The camera is a 12lb camera.

I want to get the good stuff....

Portability is not as important as, stability, smooth panning and easy setup / leveling.

Sorry if this is redundant and thanks in advance.

If you want smooth panning check out tripods with a fluid head.
Other than that I'm not really a Tripod wizard. Sorry. I hope
someone else will chime in with some more.

What type of work do you do mostly? The smaller Sachtler and Vinten tripods would be best, but they are pricey. I prefer the Vintens, better pans and tilts, as Rob pointed out. Miller and O'Connor also make respectable tripods that would compare favorably to Sachtler and Vinten. In the less expensive range (under $700) I like the Gitzo and Bogen models. Do a search by manufacture name and you'll see many posts extolling the virtues of each brand and model.