Comments about Smith-Victor Smith Victor CF-100 Carbon Fiber Tripod with CF3 Legs and BH-2 Ball Head, Supports 5.1 lbs., Maximum Height 57":

This tripod and head set is a great value for the money for an SLR (Canon T1i) with various lenses. I found no other carbon tripod with head combination that matched it at this price level, and after purchase & use, found the value to be good. The combination provides good stability when set up properly, and good aiming flexibility. Overall, I am happy with the purchase.The CF3 Tripod: The build quality of the tripod is good. The leg extension twist-locks work well, although I wish there was a way to optionally lock the legs into position at the shoulder location. I get a bit nervous with tripods where a bump can knock a leg inward, causing it to all fall over. A few degrees of tightening on the bolt head can increase the friction though. The tripod has a useful bubble level built into it, and also comes with a little tool pouch that can be clipped to the tripod itself. However the tool pouch doesn't include a quick-release mount tool (a flat head screwdriver), which I found conspicuous. The bag it comes with is of nicer quality than I expected as well.The BH-2 Ball Head: The head does the job I was expecting it to do. The quick release is fairly smooth, but it is quicker to remove the camera than to attach it (aligning the dovetail) compared to some other designs I have used. The QR process has two steps, with the knob turning followed by pushing in a safety catch pin that works well and quickly. The pan/tilt friction and locks do the job, with smooth ball motion as well as pan motion with viscous resistance. The pan lock knob, however, causes my pan to move a few degrees when engaged or disengaged. This is a bit of a hassle when aiming a telephoto carefully, only to have it move when I try to lock the pan. Elsewhere, the two opposing knobs for the ball's motion confuse me a bit. They both seem to perform the same functions. As it is now, I use one to set the friction level, and the other to lock/unlock (i.e., provide even more friction). The instruction sheet is cryptic, referring to them as the "balance lock level" and the "lock level". Whatever those mean, they seem to have swappable functionality. The build quality of the head did leave me a touch disappointed though. The issue with the pan lock (above) was one thing, but the knobs also seem to be bonded to their screws so that they are not coaxial. When the knobs turn, they visually "wobble" a bit (like a bent axle--not actually loose). Not a functionality issue, but heck, I have also seen this on a Benro head (to a lesser extent) that cost 2-3 times as much. Spare metal quick release plates from Smith Victor (701257) are also pretty cheap (~$10).On the whole this combined set is a great choice at the [$] price. I don't know if the carbon is any better than aluminum, but for those looking for carbon, I don't think you'll find a better value at the "entry level". The tripod is the better value of the two, but at [$] for the set, the BH-2 ball head is almost a "throw-in".