Lightweight is good for the back, terrible for shooting. You want a stable platform. One that doesn't vibrate or sway with wind. I had one that was nice and sturdy, but the locking mechanisms on the legs were kind of crappy. They would creep just a bit so that I didn't notice it while standing there, but I could see the slight bluriness in the image after I got them developed. Go with Bogen, you won't be disappointed. A lot of tripods try to "look" like it, but once you set up a Bogen and feel the sturdiness of the platform, you'll understand why so many people swear by them. Yea, looking at Bogen's can give you sticker shock (especially if you look at one of the top of the line carbon fiber deals), but you can get a Bogen Manfrotto 3011/3025 combo (3011 legs - aka stick - and 3025 3D head with 3 axis locking movement) for under $135. That will support up to about 6.5lbs. Top of the tripod is at about 5' without extending column (over 6' with column extended). That's without the head on it. -=>Donald