Leg angle positions
Preset stops for how far a tripod's legs spread. A narrow angle (around 20 to 25 degrees) gives the full standing height; wider stops drop the tripod for kneeling, sitting or prone.
What it means
At the top of each leg is a stop, usually a tab or ratchet, that locks the leg at one of several spread angles. Common sets are 23°, 55° and 83 to 85° (KJI, Leofoto, Tricer) or 20°, 45° and 85° (BOG). Makers measure the angle differently, so compare the heights they publish rather than the degrees.
The narrowest angle gives the tallest tripod. The wider the legs, the lower and broader the base.
What it changes in the field
- Standing: narrow angle, legs fully out. Tallest, but the narrowest footprint, so a bump or wind moves it most.
- Kneeling or sitting: the middle stop, or the narrow stop with legs partly collapsed.
- Prone or from a bank: the widest stop puts the head near the ground.
- Slopes: independent legs let you set one leg at a different angle on a hillside.
What to look for
- Heights at each stop, which tell you whether a tripod reaches your standing and sitting heights. Few makers publish all of them; KJI does.
- Stops you can work with gloves on in the dark.
How we use it on this site
When a maker publishes height at each leg angle, the tripod page shows them as a table, in the maker’s own measurement. Where only one maximum and one minimum are published, that is all we show.