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The most important part of camera tripods is the head. This is the part which locks the camera in place and also allows you to adjust the tilt and pan of the camera. Of course, a camera tripod head is useless if you don’t also have sturdy tripod legs, a good center column and feet. But the camera tripod head is what is really going to make the most difference in your purchase decision and also the price of the tripod.

The basic tripod head is called the 3-way pan/tilt. These types of tripods get their name because they can be moved in 3 ways: forwards and backwards, rotated (panning), or tilted left to right. The movements are broken up into two different axes and a handle is used for controlling each axis. If you want to tilt your camera downwards and pan to the left, then you will have to adjust two handles. This usually involves loosening them, doing the movement, and then twisting the handles so they are locked in place again.

By contrast, ball head camera tripod heads are much easier and faster to use. They are also lighter and smaller. With a ball head tripod, the camera rests on a rotatable ball. There is just one knob which gets released and the ball can be moved in any direction, whether panning or tilting. These tripod heads are the best choice for almost all situations. However, you may want a 3-way pan/tilt head if you need to do precise photography on a specific tilt/pan plane, like setting an exact horizontal line.