Feet:
Many tripods have feet that are covered in a rubber-like material (usually neoprene these days). Some of these feet rotate. As you spin the foot round, inside you’ll find a spike. Depending on the surface, one or the other will provide the most stable footing. But if you regularly take sunsets at sandy beaches by the ocean’s edge, a steel metal spike will rust over time, even if it’s stainless steel or chrome plated. So always rinse off with salt-free water after any such shoot, or choose a tripod with legs with solid rubber feet only.

Fixed Head:
If the tripod is not classified as quick-release, its 'fixed head' means that the attachment screw for the camera in the tripod head is not removable and no separate plate is provided. This is usually found on larger professional tripods.

Ground Effect:
This enables the tripod legs to be splayed out so that the tripod head can be placed very low to the ground. This is useful for close-ups of flowers, insects, other ground-based small details – or a dramatic ground-level perspective. You might also use this with the tripod on a table for indoor/studio macro photography.
These tripods may also include a reversible centre column, which enables the camera to be mounted “inside” the three legs. Ground effect tripods are much more flexible, are not braced, and well suited to landscape photography because of the immense flexibility.

Head:
There are many different types of tripod head, each designed to produce ease of use in different situations. Some tripods can be fitted with different heads, for added flexibility. Useful tip: If you have a large telephoto lens and want to shoot vertical shots, look for tripods that have right-turning platforms, i.e. they hinge to the right for vertical images. As the weight of the camera and lens tend to twist down with gravity, on a right hinged head-platform, the screw attaching the camera to the tripod head will tend to tighten. Left-turning heads, in most cases, do the opposite and the camera loosens on the head.

Pan & Tilt:
A head that enables movement up or down and side to side, enabling either portrait or horizontal images.

Ball & Socket:
A solid ball and metal socket with a quick clamp, for infinite movement up and down and side to side. Not easy to make fine adjustments, but usually more compact for travel.

Quick Release:
As the name suggests, quick-release tripod heads allow you to get the camera on and off without delay for changing lenses, batteries, or simply becoming handheld. It can even be a quick changeover to another camera, as spare quick release shoes are easily purchased.
Also see Fixed Head.

Video:
Unlike still cameras, video cameras need to be registered on the tripod head or plate for sureness of panning. To this end a video head has a locating pin in front of the screw thread. On multi-purpose heads this will be spring-loaded so the head or plate can be used for either still or video work.

Fluid Head:
Used on video tripods, the oil fluid in the head dampens the side-to-side and/or tilting movement for very smooth “panning” (movement side to side) or tilting in your video shooting.

Bubble Level:
Some tripods include a spirit level permanently mounted to the head to ensure the tripod is level front-to-back and side-to-side for perfectly horizontal landscape shots, virtual tours or copy work.

Legs:
Tripods used to be made of solid wood or pressed steel. Aluminium is more common today, but for even lighter weight, magnesium or carbon fibre are also employed. They may be tubular or folded extrusions. They may have snap fasteners, twist locks or screw locks. They are largely a matter of personal choice.
Very important: Make sure the legs do not flex! For more information, see How to Choose Your Tripod.

Monopod:
This is simply a one legged camera support. It won’t help you stabilise a long exposure, but it will greatly improve long telephoto shots of sport, or images where you want to follow-focus a moving object, like a racing car or the like. Many variations in size and weight, especially suited to large 200 or 300mm dedicated telephoto lenses for sports photographers.

Open Height:
Can be as small as a table tripod (20cm high or less), chest height or even higher than head height, more than 2m. Anything above chest height is desirable for most pictures. Some tripods have three sections (most common), some four. Open the tripod because some 3 section tripods can be taller than compact four section tripods.)

Size:
A closed tripod can be as short as 20cm, or as long as 70cm. Your own ability to carry weight and pack a tripod either on your backpack or over your shoulder will determine the target closed size.

Weight:
A light tripod is usually less steady. But a light weight can be made more solid through the addition of a weight bag or a stone bag, filled up on location.

Weight bag or stone bag:
A cloth or plastic bag, sometimes attached to your tripod with a hook on the end of the to the centre column, or clamped around each of the three legs. The bag is filled up with stones, rocks or anything handy that’s heavy and adds to the stability of your tripod. Often provides a solution to steady shots when using a lighter tripod when travelling.