3rd party source for lens tripod mounts?

01/27/2010 12:27:25 PM · #1

Wow. Nearly 200 bucks for a tripod mount ring for the 100mm f/2.8L IS.

I have a ring for the 80-200, but it's just a tiny bit smaller.

Anyone know if there are aftermarket sources for this kind of thing?

Doesn't quite seem like a ring that probably costs less than 2 bucks to make is really worth almost 200 bucks.

it is Tripod Ring mount D

Message edited by author 2010-01-27 12:39:28.

Samsung Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra

01/29/2010 11:46:52 AM · #2

I have found some that seem good, but the one thing that seems constant is that none of them ever say what ring type they are. Or at least none of them say that they are the type I am looking for. hrmph

Bear_Music

Sony 24-70mm f/4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

01/29/2010 02:10:41 PM · #3

An alternate approach is an L-bracket from Kirk or Really Right Stuff, which allows the rotation of the camera regardless of the lens mounted. They are pretty pricy, but still in the same ballpark as the lens-specific ring, but they work for all lenses.

Only caveat: you're still better off mounting big lenses with regular lens rings, which balance the load a lot better.

If I had the funds, I'd go in the L-bracket direction in a heartbeat. It's SO much easier to compose when the camera axis stays the same for both orientations.

R.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

01/29/2010 06:36:13 PM · #4

Well, you know, that *is* an L lens now, so expect the high price :-P
It's actually kind of a disappointment that Canon would not include a tripod mount on an L series macro lens, but then again none was included with its non-L predecessor either. I suppose that they think that because it's only 100mm, a ring is not really needed. I beg to differ. If they really need to charge extra for it, at least they could price it reasonably. It does have a bit of work in it. It's cast, then the inside diameter turned, then two holes bored and threaded, and I believe inserts put in to strengthen the threads, then the slot cut for clamping, paint... well, you get the picture. It's a production part, perhaps worth $50, but certainly not $200.

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

01/29/2010 07:20:48 PM · #5

What's the lens and camera combination cost, and what is it worth to have the proper item that will not allow it all to go bouncing off the tripod and over the cliff?
You could use a U bracket and a couple of radiator hose clamps if you want to do the cheap redneck version.

see

Canon PowerShot S95

01/29/2010 07:31:25 PM · #6

Most donâ��t think about the price of the tripod mount ring, check Ebay for a lens+ring, resell the lens..

benfica

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

01/29/2010 07:54:53 PM · #7

I have bought a few on Ebay and they are excellent. Just do some research by asking some buyers that have gotten them from that seller. Most of the time they are exactly the same or better. Canon are notorious for not including them and i refuse to pay %1000 markup for a Canon branded hood or ring.

Samsung Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra

01/29/2010 09:51:09 PM · #8

Kirbic - Actually, I see them made by chinese manufacturers and being sold retail for between 11 and 18 dollars.

The problem is that the "D" ring is not yet available.

Canon felt it a big enough concern to design and make a lens mount for it, so I think they feel it is needed.

FWIW, I work for a manufacturer and I could tell you that the initial cost for making something like this is probably around $800 US for the manufacturer. This is usually about the same regardless of whether it is made from plastic, metal or carbon fiber (although they aren't the same molds).

If a Chinese company can make them, ship them and retail them for 14 bucks US (see here), There's no reason that Canon should price them any higher than $40 bucks. Even still, it's wildly overpriced. True, the collar I have for the 80-200 does have a thread insert, but I don't actually have much more confidence in that than a cast iron direct tapped threads. Especially when we are talking about a primary tripod use of Macro shooting (as opposed to sports/people or whatever for the 80-200). It LOOKS like the thread insert is bonded into a hole drilled in the cast iron. So now the 'weakest link' is the glue.

Just about the only time I use the collar ring for the 80-200 is for monopod type (or tripod with an unlocked ballhead) usage anyhow. Even if I had a plastic collar, I wouldn't be worried so much about it because the camera would flop/fall down if I let go anyhow.

I'd still like the option of getting something that is reasonably priced.

MelonMusketeer - we are talking about a ring made from thick metal that holds a lens with an outer shell made from polycarbonate. I'm not too worried about it. Incidentally, I've done some looking around and found a number of places that discuss these items, but nobody has ever mentioned even having heard of an aftermarket collar breaking.

Even if it is a tiny possibility, the 100mm is probably the lightest lens that has such a collar - and the whole purpose of a lens collar is to get the mounting point closer to the center balance point, reducing stress and strain on the tripod mounting point. I just don't see the physics behind the worry about the strength of these lens mounts.

Anyhow, if I were worried about it hanging over a cliff, I'd use a strap or something to hang on to the tripod in the event that something snapped and fell. And I would be worried about something like that.

Bear - I didn't see any lens collar mounts by kirk - just L brackets. I did see the Really Right Stuff toys and boy did I drool! hehe. However, I have stuff in my camera bag that does something very similar (plus my custom L bracket mount... although I might buy a proper magnesium one for the 7D). Their device has the sweet bearing rotation system, but I'm having trouble rationalizing that at nearly 800 bucks. I stretched as far as I could for the lens.

The downside to all of that is that because of the versatility of that system, it is also much more complex, so it takes a lot more space in the camera bag and can take a lot more to get it properly configured. I would use something like that with more than one lens. The Lens collar is simpler and requires no adjustment. It slips into unused space in my camera bag with no trouble.

Bear_Music

Sony 24-70mm f/4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

01/29/2010 11:47:41 PM · #9

Originally posted by eschelar:

Even if it is a tiny possibility, the 100mm is probably the lightest lens that has such a collar - and the whole purpose of a lens collar is to get the mounting point closer to the center balance point, reducing stress and strain on the tripod mounting point. I just don't see the physics behind the worry about the strength of these lens mounts.

Actually, the real point of a tripod ring on a macro lens is so that you can switch from horizontal to vertical orientation without moving the center of the lens. It was the most-requested feature people wanted added to the 100mm macro. It's an absolute pain to have to readjust the tripod every time you flop over from H to V or vice versa. And every eighth of an inch is critical in macro work. The lens is neither long enough nor heavy enough to worry about balancing, I don't think.

R.