I didn’t realize that tripods could be so expensive, but I guess it’s one of those items that speak true of you get what you pay for! A cheap camera tripod that we just purchased a couple of years ago recently broke, so we decided to invest in a heavy-duty professional tripod. One that would be durable enough to last us for years to come and be able to hold our camcorder and also be compatible with our mirrorless camera and a DSLR camera in case we decide to get one in the future. We wanted to get a reliable tripod in time to capture footage to see the Neowise Comet which only orbits the sun every 7000 years, so it’s a once in a lifetime experience. Unfortunately it was too hazy and there were too many clouds the two times that we drove out to the mountains, but this tripod held up like a champ in the 50 degree Fahrenheit cold weather and windy conditions. The instructions say not to use this in temperatures below minus 40 degrees or higher than 100 degrees.The tripod is made of sturdy aluminum alloy tubes. The KF-28 metal ball head provides a maximum load capacity of 22 pounds and can be rotated 360 degrees which can easily hold a heavy DSLR camera and makes for excellent panoramic shooting. Make sure not to exceed the maximum specified load. This tripod is easy to set up simply by flipping the legs the opposite way and using the clamps to secure in place. There are four (4) leg sections and the knob allows you to adjust the height. The height with the two (2) center sections column can be extended to 93.8 inches which is pretty tall and makes it good for taking large group photos from an overview vantage point. The height without the column reaches 67.7 inches. There is also a detachable lightweight monopod that can extend to 98.4 inches for your different photography needs. For panoramic shots, the central column moves from 0 to 180 degrees and can be rotated 360 degrees horizontally.This also comes with a nice, durable carrying case to keep your tripod protected and makes it portable for travel. The case also has a strap that you can use to carry on your shoulder for better convenience. My only gripe is the weight. Since this is so heavy duty, this weighs a little over six (6) pounds which is heavier than most tripods, but this is definitely the nicest tripod we’ve owned and you can tell from the high quality and detail. When my husband uses it to take footage with our camcorder, it is very stable and I’m sure this will last us for many years!