tbh I’d suggest the Gitzo GT2545T Series 2 Traveler Carbon Fiber Tripod with a Really Right Stuff BH-40 Ball Head. Carbon fiber dampens vibrations way better than aluminum, I guess? works great! gl

totally agree with the Leofoto tip! unfortunately I had issues with cheap legs before... they were not as good as expected with that heavy glass. for value, Benro Mach3 2 Series Carbon Fiber Tripod TMA28C is basically a Gitzo clone but cheaper. carbon is sooo much better for vibration dampening. or maybe the Manfrotto 055 Aluminum 3-Section Tripod MT055XPRO3 for stability? it's heavy for hiking tho. id go carbon... gl!

Late to the party, but I feel u. Honestly, I had issues with stability using lighter setups; they werent as good as expected. For hiking, I recommend the Peak Design Travel Tripod Carbon Fiber. For better wind resistance, try the Leofoto LS-324C Ranger Series Tripod with a Leofoto LH-40 Ball Head. Carbon's stiffness actually dampens vibrations better than aluminum, i guess? Which is key for that 45MP sensor. gl!

Had a moment to look at the specs again. You really need to consider the leg diameter and apex design for that 45MP sensor. Smaller legs just wont cut it with that glass.

• ProMediaGear TR344L Pro-Stix Carbon Fiber Tripod. This uses 34mm top leg sections which provides massive torsional rigidity. It is basically essential when you have the 28-70mm glass hanging off the front. The machined aluminum apex is significantly better for long-term durability than cast parts used by cheaper brands.
• Colorado Tripod Company Centennial 2-Series Carbon Fiber. This one is better for hiking. I would suggest checking the weight rating carefully tho, as the R5 setup gets heavy fast. It uses 10-layer carbon fiber which helps with those micro-vibrations that ruin high-res shots. Make sure to look at a solid head like the Kirk BH-1 Ball Head. Be careful with lighter heads because they tend to creep under the weight of the RF series lenses over time. I have seen it happen a lot... it is frustrating when you are doing 30-second exposures.

Regarding what #7 said about Had a moment to look at the specs... he is totally right about that leg diameter. Ive tried many setups over the years and for a 45MP sensor like the R5, you really cant cheat physics. The general consensus here seems to be:

• Carbon fiber is the only way to go for vibration damping.
• Thick legs (34mm range) are non-negotiable for that heavy glass.
• Apex design matters just as much as the legs for stability. Tbh if you want the actual hard data and lab results, just Google The Center Column tripod reviews. They have a massive spreadsheet that ranks everything by stiffness and damping scores. There is also a really solid YouTube channel that did a deep dive on this exact topic recently, just search for carbon fiber tripod vibration tests and it should be the first thing that pops up. It is way more detailed than what we can type out here... definitely worth a look before you drop a grand on legs.

Saved for later, ty!

Jumping in here... basically, everyone is right about carbon fiber being a must for that 45MP sensor, especially with the 28-70 brick! Aluminum just doesn't handle micro-jitters as well as high-modulus carbon when ur shooting long exposures. Looking at the current market, there are two high-end brands that haven't been mentioned yet but are legendary for stability: * FLM CP34-L4 II 10-Layer Carbon Fiber Tripod - Honestly, these have some of the best weight-to-load ratios out there. It's German engineering that's arguably stiffer than the Gitzo alternatives but way more packable for hikes. Super solid in the wind.
* Novoflex TrioPod Carbon Fiber Legs - If u want something modular, this is it. You can actually swap the legs out depending on the terrain. The machining is top-tier and the vibration dampening is insane for that R5 resolution. For the head, if ur trying to save weight but need it to hold that heavy RF glass rock-solid, check out the Acratech GP Ballhead. It's an open design so dirt doesn't get trapped, which is great for landscape work! gl with the search...

Same boat, watching this

Coming back to this... honestly, you gotta be careful with the weight distribution. That 28-70 is a beast and its front-heavy. I learned the hard way that even a decent carbon set can tip if the head isnt beefy enough. Tbh I would suggest looking at these specific points:

• Make sure the head has a dedicated friction control. I switched to the Sunwayfoto XB-52 Low Profile Ball Head and it finally stopped that annoying lens creep when angling the R5 down.
• For hiking near water or sand, the Sirui ST-124 Waterproof Carbon Fiber Tripod is a solid middle ground. It has sealed twist locks so gunk doesnt get inside the legs during landscape shoots.
• Watch out for plate size. Some travel tripods have tiny mounting platforms that dont support the width of the R5 body well, especially with an L-bracket. I tried a cheaper ball head once and it literally sagged under the weight of that glass... wont make that mistake again.