I've had one before, it lasted about a year and a half before it broke. Bought another without hesitation, this is updated from the one I had before, better build quality and a new grip. I shoot live music and interviews and I couldn't imagine filming without him. It's stable enough to use in place of an 85-200mm zoom tripod for smooth shots, and it's amazing with my 28mm close-up lens. I also like how durable it is because I can lift it over my head to take pictures from above.