There are many different types of tripods out there. You need to carefully identify which type of tripod works with the type of photography you shoot.
In all honesty, the first thing I did was take down the tripods my favorite photographers use. I then filter the photographers with my similar style. Once I identified the tripod that matches my style, I conducted further research. The research consists of reading multiple reviews on various reputable photography websites. Make sure you also check out forums discussing the selected tripod as you get the most candid of reviews on the forums.
I hope the filtering process discussed above helps you locate the type of tripod perfect for you. The process above helped me with the selection of the Manfrotto 055MF4 and the Manfrotto 486RC2 ball head.
