additional stability. One complaint I have to do with the included ball joint mount. The ball head locking mechanism is on the right side, relative to the U-slot which allows for upward aiming beyond the ball head's normal range. This means that if you need to make camera adjustment when using the u-slot, you have to awkwardly reach with your left hand, or reach all the way around with your left hand, because you have to use your right hand to hold the camera steady while you adjust 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 by the body. The other thing that I don't like is that you have to remove the hook at the bottom of the central column if you want to reverse the central column to position your camera closer to the ground. I haven't used enough tripods to know if the quick release is good or not. It can sometimes be difficult to put back in place, but this could 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 uses. 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 uses. 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 uses.