tripod weight (head and legs)

For those who have had many different setups through the years, whats your take on the weight of a tripod and head? Aside from brand, Is it worth the extra money for less weight? This tripod is for nightscapes, maybe weddings down the road. Just an around good tripod that im going to WANT to take out. Unlike what I have now.

I know there are compromises when it comes to weight vs sturdiness .

Is there a big difference from a 3.5lbs setup and a 5lbs setup. I may sound naive, which I am, but figure Id ask the experts before dropping $700-$800.

Its difficult to explain to someone who hasn't experienced it, but yes, even a pound makes a noticeable difference, especially when you're doing things like hiking.

Its tough deciding. I mean a 4.5-5.5lbs setup for $400 or a 3.3-3.5 for $700-800. Really comes down to weather or not its worth the savings for lighter legs.

Well generally the heavier tripods are aluminum and the lighter ones are carbon fiber and the difference there isn't just weight. Carbon fiber absorbs & dampens vibration better than aluminum and that should be important to you if you're shooting long exposures at night. I bought a Gitzo 3541LS specifically for that purpose and it's ridiculous overkill for my current equipment but I do not regret that purchase one bit.

I stopped using aluminum tripods about 5 or 6 years ago and now understand why people upgrade their tripods; modern tripods are a world away from even 10 year-old models in terms of stability and usability. You can get terrific values in brands like Benro and Feisol and Gitzo legs generally sell at a deep discount in December/January.

I mean, I guess it really comes down to how you intend to use the support setup. If youre going to live in a studio then by all means get a 20 lb support system and go super stable! Who cares? Youre not going to be moving it much anyway. Conversely, if you are going to be hiking, taking landscape or nature shots, believe me, 4lbs can be too heavy!