Yes, the head is important, I would say equally as important.. While a heavy beast on a heavy beast of a pod, the Ries double tilt head is a fine platform for my 8x10. Relatively low profile (keeping the camera near the apex formed by the legs) and a large platform for the camera to attach to (metal to wood in my case).
In a studio or flatland situation where the camera could be kept very close to level, going without the head altogether would most likely be the most stable set-up...but impractical in the field for me as I often have the camera tilted up or down beyond the rise/fall capabilities of the camera and coverage of the lens.
Vaughn
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