relying on its name, this one is a very compact tripod with excellent ergonomics; at the same time, it is packable.

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1. Benro Mach3 – Best For The Money

What I Like

  • Very Well-Built
  • Can be Used With Any Camera
  • Works With Any Tripod Head

What I Don’t Like

  • Bit Heavy

Last, but not least we have Benro Mach3, while it is not as premium as the two above, what made it earn the first spot, is the value it brings to the table.

Benro is one brand that uses the common MAP (minimum advertised price) approach, so it can keep pricing consistent and level.

Nevertheless, this tripod will surprise you with its capabilities

It sure has some heft but nothing offense; the specs say it’s 5.2 lbs. (2.36 kg).

But that is nothing groundbreaking, being users of heavy lenses what interests us the most would be its capacity, right?

It is stated that this bad boy can hold up to 35.3 lbs. (16 kg) — Which is way far heavier than you need, some of the competitors struggle to get half of that.

The legs come in an aluminum build while the castings are magnesium, in order to help with the weight, and one of them has a foam rubber sleeve for cold days.

The folded height normally sits at 26.8 inches, but if you spread the legs out further and use the short center column, you can drop the minimum height to 16.14 inches, which basically is a dream for macro shooters.

Benro sure includes a lot with the Mach3, making this quite the unbeatable value tripod. And by that, I mean that you get more than you expect.

Key Specifications:

  • Tripod Weight: 5.2 Pounds.
  • Maximum Height: 70.47″
  • Minimum Height: 16.4″
  • Load Capacity: 35.3 lbs

Why should you buy it?

Relying on its name, this one is a very compact tripod with excellent ergonomics; at the same time, it is packable.

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What I Looked For When Searching For The Best Tripods For a 600mm Lens

Obviously, I didn’t just list a few tripods and call it a day. It took me some hours of research to come up with this list. If the above options don’t appeal to you at least those extra information will.

Load Capacity:

This is the most crucial part when you own a heavy telephoto lens of 600mm. You want the tripod to be able to hold the camera with a good amount of grip and at the same time to not wobble once you put the lens in.

A large lens can weigh from 6lbs to 12 lbs.

Stability:

Another key thing, especially at heavyweights. While a tripod can promise to withstand a lot of weight and pressure, it won’t always be stable.

The above options, prove to be stable a lot, but if you planning to buy a tripod on your own, I would highly advise reading regarding stability prior to buying.

Portability:

Looking for a tripod to fulfill the needs of a 600m lens,  I assume you are a nature or sports photographer- implying that you will travel around a lot.

With that being said, you noted that the tripod you pick should be transport-friendly and as lightweight as possible.

You should note that the heavyweight sometimes offers more stability.

Carbon Fiber Tripod Vs Aluminium Tripod:

Tripods usually were made out of aluminum, but things changed when carbon fiber tripods debuted. A Carbon tripod ticket all the boxes we need on a tripod, being stronger and lighter than the aluminum rivals.

But they also came with a price that was hard to swallow, with the market being crowded the prices slightly dropped, but still, they cost way more than aluminum ones.

Aluminum tripods are created from aluminum alloy that is relatively strong for its weight, but not the strongest in class. What’s good about aluminum is that if you were to heavily impact it, it won’t break instead, it will bend.

Carbon Fiber tripods have a much better strength-to-weight ratio than aluminum ones and they are even lighter to carry around, but they fall short on the durability aspects. Unlike aluminum tripods, a carbon fiber one is prone to cracking, even shattering in case it suffers heavy damage.

Frequently Asked Questions

What main feature should a tripod for a 600mm lens have?

Being concerned that 600mm lenses are super-heavy, the main features that you should look for in a tripod are load capacity and stability. As said, 600mm lenses are heavy, and a tripod should be able to hold them precisely, considering that the heavyweight things cannot stay stable enough; you need a tripod that can do that.

What material of tripod should I choose for a 600mm lens?

It would definitely be better if you chose a carbon fiber tripod. As I mentioned above, carbon fiber tripods are quite strong and will hold your 600mm lens in the best way possible.

Should my tripod be portable?

Portability is one of the greatest features that you need in any kind of thing. A portable camera, a portable lens, and a portable tripod are the essential things that any photographer needs. You definitely need a portable tripod to accompany you wherever you may go!

Closing Words:

After reading my article, I hope you have learned a thing or two regarding the best tripods for a 600mm lens.

At the end of the day it all boils down to your budget and preferences, I tried to include budget-friendly tripods that will work in the long run, so you won’t have to waste a lot of money around. After all, a tripod should be a once-in-a-lifetime investment.

Just make sure, you do your homework before jumping in and grabbing the first tripod you see.

Below, I would encourage some further reading, you might find something that you need.

Further Reading:

If you are done with the tripod and you need a camera, you can check out the best cameras for safari, or in case you are on the hunt for the best lens for your Sony A6000.

In case you are into fitness, here you will find the best cameras for fitness, or who knows you might be a sports mom, best camera for sports mom.

There are also some other lenses, I can throw in like, the best basketball lens or best telephoto lens for Sony cameras.

Some fun articles you might want to read would be, best underwater cameras for fishing or best GoPro for kids.

Guess that covers, everything.

Until next time,

enjoy.