Sturdy and high-quality but heavy. But on the other hand, I wouldn't trust expensive equipment on a lightweight tripod. A positive aspect is that the neck tilts horizontally.

Very sturdy and powerful tripod, ideal for all kinds of photography EXCEPT for travel because it is bulky and heavy.

It will satisfy those who will use it in the studio and those who will do astrophotography with DSLR and star tracker.

If you are looking for a tripod to take your camera and go for a walk in the city, it would be good to look at another one.

If you are looking for a sturdy tripod for landscape photography, this is one of the best you will find.

I bought the tripod from a store in the center of Athens. Its legs are not round. They are made with a guide, meaning they are semi-circular and end in a flat surface that functions as a rail. At the time of purchase, I checked it and although both legs rolled smoothly when released, one seemed to resist slightly, but I thought it was just because the screws securing it were tightened too much. Eventually, when I went home, it turned out that the screws played no role at all. The leg simply did not fit properly into the upper part of the leg. The result was that the third time I opened it, it would get stuck and only open if you applied force... resulting in scratches and marks on the leg. I returned it to the store where I bought it. The owner showed me a second tripod that he had in stock, which had the same problem. The movement of the lower parts was not smooth and they would get stuck. To fully open them, you needed strength and it gave you the feeling that over time it would only get worse. In the end, I got my money back. On the other hand, the head gave a good feeling, but I didn't even use it to know about its durability. Overall, for a tripod that costs 270 euros, especially a Manfrotto, I would expect there to be some minimum quality control, which apparently the Italians did not do at all. Finally, the adjustment of the pan/tilt resistance, as well as the safety of the central column that can be turned 90 degrees, are made of simple plastic... I don't know how well they will withstand heavy use. Overall, my whole experience with Manfrotto left me with the worst impression because you pay a lot more money (compared to Vanguard, for example) for a brand name guarantee and high quality. So, the only positive thing is the design.