Vanguard Alta Pro 2+ 263AT Aluminum Tripod with Multi-Angle Center Column

I had high hopes for this tripod. Since my photo partner and I have each been using a Vanguard head for about 5 years and really like them I have been wanting to try out one of their tripods. Unfortunately this tripod is not as good as the Manfrotto 190L I was going to replace. All of the main features I like and the manufacturer does a good job of describing them; and if used indoors (or outdoors with no wind), it's a nice tripod. Outdoors, where wind is a factor, is where this tripod system falls short because there is looseness in the rotation joint that allows the head to move around in the wind. I put my camera and lens on the Vanguard with the arm extended to the side at about 90°, set the shutter to 1 sec, and took three shots with no wind. Then I took three more shots while blowing on the camera from three axes. Not very scientific, but the best I could do in the circumstances. I did the same thing with the same camera on my Manfrotto and compared the images. The Manfrotto showed some camera shake when blowing on the camera; the same type of shake I have noted when trying to take night shots in Death Valley with a 45 MPH wind that was being somewhat subdued by my truck. My test of blowing on the camera definitely blurred the 1 second image. However, the pictures from the Vanguard showed significantly more motion blur than the Manfrotto. I had made certain that every moving joint on both tripods were fully tightened so I investigated further and determined that the rotation joint on the Vanguard was allowing movement, not in the horizontal rotation (which was tight), but in the vertical where it should never move. It also appeared that the leg joints may have been contributing to the motion. Consequently there was some mild wobble. Another thing I didn't like was that the first fold-out position on the legs is 20°, which is narrow and less stable than the Manfrotto's, which is more like 30°. If I extend the center column out to the side, the Vanguard quickly falls over. Even though the center post is supposed to allow several angled positions, that's only if the center column is fully extended, and that's where stability becomes an issue. The column can only be retracted to regain stability when it is vertical or almost horizontal. The Manfrotto doesn't have the multi-angle feature... it only has vertical and horizontal; but, both positions are tight and stable. BOTTOM LINE: the Vanguard is a nice tripod for work where your environment is controlled. The tubing and joints are all solid enough to hold a heavy camera w/lens at many angles and will hold the setup stable, as long as it is set up properly, allowed to stabilize, and there is little or no wind. How much wind I'm not able to say, but I do know that it was stable in a 5 mph breeze. I do not recommend it for outdoor work; hence, the 3 star rating.