Which tripod head?

I remember my very first tripod was a cheapy about $10. The poor thing could hardly support the weight of my Canon 350D with 18-55mm Kit lens and that was without extending the legs. Why did I buy such a cheap tripod? Well I knew that a decent tripod which would last me many years would cost an arm and a leg and I wasn't that much into shooting anything that required a tripod. I did however get some amazing photos with this little cheap tripod.

Eventually when I set out to buy a tripod I still didn't know much about what to look for except that Manfrotto was one of the best and that a good tripod always comes with a detachable head. I was solely at the mercy of the sales person and my budget. I settled on the Manfrotto 190 Pro B legs because they were small and could support the weight of my equipment at the time. Then I had to choose a head which could actually cost just as much as the legs.

Back then we didn't have such a big choice when it came to tripod heads and we basically had three choices.
Basic pan and tilt head, Ball head and geared heads

I chose the basic pan and tilt head which worked better for me than the joystick ball head they had at the shop. It also cost half as much so it was an easy decision.

I didn't even try a geared head because they were more aimed at people shooting landscapes who wanted 100% control over the framing which came at the cost of speed.

Eventually I got frustrated with the head I chose and decided to look around for something else. Manfrotto had by then released some better ball heads and I decided to give this one a try.

It was a pleasure working with this ball head. Just one knob and I had total control over the camera. So if your in the market for a tripod I strongly suggest you try one of these before making a decision.

Happy Shooting!