handycam cx380 zoom
 

I am enjoying my first camcorder which I purchased with a tripod (another Sony product, under $200) that has a remote that plugs into the camera, and fits nicely on the control arm of the head. Using the zoom to record images ( like the moon) I notice that even after I tighten the tilt and pan, the image is not stable, and wanders around in my view/display. I know that any movement is greatly exaggerated because of the zoom, (the cameras digital zoom is 'off') but is this wandering because of the tripod? Thanks for your help.

How about the fit of the camera to the tripod? Is it tight? There should also be a vertical/horizontal plate which may be loose.
Using the remote should keep down any camera movement.
Of course, if you are shooting the moon with a lot of zoom, you will find it moves a lot faster than you would expect, and you will need to keep adjusting your aim.