This aluminium geared center column is compatible with Series 5 Gitzo Systematic tripods. The gear mechanism means heavy loads can be raised or lowered precisely and safely, and is locked and unlocked via a simple twist mechanism. The safety catch feature, when used together with recent Systematic tripods with a safety button, prevents the column from dropping out of the tripod even if it is inadvertently left unlocked. The extra reach of this long version center column adds positioning flexibility.