Suggest a suitable head for my manfrotto tripod?

I'm planning to get a Manfrotto Tripod (Model 055xProB) specially because I love its horizontal arm. Now that I'm decided on this model, I'm looking for a suitable head to use on the tripod.

Looking forward to your suggestions…

Additional Info: I have a Nikon D5000 + a battery grip and I will be using the set up with Sigma 10-20mm or Nikon 55-200 or few portrait prime lenses. Also, I intend to use it for macro lenses in future.

Heads come in various sizes and shapes, and they have as much to do with personal preference as any other part of photography.

But…

look for a head with a quick disconnect. A Swiss-Arca compatible head would be the best, as that makes it easier to attach things like macro slide rails later on. Many Manfrotto heads are not Swiss-Arca compatible, although some are. Swiss-Arca is a dovetail type head, and probably the best bang for the buck are Giottos heads.

They are not the best by any means, but they may be the best for the money. But they also make some non Swiss-Arca compatible heads, so you have to do a bit of comparison.

The high end heads include Really Right Stuff, Gitzo, Kirk, Novaflex, and a few others. But you could spend more for those than what your camera cost. Personally, I think they are a bit overpriced.

I have a cheapie Smith Victor BH2 that works pretty well for most needs, and it was <$100.It's semi Swiss-Arca compatible, especially if you remove the safety catch (but then your camera could fall off the head if you loosen the wrong knob).

And buy a couple extra plates if you can afford to.

I prefer a 2-way ball head, but that is just my preference. In a ball head, a 1-way head adjusts everything with one lever - the ball tilt orientation and the panning (left to right azimuth).In a 2-way ball-head, the ball tilt and panning are independent, so those are more suited for landscapes and panoramas.

If you do a lot of video, you will probably not want a ball head, you will want a "video" head with a handle on it so you can pan and tilt by using a handle rather than the camera.

Also consider overbuying a head. If your camera and lens weighs 7lbs, buy a head with a 20lb capacity. It never hurts to have a "beefier" head, but a lightweight head can be hard to use.

http://www.althephoto.com

I'm using a Vanguard SBH-200 on my 055xPROB and it is a great head for the price. It is smooth and locks tight.

When I was looking for a tripod setup, I took my camera with my biggest lens (camera/lens/flash is ~7.25 pounds) into the local camera shop and narrowed my leg choices down to the 055xpro and then started trying the different heads within my budget (at the time it was ~$250 for legs and head). I figured the legs would last my lifetime and I could upgrade the head when I needed/wanted to.

I second what AWboater said.

I use Really Right Stuff heads and they are absolutely the best.