This tripod is not as sturdy as the ones that you could check out from the college, but it doesn’t need to be. Its design is hands-down the best I’ve used. It is light and allows for a pretty good range of motion. I was mostly impressed with the leg design–very easy to extend and retract the legs (the latches are well placed and well designed). The tripod made it very easy for me to carry it and set it up around town.

It also stows quickly and compactly, allowing for easy car-roaming photography.

At the price, I don’t think you could do better.

PROS:

Light so it is easy to carry. Compact. Good height – not limited to 40 inches like some tripods. You get two heads making switching back and forth easy.

The center lock: I use this tripod to hold auto shop lights when working on my motorcycle. The tripod legs can be in the way. The lock lets you pull the legs in so the tripod is taller but the feet on the three legs is closer together. Then with a turn of the screw they are locked in place! Great feature.

The levels – small handy extra.

CONS:

Very light duty and cheap construction. The quality of the moving / sliding parts could be designed better without adding lots of weight or expense and could still use plastic. But we live in the real world and but what is on the shelf and make the best of it.

Legs shake at each joint where a tube slides out. It feels like it needs to be tightened but there is nothing to tighten. In all the tripods I have ever used this is a first. Although, everything I have ever used weighs more too.

I saw a similar unit (but did not take it out of the box to look it over) for four dollars more at staples. I would have preferred to buy something in a store like that that I can touch and feel and is easy to return but many stores have outrageous prices on total junk tripds – average is around $40!!

It will hold my full sized sony Hi8 camcorder / analog video recorder that practically broke the unit at circuit city. Although, tilt & pan operations won’t be very smooth.