I suggest you go to a website like www.manfrotto.com and study the different
types of tripods they have. That will give you a good idea of the types of
features that you are looking for. Then take that knowledge and start to
look at different companies that make tripods. A good place to check for
different manufacturers is on the B&H website. Unfortunately, the B&H
website isn't a very good learning tool anymore now that every brand is
lumped into a single, often vague, category. The frames also seem slow to
me. Anywho...once you have figured out what you are looking for, learned
what the different manufacturers offer, taken the advice from here, and
checked the http://photo.net website discussions, you should be able to pick
the tripod you want. The next part is finding a way to pay for it :-)
I'm not sure what you like to shoot, but if you like macro work then you
can't go wrong with the Bogen 3021 Pro or 3001 Pro (never seen the latter,
but it looks good). Bogen also makes what looks to be a nice gear head
('compact gear head' - 3275), which would be great for macro or making sure
you get your lines straight with the 24 shift. It's a bit pricey $163.00
for your budget but a steal if you compare it to Arca-Swiss. If you have
the money, then there are always carbon fiber tripods.
I would never buy a tripod that had legs which attach to the center column.
They are faster to set up on level ground, but the independent legs are a
must if you go anywhere with uneven ground. Well, not exactly, but you
spend your time getting the leg length rather than just moving one out or in
a little bit to get the right height.
Anyway, I hope this helps. Check the archives b/c this topic comes up
frequently. Also be sure have a look at photo.net.
--p.j.
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