I was amazed at everything I looked at when opening the box. Really happy with this tripod. I intend to do long exposure astrophotograpy, so I need good steadiness. This works ok, (especially given the price point.) Photos of the head do not do justice due to the oversized diameter of the head: The head is larger than the photo suggests. It is thick & solid metal everywhere in the top section. Despite the thick metal, it is surprisingly light and easy to manipulate. This tripod is really sturdy in general. When fully extended, you can infer a little twist movement by applying a fair amount of twisting force. This is a quick way to evaluate how much the legs and their fitting can "bend". When legs are fully retracted, it is hard to see if twisting it makes it move at all: it feels absolutely rock solid. Note that the heavyweight sturdiness mostly relies on the feet not to slip on the floor. On a slippery floor the rubber feet might not grip perfectly and might make this tripod "look" flimsy. Note that with a good load (or if you cling a real heavy load with the hook underneath), it really "dampens" movements - even on slippery floors. You can also switch to the spikes (if floor permits) or use some other creative technique (like a carpet?). Comes with a decent carrying bag which looks sturdy (big zippers) and has padding which is nice. There is enough space in the bag for the screwed head to fit. It has a standard bag handles w/velcro and an optional strap to hold comfortably on the shoulder vertically. Heavy-duty metal "spikes" (included) can be installed in place of the rubber feets. Screw thread on the head is standard and worked perfectly with my two heads (one of them is a Manfrotto). The two black handles at the top is to unlock and replace the top round section with another (supplied) piece. This is supposedely for a special Kingjoy ball mount (I'll never use that). One of the leg can be turned into a monopod (you have to unscrew it). You have to install another piece (included) at the end of the tube so it becomes a full head. On the monopod, you can choose either the larger and small threads. the smaller threads can fit a camera directly without the need for a tripod head which is often enough for a monopod. Note that the monopod does not have a "strap" to hold it on your shoulder to transport it while you walk. But it has a large foam-style grip (as you can see in the photo). It also comes with a tool to unscrew/tighten the large nuts, not sure why I would do that, but it is a nice touch.

Absolutely love this tripod! It feels super sturdy and well built. Easy to extend and collapse. It has a little more weight than my cheap $20 tripod, but surprisingly light for its rated load weight! I would definitely recommend this tripod!!