Modern tripods are the product of more than a century of engineering. This timeline follows the brands and breakthroughs that shaped the tripods and shooting rests sold today.
Early makers
- 1917: Arsène Gitzhoven founds Gitzo in France, first making cameras, shutters and film holder backs.
- 1950s: Gitzo adds tripods to its product range.
- Late 1960s: Italian photojournalist Lino Manfrotto begins designing and selling products under the Manfrotto name.
- 1976: Will Primos starts building turkey calls in Mississippi, the beginning of the company behind Trigger Stick shooting rests.
Carbon fiber and new designs
- 1992: Gitzo joins the Vinten group, today called Videndum, which also owns Manfrotto.
- 1994: Gitzo shows the first professional carbon fiber tripod and monopod at Photokina.
- 1999: Gitzo introduces the Mk2 aluminum range, removing rivets from the leg-to-shoulder joint.
- 2000: The Gitzo Explorer arrives with adjustable leg angles and an inclinable center column.
- 2004: The Gitzo Traveler folds its legs around the head, and a basalt series is introduced for vibration damping.
Shooting rests and the modern era
- 2006: BOGgear begins manufacturing monopods, bipods and tripods for shooting, photography and videography.
- 2009: Gitzo launches the Ocean line, with stainless steel castings and sealed leg locks for salt water.
- 2010: ISO 1222:2010 sets the current camera-mount thread standard, 1/4-20 UNC or 3/8-16 UNC.
- 2014: Battenfeld Technologies acquires BOGgear, announced in January.
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