Having the best tools for the job should be the primary concern for a photographer. Important is the ability for your gear to function the way you expect to in a dependable, consistent, and repeatable fashion. I don’t always get this with my Canon 5d Mk II.
So I think I’ve found a good system that features a leveling center column for about $500 dollars. Manfrotto does make high quality items, and at a price that is affordable to most photographers. With this setup, it should be easy to maximize the quality of the video you capture from your 5d Mk II.