is 70-210/f4 too heavy for 5D?

hello guys,

Whenever I have this monter lens on my 5D, most of the time, i have one hand on the camera and one hand on the lens. I am afraid to break the camera lens mount if i mount the camera on tripod or hold the camera only when walking around.
Another questions

• Screen protection? any recommendation?
• Sandisk ultraII is slow or adequate? (temporary using 256MB ultraII) but the 1GB ExtremeIII is a bit pricey to me now.
• Viewfinder cover: i can't figure out how to attached that into the view finder to block the light as manual said.
• Where can i get the eyepiece corrector? I set the diopter to max and it seems ok but still prefer a little bit more. proabably +1.25 to 1.5

thanks guys.

The tele lens is OK if you handle the camera normally & don't swing it around recklessly. Make sure that any tripod is properly balanced on firm ground so that it doesn't tip - the camera mounts are strong enough however.

The ultra 2 will be very reasonable - it's just that the Extreme 3 is a bit faster.

Keith-C

Can't help with the other q's , but here are my thoughts on the weight question.

It is uncomfortable to shoot vertically with long lenses without a vertical grip, especially if the camera is light. It makes it hard to keep steady. It's MUCH MUCH more efficient to use a vertical grip for these types of shots.

If you shoot horizontally all of the time, then it's not so bad, but a grip still balances the camera a lot better with longer lenses.

If i try a 200mm lens on a maxxum 7 (film camera)with no grip , compared to using it on an 800si + grip. The 800si + grip is much much more comfortable. Too much shakiness trying to hold this setup vertically with no grip. The 5d is even smaller than the maxxum 7.

The irony is that you will get more shake with this anti-shake camera (vertical shots with long lenses), compared to a normal camera with a verrtical grip. Anti-shake won't help with dynamic subjects.

The grip is also great to use because i can change between vertical and horizontal shots in an instant and feel equally comfortable with either orientation.

One reason the 5d doesnt have a grip may be that by the time people buy all their lenses and flash etc, and get around to adding a grip, a new minolta dslr will be out, so a lot of people may prefer to get that instead of spending a few hundred on a grip. So minolta may have thought it wasn't worthwhile for them to make a grip -just guessing. ( A good way to get people to constantly upgrade anyways)

Having one hand on the lens, whatever the lens it may be is a good technique anyway to get used to. For additional balance, for using last second manual focus correction, for changing zoom, for pushing focus-hold button etc…

I think the concern still stands though if you were to shoot with a Tripod...old 70-210 f4 is a pretty big lens and I think its on the borderline of needing a Tripod mount on the lens...

Its a great lens so far for me doing handheld...but I don't know how well it'll fair on a tripod mounted on the 5D....

Because the lens is internal focussing, the camera and lens combination can in fact be more stable by using the lens as a grip or support.

Try it, have one hand under or around the lens barrel, whilst the other hand operates the shutter. I find that this is much more stable than having both hands around the camera body.

Max Zappa.

ctransj said:

hello guys,
Whenever I have this monter lens on my 5D, most of the time, i have
one hand on the camera and one hand on the lens. I am afraid to
break the camera lens mount if i mount the camera on tripod or hold
the camera only when walking around.

Click to expand...

I really love this lens (except for its mass...). Usually I support the lens by hand, but I think the 5D is strong enough to carry it alone.

ctransj said:

• Sandisk ultraII is slow or adequate? (temporary using 256MB

ultraII) but the 1GB ExtremeIII is a bit pricey to me now.

Click to expand...

I think it's adequate. There is a CF-speed database at http://www.dyxum.com and although there are only a few 5D contributions it seems there is only a small difference between the Ultra-II and Extreme-III. Ofcourse a lot depends on the type of photography you're doing, but I haven't had any troubles with the 1GB Ultra-II.

I use the el-cheapo SanDisk CF card with my 5D and it works fine. Save your money for something else.

I don't know how heavy the 70-210 f/4 is, but I doubt that it's as heavy as the 70-200 f/2.8 SSM. I've used that lens on my 5D numerous times on a tripod (sans collar) and it's perfectly fine. No problem.

Jay
http://www.jpwphoto.com

I once dropped a 300si which has a plastic lens mount, probably weaker than the 5D mount. It landed on the 35-70 kit lens which also has plastic mounting flanges. The flanges on the lens broke off but the camera was perfectly fine.

I'm sure as long as you don't drop the camera you have nothing to worry about. Of course not dropping the camera goes without saying... 8)

I also used to use the 70-210 f4 on that same 300si and never worried about it.

PS. I superglued the flanges back on that lens and that also still works great.

Its much much steadier with a grip. trust me I do always support the lens with my hand, and it feels pretty good shooting horizontally without a grip, especially on a slightly larger camera. I support the lens with my hand always regardless of whether i use the grip of not. I never hold both hands around the camera with a long lens.

The reason shooting vertically without a grip is unsteady is because you have to twist your hand right around to hit the shutter, and its not easy to hold that position for too long. With the vertical grip your arm can relax and you can rest your finger on the shutter naturally. That is the reason they make grips- In your case if it feels equally comfortable and steady for you,then the grip becomes obsolete for you. definately not for me . It also looks a LOT more subtle when you take a candid shot with a long lens with a vertical grip for vertical shots, compared to twisting your hand around to take a shot when you use no vertical grip.

Try To take shots with a long lens vertically for half an hour with a long lens and no grip, let alone for half a day.

For me the grip lets me shoot a lot more naturally and comfortably, especially with long lenses, so its VERY important.

yeah, the 5D lens mount is plastic but it has metal ring to enforce so hope it's not that fragile.