handycam cx380 zoom

[quad]

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.

[VTphotog]

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.