That customers will notice a bad tripod before a lower-quality camera make sense, too. Better to buy a pro tripod and upgrade the camera later, it seems.
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That's insane!
Customers don't go around inspecting tripods and most of them don't go around inspecting cameras either and none of them ask you which software you edit with contrary to some of the delusional opinions often expressed by some on this forum.

A tripod is used to steady the shots and smooth out the pans and tilts and that's about it. It all depends upon what you can afford in terms of which tripod to pick. There are ways to steady cheaper tripods. I did it with a Velbon before I bought the Bogen outfit by hanging a sock filled with porcelain grinding nuggets from the center. It really made a difference and it didn't scare any customers away. (I used a dress sock just to make sure).
I heard the same dopey arguments when it came to equipment cases until some of them lost their equipment to thieves. Then they were advocating beat up cases as a sort of camouflage because they didn't attract the attention of thieves. Think in terms of PRACTICAL and ignore the paranoia.

A crappy camera is hard to fudge though. If the camera has limitations it's often the size of the CCDs that set them apart. Commonly consumer cams have evolved from a 1/3 CCD to a 1/4 CCD and now to a 1/6 CCD. That is why I maintain (arguably) that yesterday's Hi8 camera (with it's 1/3 CCD) had a better image than today's MiniDV cameras with their puny 1/6 CCD. They simply can't gather as much light.
So they are digital......Big Deal! They are fuzzy as the light dims and the distance increases, especially under artificial or contrasty light. The better ones typically start with Three 1/3 CCDs. If you can afford it, buy one of those and worry about a better tripod later.

John