Welcome to AP.

I went through this process some years back and did a write up on the exercise.

http://www.ausphotography.net.au/for...ripod_and_head

One thing I can assure you of is that there is no such thing as 'a good cheap tripod and head' Why would you trust $4000+ worth of gear on a cheap tripod/head set-up.

As Rick mentioned, the Manfrotto 055 range is good quality, built to last and will likely outlive the camera.

I actually settled on the Manfrotto 055CXPRO3, the carbon fibre model. Would I buy it again? Absolutely, because after about 11 years of being carted all over the place, mainly chasing birds in the scrub, it is still in tip top condition, both mechanically and cosmetically.

I decided to pair it with a Markins ballhead and was so impressed with it that I've acquired a second one.

Neither are cheap but this is one area where you really do get what you pay for. One of the cheaper ballheads I bought was rated at 15kg and it was fine if it was perfectly upright. But even with only 2.5kg on it, if moved even a tad off the vertical plane, it would slowly droop, leaving you with a dreadful blurry picture. As I commented in the article, it took me three tries, and about $900 in todays money, to realise that this is one area where cheap isn't really an option.