Yes, you need a good sturdy tripod with a fluid head (or gear head, but those are prohibitively expensive for most people).
However, there are budget options available. My tripod was just under $200, but is comparable to a $500-600 manfroto.. I've got an e-Image EI717, they're available on ebay for cheap, and I really can't recommend them enough for the quality you get at the low price point. In fact, I just did a quick search, and there's a seller with a 100% positive feedback rating selling these for about $150 including shipping. I know I paid at least $180 without shipping a few years ago.