Parts of a Tripod – Head, Center Column, Legs and Locks

All 14 parts on the diagram

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Whole tripod 8

Head It holds the camera and lets you aim it.
Center column A post that slides up and down to raise the camera.
Center column lock A knob. Loosen it to move the column, tighten it to hold.
Leg section Each leg is made of tubes that slide inside one another.
Leg lock It clamps one leg section inside the next.
Rubber foot The rubber tip the leg stands on.
Leg braces They tie each leg to the center post and stiffen the tripod.
Hook Hang a bag on it to steady the tripod.

The head 6

Quick-release plate It screws to the camera and clips into the head.
Camera screw It goes into the threaded socket under the camera.
Quick-release lever Open it to lift the plate and camera off the head.
Bubble level A small level that shows when the head is standing level.
Pan handle Move it to turn the camera and tilt it up or down.
Pan lock Tighten it to stop the head turning from side to side.

How this list was compiled: Every name checked on 2026-09-30, a name kept only where two independent sources use it. Makers' instructions and catalogs read as full text on the Internet Archive, each maker counted once: (1) https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-7197996 (quick release plate, quick release safety lever, bubble level, panning adjustment knob, tilt adjustment handle, center column lock, center column, leg spreader, accessory weight hook at the bottom of the center column, leg locks, rubber feet); (2) https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-7194775 and https://archive.org/details/manfrotto-tripod-1988-d.-d-teoli-jr.-a.-c. , one maker (head, round quick release plate taken out by opening a lever and screwed to the camera, centre column released and locked by a knob, telescopic leg sections, leg locks, pan and tilt handles); (3) https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-7158468 (quick release plate, center column, pan and tilt handles, leg sections, lever locking legs, rubber feet, spirit levels, radial braces, hook with a hanging bag); (4) https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-7197163 (twist locks, hook for a stabilising weight such as a full camera bag, camera plate, locking lever). (5) A photo retailer's tripod buying guide in its Summer 2019 catalog, https://archive.org/details/bh-summer-2019 (tripod head and tripod legs, leg locks as flip locks or twist locks, telescoping leg sections, quick-release plates). (6) Wikipedia, text only, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripod_(photography) and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripod_head (the head attaches to the camera and lets it be aimed; a thumbscrew mates to the threaded receptacle on the camera; most tripods are braced round a center post with a telescoping section that can be raised or lowered; a handle to pan and tilt; rubber feet; leveling indicators; quick-release plate; pan lock). No maker is named in the copy or drawn. Licence: own work

The drawing: Drawn for this site on 2026-09-30 from plain geometry; nothing traced. Licence: own work

How it works

The parts of a tripod fall into two groups: the legs with the center column, and the head that holds the camera. The first view shows the whole tripod; the second shows the head enlarged.

Read the full guide

The whole tripod

Numbers 1 to 8: the head, the center column and its lock, a leg section, a leg lock, a rubber foot, the leg braces and the hook under the column.

The head, close up

Numbers 9 to 14: the quick-release plate with its camera screw, the quick-release lever, the bubble level, the pan handle and the pan lock. The plate stays on the camera; open the lever and plate and camera lift off together.

Extend the thick leg sections first and raise the center column last: the tripod is steadier that way.
In wind, hang a camera bag on the hook to weigh the tripod down.

Questions and answers

What are the main parts of a tripod?

The legs and the head. The legs are telescoping tubes held by leg locks, usually with a center column between them. The head sits on top, holds the camera and lets you aim it.

What is the plate on a tripod called?

The quick-release plate. It screws into the threaded socket under the camera and stays there. The plate clips into the head, so the camera goes on and comes off without any screwing.

What is the hook under a tripod for?

It is for hanging a weight, such as a full camera bag, under the middle of the tripod. The weight makes the tripod steadier.

What is the difference between flip locks and twist locks?

Both are leg locks. A flip lock is a small lever that clamps the leg section when it is closed. A twist lock is a threaded collar that you turn to loosen or tighten the leg.