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Well, I'm good to go, but there are a couple of other handles, levers & knobs on there - let me check the booklet.Well, the big handle right under the top of the legs is for lifting and moving the whole tripod (duh). There are flexible rubber "feet" at the end of each leg, so you'd be nice and stable on, say, a smooth floor (the camera won't slide away from you - and the legs won't scratch the floor). I highly recommend it.
And here's a good one: the little knob on the side of the platform loosens a hinge, so you can tilt the whole camera up to 90 degrees sideways (perfect for those tall family members, or to get the whole waterfall into the picture). Looks and feels like it will last a long time, too (if you don't abuse it, of course). Once you've extended the legs, and raised the platform, you're at about five feet, and rock solid. I'm not a professional photographer. Snap the camera/platform back onto the tripod (securing it again with the release lever), and your camera is practically at eye level (I'm about 5'8"). Packed & folded, it's about two feet long.
Pull back a release lever, and the video/photo platform detaches from the tripod (making it MUCH easier to attach the camera). A nice large handle extends horizontally, making any up-down or left-right adjustments very easy.Besides that, there are two bubble level indicators (so no more crooked photos, I guess). While we're on the topic of freedom of movement: you can aim the camera straight up to the sky - and then some; and you can aim it directly down to the ground - and then some. These are just observations from a regular guy. I've never owned a tripod before, so I was pleased to find that this tripod is very easy to use. And you can thread the platform screw into the camera from underneath (with an easy to grip handle attached to the screw), so you don't need to "spin" the camera onto the platform (I admit, I did this the first time before I noticed the handle underneath).
A great product.
Also, some of the plastic parts appear to be of the more brittle, inexpensive type - not sure how long they would last if put under heavy use. The gears used to tilt and pan are not the best quality, but certainly do the job. Unless you are a professional I would recommend this tripod. This tripod has all the basic features you will need - pan, tilt, height adjustment, weight hook and includes bubble levels and a nice nylon carry bag. Its lightweight, looks good and seems well designed but its certainly not comparable to some of the more expensive models. Nevertheless, it does everything you would want and the price is very reasonable.
The aluminum frame is pretty solid. This is an excellent feature, especially for shooting in colder climates during winter.
I'm definitely happy with this piece of equipment. Although this tripod is undoubtedly a budget model compared to high-end pieces of equipment, the controls work rather well.
Aluminum bars can be very cold on the hands in such conditions, so having a durable plastic carrying handle is a welcome relief.Expensive tripods usually advertise the ease of making height, rotation, and angle adjustments. Considering its modest cost, however, it performs commendably and should last a while if it isn't excessively abused.
This is an excellent tripod for the money.QUALITYThe tripod is well-built and should have no problem standing up to ordinary wear-and-tear. Although the various adjustment knobs and height-crank are made of plastic, they are durable and should last quite a while so long as they aren't abused.USABILITYUnlike my older tripod, the TGT-58TR has a handle mounted to the center beam.
It has no problem supporting the weight of my Nikon D5000.OVERALLThe Targus TGT-58TR is a budget tripod, so you shouldn't expect miracles from it.
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