The Best Tripod For Nikon D5300 Cameras!
The Nikon d5300 is an extremely popular entry-level DSLR camera body that is very popular for photography, videography, and vlogging while also having a solid following amongst streamers and social media influencers too. The core customer base of the Nikon d5300 is still steadily growing with each passing month and just like any popular camera, we are consistently seeing a number of people reaching out and asking for advice on a number of different camera accessories for the camera.
One of the most popular questions that we have seen asked over the last few weeks is based around the best tripod for Nikon d5300 cameras. No matter what niche you are working in or what you are using your d5300 for, a tripod is almost always going to be a solid investment to ensure that you are able to improve the image quality that you are able to capture via the image stabilization that the tripod provides.
Due to this, we have decided to publish this article going over what we feel any of our readers who own the d5300 should be considering as their go-to tripod of choice for their camera. We are hoping that our article will be able to help as many of our readers as possible as well as anyone who finds our content through Google or social media too. Unfortunately, there are an absolute ton of tripods on the market that are essentially a waste of time so we are hoping to help suggest some solid products to our readers.
Now, we know that the Nikon d5300 is an entry-level DSLR camera so some of our readers may be on a very strict budget. If you are on a tight budget then we would recommend that you check out the Zomei z699c as it is a great little tripod that is very cheap for the performance and image stabilization that it offers you. On top of this, since its release, the z699c has managed to grow itself a massive customer base and earn a A great reputation for itself too.
That said though, the z699c does have its flaws and we would highly recommend that our readers try to find the additional budget required to add an aluminum Manfrotto MT055CXPRO3 to their collection of camera accessories. In our opinion, it is without a doubt the best tripod available on the market right now for its price point and it has an excellent reputation that just keeps getting better. Additionally, in the grand scheme of things, it is not too much more than the z699c but blows it out of the water when it comes to functionality and build quality.
If you do have a higher budget available then you could take the carbon fiber Manfrotto MT055CXPRO3 variant instead as it truly is an investment in your camera accessories that can literally last decades due to its carbon fiber build. That said though, the aluminum variant of the MT055CXPRO3 should easily be able to meet the vast majority of our reader’s needs who use the Nikon d5300 and is around half the price of the carbon fiber variant. Due to this, we will be taking a more in-depth look at the aluminum MT055CXPRO3 throughout the rest of the article as in our opinion, it is the tripod that any Nikon d5300 owner should seriously consider purchasing as it really is a great bit of kit.
Performance And Functionality
In addition to this, the center of gravity on the MT055CXPRO3 and its weight displacement ensures that even if you are using a super heavy, long telephoto zoom lens with your d5300, the tripod will easily be able to provide you with the image stabilization that you require. Although there are some solid competitors to the MT055CXPRO3 at this price point in the market, in our opinion, there are few that we would trust with a long telephoto lens like we would trust the MT055CXPRO3.
Coming from Manfrotto, one of the few world-renowned tripod brands, you can rest assured that you are getting the best possible specs in your purchase too. The MT055CXPRO3 offers a maximum usable height of 170cm, 140cm if you want to keep your center column down with a minimum usable height of as little as 9cm! This massive range of usable height ensures that you are able to set your Nikon d5300 up as required to ensure that you can get the angle you need while still having all of the great image stabilization that the tripod provides.
If you are in a niche where low angle photographs or videos are needed on a regular basis then being able to position your camera body as low as only 9cm allows you to get up close and personal without putting your camera at risk. This is excellent for anything like macro photography or videography and can even be useful for things like food photography to ensure that you are able to get as close as possible to the food you are capturing to show it in all of its glory.
Now, with this massive maximum usable range comes the first potential weak point of the Manfrotto MT055CXPRO3, the closed length is around 61cm and although this is around average for this usable range and price point, we would have loved to have seen Manfrotto shave a little off to make it easier to travel with. That said though, we doubt that this will be an issue for the majority of our readers anyway, we just wanted to point it out and make you aware of it.
