Finding a fair valuation for the Star 62 is not easy. For a good rating the low price and the flexible adjustment speak - in which, however, one must give up all the comforts.
The lever for the tilt, which is dissolved or tightened by turning, works well. But a considerable lowering with heavy equipment (~ 1.5 kg) despite locking must be included when setting macro motifs.
Even more unreliable, the locking screw for the tilt of the "mounting plate" on which the camera is mounted. For edgewise recordings it makes even the necessary, but for the precise setting to level it is advisable to then rather, one of the tripod legs to vary in length fit (!). Very pleasing in this context are, after all, the two spirit levels on the stand ...
The locking screw for 360 ° turns doing their service - but also distorts the shot slightly when tightening.
For a long time I undetected: you can lock the opening of three legs - and should do so for added stability - the "feet" have then but still a game from a good centimeter.
Finally, I come to a fatal bad design. The rack of the center column can be driven up and down with a crank and determine its own threaded. The beautiful thoughts sore point: the weight of a DSLR can rack sag regularly when cranking down (to me a complete mystery how such a thing is possible; but I am technically quite unversed) so you need to "support" the camera while cranking.
So actually one renounces all the comforts and must tighten all five locking elements under creaking, so the stand is reasonably stable.
For macro shots, it is only suitable conditionally under application of a lot of patience. Especially hakelig is focusing in Live View with five and even more so with ten times magnification. Only when you create the finger at the focus ring, the image section shivering so much that you can see nothing. I now can achieve with a Focusing a significant improvement.
As stated at the outset is hard a fair assessment. You get functional equipment, on the shortcomings you should however be aware for little money. The Hama Tripod is good enough for occasional use - and is also responsible for "extremists" like myself useful; So in macro photography for those who need a tripod, but not (yet) ~ 750 for a no-compromise solution (= Novoflex example) have liquid.
One needs the other hand often a tripod and wishes a happy without such regular thoughts of an upgrade, so I advise from Star 62 from clear - unfortunately, you get obviously nothing halfway stable under a hundred euros ...
