Review on Magnus VT 4000 Professional Performance Tripod by Brian Forbis

NOTE: 3 stars for ENG message gathering, 5 stars for casual/casual shooters. This VT4000 is robust. I have three. He came with me to Liberia to cover the Ebola outbreak, multiple mass shootings in the US, two tornadoes and Hurricane Patricia in Mexico, and countless reports. All were defeated. I got one in 2014 and two in 2015. All but one are still in use. explanation below. The Good: - For quality and reliability, the price is fantastic. The wand part itself is strong and can really take a beating. The liquid head is smooth, easy to use, and has a very reliable bubble. It also comes with hex wrenches so you can tighten the bars yourself. The Bad: - You'll need to tighten your legs about once or twice a month if you're a heavy user. - the middle spreader breaks very, very easily. Of the three I have, the middle brace on ALL THREE is half broken on multiple legs. I recently had to throw away a VT4000 because the middle expander broke completely - No spare part available to order online - Doesn't fit in my hand luggage or in one of my suitcases. I usually tie it to my backpack with an elastic cord. However, there is no way to attach it to the carabiner. If you use it in the studio or occasionally, this is the winner for you. If, like me, you shoot ENGs in the field, either buy more than one or shell out over $1,000 for an outrageously expensive Manfrotto.