Height: How tall do you need the tripod to be? Weight capacity: How much weight will the tripod need to support? Material: What is the tripod made of? Aluminum is a good choice for portability, but it is not as strong as some other materials. Head type: Does the tripod have a ball head, a pan-tilt head, or a 3-way head? A ball head is the most versatile type of head, but a pan-tilt head or a 3-way head may be a better option if you need to make precise adjustments to your camera's position.