This helps when portability and weight are more important than smooth shooting. I use it to travel with a carbon fiber tripod (Sirui T-025x carbon fiber tripod with C-10 ball head and this combo fits in the original tripod bag. It fits easily in carry-on luggage or a large camera backpack. I would Don't use it for customer service unless it's a last resort (I usually use Manfrotto 501/502 heads) but for the price, size and weight it's pretty good, I think some People expected a lightweight, pro-level travel head For pro-level results (super-smooth shots with a large DSLR and 70-200), check out Manfrotto's 502 or 504 heads and a larger tripod.