OMG Iceland is going to be amazing!! You definitely need to ditch that plastic tripod immediately tho lol. I made the same mistake years ago on a trip to the coast and I still cry thinking about the blurry shots I brought home. That high megapixel sensor on the a7R VI is absolutely brutal if there is even a tiny vibration from the wind or your hands. Seriously, you want carbon fiber because it absorbs those micro-shakes way better than aluminum or plastic ever could. Plus its way easier to carry when youre hiking around in the cold. Since you have a $450 budget, you can get something that punches way above its weight class. I have been using the Leofoto LS-324C Ranger Series Carbon Fiber Tripod for ages and it is a literal tank. It doesnt have a center column, which sounds weird but it actually makes it much more stable in the wind because the legs meet at a solid apex instead of a wobbly pole. I paired mine with the Leofoto LH-40 Low Profile Ball Head and it holds my heavy glass without any creep at all. Just make sure to hang your backpack from the little hook underneath when the wind really starts howling! It is a total game changer for long exposures of the aurora. Youll be so glad you spent the money when you see those sharp stars!

^ This. Also, what lens you using... weight really matters tho!

• Manfrotto 055 Carbon Fiber 3-Section Tripod: Amazing rigidity but heavy.
• Benro Mach3 2 Series Carbon Fiber: Fantastic dampening! Quite short.