Lets say a prayer for 'Chelle's tripod.... cheap, plastic and a piece of crap.... still it served it's purpose for a good many years.

I've been putting off buying a new one for a good long while pushing this old one to it's limits.... hmmm, what happens when you put 4 1/2 pounds of camera and lens on a cheap plastic head? Why it snaps right off at the joint....

So now I need to buy a new tripod and I think I've narrowed it down to the model that I'd like (having read good things about it on photo.net), but it comes with two different heads.... the difference being about $20 in price. Not a big deal, the only thing is I'm not very knowledgable about tripods all that much and don't understand the difference between a ball head and a pan/tilt head.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of each type....and which of these two would you recommend were you to pick between the two?

Bogen/Manfrotto Pan/Tilt Head
or

Bogen/Manfrotto Ball Head

I am, therefore I create.......
--- michelleamarante.com