Photographers: Tripod Recommendations Please

[joeychitwood]

I posted this question in the Photography forum and received no responses, so hopefully the Lounge photo experts will have some opinions.

After using the same cheap, wobbly tripod for almost 20 years, it is time to purchase a new one. I most often shoot with a Nikon D70 and a Nikkor AF-S DX 18-200mm f/3.3~5.6G IF-ED lens. I occasionally use my Nikon FE2 35mm SLR with a bulky Nikon MD-12 motor drive and several long lenses. I also use a Nikon SB-600 flash unit, so the entire setup can be somewhat heavy.

I want a tripod that is quick and easy to set up and take down and is stable on many different surfaces. I don't use one often, but I'd like to make this my LAST tripod purchase.

Please suggest a decent, fairly lightweight and stable tripod in the $200-400 range.