I am just an amateur photographer over 50 years of practice, never had a lesson but I do manage some good shots. I like to take images of flowers, insect and other tiny things as well as landscapes. This tripod has been an exceptionally good addition, particularly for the macro shots. It is solid as a rock, whatever lens I use and provides a level of stability that I cannot do with hands alone. I have been taking pictures of spiders in their webs in the autumns and am delighted with the results.I should add that I started 50 years ago with macro tubes and wow, the world has moved on, little by little. I've had tripods before, but this is definitely the best. For the price (and I got mine free for review), £66.99 at the time of writing, this is an exceptionally good value for a truly stable option. It extends to up to 2 metres and is extremely light (yes there are lighter ones out there but not for this price). It also includes a strong, high-quality bag with a shoulder strap. It includes a built-in spirit level (this maybe old hat to you, but to me it's marvellous)I don't bother with video much but the stability of this product tempts me and I think I might just try it. Brilliant!