Benro A0570F Aluminum Tripod
Folded w/head - 23"
Extended w/head (leg length) - 51. 5"
Weight - 2. 5 lbs.
Load - reportedly supports average weight gear
Top of the line tripod and head duos can cost up to $1000 so $200 is considered a good price to pay for reliable equipment. Benro (and its sister Induro tripods, owned by Mac Group) get good reviews at Amazon and are even more popular outside of the US, particularly in China. Serious photographers often say they prefer Benro to the better known Monfrotto tripods because they are more compact and stable.
The selection of an aluminum tripod over a carbon fiber one depends on how you will use the tripod and how much you are willing to pay. Carbon fiber is lighter, has less vibration, stays warm in very cold environments, and is more expensive. Aluminum is stronger, more stable (weight is good in windy situations), stays cooler in hot environments, and is less expensive.
I thought weight would be an issue because I'm not that strong and I sometime carry around a tripod for a full day. Although I have two lighter carbon fiber tripods, 2. 5 lbs shouldn't be a problem to most people, including me.
The legs loosen and tighten with only a half screw making the tripod quick to set up and take down. Per the manufacturer, the design of the legs makes them resistant to dust and moisture so that you can use them in adverse conditions. I was unable to get two of the smaller legs to lock down in the collapsed mode so I'd appreciate if someone would tell me if there is a trick to it. Because of the carrying case, though, it's not really an issue.
BH0 Ball Head
You can see a closeup of the head here at Amazon (Benro BH0 Single Action Ballhead $47). My camera mounted and dismounted easily, way quicker than on my other heads. The leveling bubble will be particularly useful to me as I have a tendency to take photos with a slight tilt.
Tenba LE 15" Messenger Bag
The bag's fine; larger than I really need for my gear but that's a personal choice. I will say that the shoulder harness is so well made that I wish that Tenba would consider making shoulder harnesses for string trimmers. I make actually take it off the bag and use it on my new Echo.
This is my fourth tripod and will be the one I use.