additional stability. I do have one complaint with the included ball joint mount. The ballhead locking mechanism is located on the right side relative to the U-slot, allowing upward aiming beyond the normal range of the ballhead. This means that when adjusting the camera when using the U-slot, you have to awkwardly reach with your left hand or reach around with your left hand all the way around, as you have to use your right hand to hold the camera while adjusting the locking mechanism. The other option is to hold the camera with your left hand, but this requires you to hold the camera by the lens or awkwardly on your body. The other thing I don't like is that you have to remove the hook on the bottom of the center column, if you want to reverse the center column to position your camera closer to the ground. I haven't used enough tripods to know if the quick release is any good or not. It can sometimes be difficult to put it back on, but this may be due to operator error. Overall I am very happy with this tripod and would recommend it to anyone who is tall or looking for an extra tall tripod for specific purposes.