honestly man, the struggle is real with those high-res sensors. i had the same headache when i moved up in megapixels and my old manfrotto just couldnt hack it anymore. you definitely want to ditch the center column for good. its basically just a giant tuning fork for vibrations when the wind picks up on the coast. i switched over to a systematic style and ive been super satisfied with the results. ive been using the Leofoto LM-364C Summit Series Carbon Fiber Tripod for about a year now and i have zero complaints. its incredibly stiff and way cheaper than going the gitzo route which left me enough room in the budget for a proper head. leg thickness is 100% the key here... those 36mm tubes make a massive difference compared to the skinnier stuff you usually find on travel sticks. for the head, i went with the Leofoto LH-55 Low Profile Ball Head and it holds my heavy glass dead still even in a stiff breeze. quick tip for oregon tho... since youre gonna be in the sand and wind, make sure you get a set of stainless steel spikes. the rubber feet just slide around on wet sand and that tiny bit of movement will ruin your shots. also, always use a 2-second timer or a remote. even just touching the shutter button is enough to blur things on that sensor. its a beast but totally worth it when you finally nail the stability.

Been through the ringer with the a7R series since the mark II, and man, the jump to those higher resolutions really does expose every little shortcut we try to take. I remember a trip to the Redwoods where I thought my setup was solid, only to get home and realize half my long exposures had this weird ghosting from wind hitting my camera strap. Its a steep learning curve for sure. Before you drop a grand tho, what lenses are you planning to pack for Oregon? If youre bringing a heavy 70-200mm or a long prime, that changes the math on the tripod head quite a bit compared to shooting wide. Here are a couple setups Ive tested that handle that high-res sensor well:

• Gitzo GT3543LS Systematic Series 3 Carbon Fiber: This is the gold standard for a reason. The carbon weave they use is specifically designed to soak up those micro-vibrations. It is pricey and might eat most of your budget, but its basically a buy-it-for-life item.
• FLM CP34-L4 II 10x Carbon Fiber: Honestly, Ive been super impressed with these lately. Theyre incredibly stiff and actually feel more rugged than the Gitzos in some ways. They leave you a bit more room in the budget for a better head too. The Gitzo has better name recognition and resale value, but the FLM feels like a more modern piece of kit. Either way, definitely skip the center column for that coastal wind. Its just a vibration magnet in those conditions.

Building on the earlier suggestion, leg thickness definitely matters but people often forget the feet. In my experience, even beefy legs fail if theyre sinking into sand. Over the years, Ive seen micro-vibrations come straight from the plate interface. Ive tried many setups where a heavy-duty leveling base was more stable than a ball head since it lowers the center of gravity. Just watch out for cheap alloys that flex... that sensor sees everything.