chrissybabe Loc: New Zealand

Another problem with screw type locks is when you only want to change one leg for height. You then need two hands to lock the leg. With the lever type one hand can do the job. I suppose it is what you get used to. If you start off with twist lock you would probably use them the rest of your life. Same with lever lock. BUT use a lever lock for a few days and you will never go back.

OldCADuser Loc: Irvine, CA

I agree, I prefer the lever type locks, which is what's used on both of my working tripods. Note that my mono-pod has the screw type locks, which I suspect if pretty much standard, for mono-pods.

chrissybabe Loc: New Zealand

I have 2 Manfrotto mono-pods and they are both lever type. Twist lock types occupy a smaller space so there is that. Maybe a tripod exclusive used for travel might be twist lock but that is about the only upside as far as I can tell.

MrBob Loc: lookout Mtn. NE Alabama

I guess that is why the old Bogen 3021 is still alive.... Levers still work one handed. I have both types but the flip locks adjust easier.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Timmers Loc: San Antonio Texas.

The two critical aspects for a tripod for landscape photography are, the three action heads (not a ball head) so that all three of the areas of correction can be made. Last, and even more critical is a Bogan Super Clamp. This will allow you to place the camera closer to the ground with ease. Leave it clamped to a leg and then transfer the head to this useful tool and then make images that are closer than the tripod will normally allow. This type of imaging is often referred to as "a worm's eye view". In landscape imaging one should understand that there are three areas of a landscape, foreground, middle ground and background. Most suscaful landscapes are made by imaging two of these three and discarding the third area. In Texas, the most common landscape image uses the background and foreground because so much of the middle ground is small or empty. Being able to get closer to the ground becomes difficult so the Bogen Super Clamp is a great tool to have.

OldCADuser Loc: Irvine, CA

Note that my larger and heavier tripod (which came with my Bushnell spotting scope), the one with the conventional pan & tilt head, the legs can be splayed-out so that I can have a very stable platform with the lens only about 20 inches above the ground.

Now my lighter-weight 'Zomei' travel tripod, that one with the ball-head, it also allows the legs to be splayed-out to where I can get the camera lens down to about 18 inches above the ground. But it can go one better, reversing the direction of the legs altogether, thus placing the center column below the top of the tripod, which means that I could literally place the center-line of the lens just inches off the ground.