As you would expect from Manfrotto, there are a few features on the MT055CXPRO3 that they have innovated on with the first one being their quick power lock system. The system is very similar to the traditional flip-lock system seen on compeating tripods but Manfrotto have reinforced its locking mechanism to ensure that your camera rig is secure while mounted and that the legs of the tripod will not give way during use.
Although the twist-lock system used on some tripods has the advantage of being quicker to release and tighten as required but the flip-lock system has the added lock to keep your legs firm offering additional security over the twist-lock system. Manfrotto has essentially strengthened the locking mechanism in their locks with there quick power lock system and made the actual flip a little easier to rotate as needed.
Another thing that Manfrotto have innovated on with the MT055CXPRO3 is their one-finger operation system that can actually end up saving you a ton of time over the course of a session. The vast majority of adjustable parts on the tripod have been designed so that you can quickly and easily adjust them using just one single finger. Gone are the days of having to fight to get a solid grip for your leg lock or angle adjuster, one finger, a little pressure, and the job is done with the MT055CXPRO3.
The final feature that we absolutely love is the easy link connection system that allows you to natively mount additional camera accessories directly to your tripod during use. Say you are doing a spot of videography with your Nikon d5300, you can quickly and easily mount video lights to the easy link connection system to help improve your overall image quality. In reality, you can mount pretty much any camera accessory that you can think of to the system to essentially turn your tripod into a mobile, mini studio.
When you take all of these features as well as the excellent image stabilization into account as well as the fact that the Manfrotto MT055CXPRO3 is a sub-two hundred dollar tripod, it is easy to see why it is such a popular option with the community. On top of this, hundreds of photographers and videographers have decided to post their own independent reviews of the tripod that are well worth skimming over due to the excellent insights they offer.
User Interface And Control System
Now, one of our favorite things on the MT055CXPRO3 that can make your life much easier is that it has a fully rotating bubble level that you can spin through all planes. Although this should not be an issue for the Nikon d5300, if you do upgrade to a larger camera body in the future, this ensures that if your gear does cover the bubble level, you can quickly and easily just rotate it around the head until you are able to see it again. Not only does this make your life much easier when setting up for your session but it also allows you to quickly and easily glance down while working to check that everything is level and flat for optimal image quality.
Another thing that Manfrotto has done to make your life as easy as possible is to ensure that you can easily adjust the legs of the tripod within seconds to meet your needs while keeping your Nikon d5300 mounted. The 0-degree column and four easily adjustable and lockable leg angles ensure that the MT055CXPRO3 can pretty much reach any position that you need it to. This can make your life much easier if you are going to be out and about with uneven surfaces while still needing to capture content.
Build Quality And Design
Although the MT055CXPRO3 is extremely robust and tough, it is around the average size and a little heavy with it coming in at 5.5 pounds. That said though, if you are planning on using it as a travel tripod then you should really consider the carbon fiber variant as it is lighter than the aluminum one.
That said though, other than the weight of the tripod, pretty much everything else is solid about its build quality as you would expect. The three-section leg system has been implemented flawlessly to ensuring that it will hold its position when set up and in use without buckling or slipping keeping your Nikon d5300 safe.
Our Verdict
That concludes our article going over what we feel is the best tripod for Nikon d5300 cameras on the market right now. As we mentioned back at the start of the article, if you are on a very tight budget then the Zomei z699c can be a solid option but in our opinion, you should try and stretch your budget to pick up the aluminum Manfrotto MT055CXPRO3 instead.
It offers some of the best image stabilization going for its price point with some outstanding features that let it put the competition to shame. Its build quality is outstanding and everything on the tripod is as simple and easy to use as you could ever imagine. If you still haven’t made your mind up then we would highly recommend you check out these independent reviews of the Manfrotto MT055CXPRO3 as they offer some solid insights into its performance and how good of an option it actually is.
