trapper1 Loc: Southside Virginia

Many, many thanks to all who posted such an abundance of information in reply to my inquiry. It is going to take me some time to assimilate all of the information that was posted such as the extensive and most welcome post of amfoto1. I should have emphasized that I am a rank amateur and that I am using a Nikon D5600 and a Nikon 300 MM lens (and hope to learn enough to move up to a Nikon D500) with the intent on shooting wild life at long range. There are no photo shops within 70-90 miles of my home so I am leaning on UHH for information. My present Wally World tripod is even more shaky than I am. I mention a sky shot for lack of a more appropriate term, and I meant shots of full moons, Milky Way, etc., for which I would need a tripod that allows vertical movement as well as horizontal. What I need now is a treatise on the various heads that are available that would suit my purpose.

Thanks again to all who responded, you just don't know how much your advice helps a newbie.

rcurrie Loc: Kingsport, TN

Check out Feisol tripods, good quality and good value.

Boone Loc: Groundhog Town USA

Look at this!!!
Thanks,
Boone

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H7GH9HR/?coliid=I3GJAUNB5KKEPS&colid=2F6VP84VLBHBM&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Once you've selected a tripod, tripod heads aren't that bad - you have four categories - three way pan/tilt head for general purpose, ball head for general purpose, gimbal head for long lens use when the lens has a tripod collar, and a video head which requires you level the tripod since it cannot adjust the horizon - you only have vertical and panning motion. I've found that Feisol and Sirui make decent ball heads for under $200. I am not a fan of three way pan-/tilt since they are not great for shooting things that move, so if you have to use one outdoors for shooting wildlife it can be a bit of a hassle. It's fine with waterfalls, landscapes, sky scapes, etc. Gimbals are excellent for wildlife with long lenses - they can move in any direction, and you can adjust the drag on the vertical and horizontal movement to be smooth and allow you to move the camera but have enough drag to allow the camera to stay in position when you take your hands off. A fluid-damped video head has smooth action as well, but the good ones are heavy and expensive.

Hope this is helpful.

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

TheDigitalPicture.com has lots of good reviews of tripods and heads...

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

An excellent review of HEADS !

Due to the current proliferation of small video capable cameras, manufacturers are producing smaller more affordable video/fluid heads - about the same price and quality as good ball heads - so they are not to be overlooked - especially for following action as in sports or wildlife.
.

Basil Loc: New Mexico

Another vote for Sirui. I have the Sirui K20x ball head (claims 55lb load capacity) and have been quite happy with it using any of my Canon DSLRs with up to a 300mm Prime attached. They do make bigger ball heads, but I find when I'm using any bigger lens (namely the Sigma 150-600) I prefer the Gimbal mount, but that K20x would still work just fine.

craggycrossers Loc: Robin Hood Country, UK

Greetings from Europe - the new "heart of a certain virus" - but still in good heart, despite a certain "Donald" wanting to separate you from his biggest ally ! We have no "rugby" to watch this weekend. The Italians are singing to each other from their balconies in their "locked down" positions, and the musical options are many and various ! The north of the Netherlands has, so far, experienced no "cases" at all, and good Russian vodka still tastes as good to us as ever !

Now, tripods and ball heads - you may be more fortunate than us (wider choice) when it comes to Leofoto tripods. There's a good deal here (despite the cancellation of a big photo show) on the Leofoto LS-324C with the LH-40 ballhead. Much has been said about "buy a tripod once" - so, in your position, this may be something for you to explore in your country .....

https://www.lcegroup.co.uk/New/leofoto-ranger-ls-324c-carbon-fibre-tripod-with-lh-40-ballhead_43815.html

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

I've got a K30X and it's more than fine. Panning action is still an issue with Sirui, but as long as you fully release the friction control, it's fine.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Good to know.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

I've been using a CT-3472 since they were first released in 2007, and a CT-3442 for the past 6 yrs. No issues with either.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

Obviously there is too much difference in camera types and lenses of the same focal length, as well as how they’re used, to say that a given tube diameter is required for a given focal length.

Edia Loc: Central New Jersey

A tripod is one of the simplest pieces of photographic equipment. It just has to support and hold steady the camera and lens. Under most conditions that an amateur photographer will encounter, many lower priced tripods will suffice. When you want to take photos in a hurricane or hike 20 miles carrying your gear, only a few tripods will work. In most cases, an amateur buying pro gear, with it's accompanying high cost, is overkill.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

The support function of a tripod is often easily achieved. The more challenging part is to hold the camera steady. Price will predict how stable a tripod will be. I am not sure why amateurs are more likely to encounter situations where cheap tripods will work, and vice versa. Hurricanes and 20 mile hikes aside - there are many situations where a solid stable platform will help ensure sharp, crisp results. There is a wide difference between a $30 Amazon Basics tripod and a $1500 Really Right Stuff tripod - with the mid-range being $300-$500 for tripods used for general purposes - macro (with legs not extended), landscape/seascape/cityscape with medium to short telephoto lenses - and $500 to $800 for long lens use for shooting birds and wildlife. With care, a $600 Feisol tripod can yield results equal to the $1500 RRS. There is no overkill in purchasing a $600 tripod for wildlife, but it would be a waste of money to buy a $200 and have the expectation that it would suffice for this purpose.

Price is an important consideration, but not the only one. Making the mistake of getting something that is not up to the task just because it is cheap is more expensive down the road when one purchases the correct gear. Performance expectation should be the most important consideration - if someone wants really sharp images free from the effect of tripod/camera vibration, looking at what the characteristics of the "ideal" tripod are, and being prepared to make some adjustments in expectations when price is factored in is a good, frugal approach. Most tripods under $200 aren't worth the money paid for them, and the source of frustration for many who make the mistake of buying one thinking it will help, and finding out otherwise.

Here is a comparison of the stability of a category of tripods that include some popular models from Manfrotto/MeFoto, Induro, Sirui and other tripods frequently recommend here:

https://thecentercolumn.com/rankings/travel-tripod-rankings/

The prices range from a MeFoto Backpack Air at $80 with an overall score of 87, to an $835 RRS TFC-14, with a score of 1363. Now to illustrate my point, LeoFoto has a $200 LS-284C that earns a score of 936. Someone with deep pockets would not be making a mistake getting the RRS, but someone who is looking for excellent value without compromising too much performance would be well served with the LeoFoto. Someone only looking at price would be making a mistake buying the MeFoto - only adding $80 to the price of the LeoFoto in the long run. In this listing of 26 travel tripods, the Leofoto gets the 4th highest score, and the MeFoto ranks 26th.

Leitz Loc: Solms

That's all just common sense, of course, but I fear we may be confusing the OP, who hasn't even bothered to say which 300mm Nikkor he has. Pretty hard to recommend anything with the paucity of information given.