Ensure your head’s screwed on...

Before you do anything else, you’ll need to attach your head to your tripod

01 Size matters

Heads fasten to tripods via a 1/4-inch or 3/8-inch screw. The latter is more common. To maximise compatibility, tripods often have a reversible screw, while heads often come with an adaptor, which you’ll need to fit or remove as necessary.

02 Hand tight

If you try to fit the head while the centre column is securely fastened, the column can be slightly scratched as it twists against its locking screw. It’s better to loosen or remove the column and then screw the head on until it’s hand-tight.

03 Turn the screw

To lock the head in place, many designs feature one or more grub screws in the platform at the top of the column. Where available, tighten these with a hex key or screwdriver once the head has been twisted hand-tight onto the column.