What kinds of tripods and heads for my D300?

[un_soon_choi]

<p>I am a beginner in photograph and love to take a shot casually, especially on portraits. However, taking landscape and nature photos seem to demand otherwise. So, there comes a tripod with a head.</p>

<p>I can afford up to ~350 dollars. (Price can fluctuate, if someone can persuade me, regarding the necessity of more expensive ones.) It seems like there are so many options out there, from Giottos, Manfrotto and so on.</p>

<p>As of a tripod and a head, Manfrotto 322RC2 Horizontal Grip Action Ball Head with RC2 Rapid Connect Plate with any Manfrotto tripod that can reach at least 60 inches (ideally 66-68 inches) seem great. (There is a 300 dollar Giottos tripod, which looks fantastic. But, I am not sure it is worth that much.) But, I am not constraint to my opinions, for I know that there are so many great photographers here.</p>

<p>Btw, what's the advantages and disadvantages of ball-head instead of other forms of heads? what's the importance of a length in the tripod?</p>

<p>Thanks,<br /> Un-Soon.</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>I would NOT get the hoizontal grip unit. I'd get a Manfrotto 488RC2 ball head - it has a separate panning movement, which is very helpful.<br /><br />Whether a ball head is better than the video-style heads is a matter of taste. The ball heads are more compact, with less stuff sticking out.</p>

[josephbraun]

<p>if stablility is your primary concern, i'd go with manfrotto sticks and a used acratech head.</p>

[un_soon_choi]

<p>Thanks, Matt. Do you have any opinions about the difference between 055 series and 190 series in tripods? It seems like 055s are have higher heights. What's the difference that will contribute to the photograph?</p>

[phyrpowr]

<p>I, too, use the 488 RC2, very solid with Canon 5D and 100-400 telezoom, about a 5 pound combo<br>

The 055 while heavier by some is definitely a more solid platform, could be used at that height without raising the center post I think. I have the 3021BPro, it's predecessor, and the two make a good combo</p>

[derrickdehaan]

<p>I have the 055MF3 and love it. Its the carbon fiber version with 3 sections. I also have the 322 RC2 Grip ball head and its suitable for lighter setups. I use it indoors for studio type work and a wireless shutter release. I would not want it as my only head. I bought it packaged with my legs for a specific reason. Shooting landscape in Montana in the dead of winter is cold work. The grip allows me to keep a big pair of gloves on my hands at all times. But like I mentioned, I would not want it to be my only head.</p>

<p>Derrick</p>

[phyrpowr]

<p>Wrong about the height on the 055, only up to 54" without raising the post, but sturdy nonetheless</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>I like the 055's height. While 54' inches might sound a little short, remember that by the time the several inches are contributed by the ball head, and you add a few inches above that to where the eyepiece is for your viewfinder, it's at a pretty good height. I'm 6'2", and DO raise the center post on a 055 by just a couple or few inches sometimes, so that I don't have to hunch my back when doing something sustained for a while. But I've not noticed any lack of stability when the post is used in a modest way like that. I've never had a call to use it truly extended.</p>