The quest for the most effective tripod is underway and it currently pointing me to choose one that is stable yet lightweight enough to carry around all the time. However, carrying one around all the time may just be too troublesome for some. A good choice will be the Manfrotto 055CXPRO3 055 CF TRIPOD-Q90-3 SECTION.
How about those times when carrying a tripod is just too tedious? In these situation, you must observe the basic focal length formula to ensure sharp images while shooting hand held. For example, while shooting at 50mm, a bare minimal shutter speed must be maintained at 1/60 second or faster. At 100mm, your shutter speed must be at least 1/125 second. This way, you will ensure sharp images are maintained consistently. Of course the VR engine of the kit lens will assist a few stops better but you should follow the above rule of thumb whenever possible.