I bought this TMA47ALB4 after lots of research and it was one of the very few tripods that met all of my requirements. I wanted a tall (I am 6'6") sturdy tripod without having to extend the center colum (I only use that for fine tuning). I also needed it to hold about 20kg (44lbs) and wanted a quick release acra swiss system on a ballhead. I chose Al over CF as I wanted a heavier tripod for stability in windy situations and it is much cheaper (bonus).The quick release is easy to operate. Turn screw and pull, if you do not pull the plate will not come out. It is an added safety so the camera does not fall out by itself.The ballhead work very nicely and is very sturdy, just what I wanted.I believe that you can convert it to a monopod, I have not tried that yet.The legs extend and retract easily.