> What I'm looking for is something in the middle- easy and quick to set up, > but very solid. Does such a set of sticks exist? > You might look into a Zone VI standard tripod, or a larger Ries tripod. Other options would be a series 5 Gitzo, or one of the really right stuff tripods. I have the zone VI, and with an Arca head I can take pretty good pictures with an 1800mm lens. (It's a Celestron telescope.)