RF 100-500 tripod collar won’t lock down lens

I have a problem with the tripod collar on my RF 100-500 lens. The collar will not lock down tight enough to keep the lens from rotating. This is causing me no end of grief while tracking fast moving birds. As I pan the camera to follow birds the lens rotates within the collar causing the horizon to be tilted from one shot to the next. I can’t screw the knob down any tighter to prevent the rotation. Has anyone here encountered this issue with this style tripod ring? If so, were you able to do anything to correct it? I’ve had the lens for 14 months now and have CarePak coverage on it. Is the collar something that Canon would repair or replace under the CarePak coverage?

drippinDodger said:

I have a problem with the tripod collar on my RF 100-500 lens. The collar will not lock down tight enough to keep the lens from rotating. This is causing me no end of grief while tracking fast moving birds. As I pan the camera to follow birds the lens rotates within the collar causing the horizon to be tilted from one shot to the next. I can’t screw the knob down any tighter to prevent the rotation. Has anyone here encountered this issue with this style tripod ring? If so, were you able to do anything to correct it? I’ve had the lens for 14 months now and have CarePak coverage on it. Is the collar something that Canon would repair or replace under the CarePak coverage?

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No problems here with my lens, I would take it back to where you purchased it or send it to Canon seeing as you have Carepak cover.

Just a thought has the tightening screw snapped or is it bent ? I would take off the tripod collar and check it out. Maybe leave the collar off whilst you are shooting BIF shots.

Thanks for the reply. No, the pin does not appear to be bent and travels smoothly in and out while turning the knob.

‘I have the camera on a tripod so that I can keep my hands in my coat pockets when not actively shooting. It was 10° F before dawn yesterday morning and my fingers were so numb that it was hard to tell when I was pushing buttons on the camera.

drippinDodger said:

I have a problem with the tripod collar on my RF 100-500 lens. The collar will not lock down tight enough to keep the lens from rotating. This is causing me no end of grief while tracking fast moving birds. As I pan the camera to follow birds the lens rotates within the collar causing the horizon to be tilted from one shot to the next. I can’t screw the knob down any tighter to prevent the rotation. Has anyone here encountered this issue with this style tripod ring? If so, were you able to do anything to correct it? I’ve had the lens for 14 months now and have CarePak coverage on it. Is the collar something that Canon would repair or replace under the CarePak coverage?

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Can't help you with the warranty but I would assume if something is broken, it should be covered by the CarePak. I have not seen anyone having this problem before on the forum.

A couple of quick questions just to make sure it is broken. When I put my collar on with the screw back all the way out, the collar is starting to grip. The mechanism is so simple that there are only a few failure mechanisms and I doubt the band has stretched.

• Are the 4 silver foam gripper strips on the inside of the collar still there and in good shape? It sounds like you take the unit out in some bad weather and maybe the glue came off.
• Does anything look bent or broken? Has the screw's pin worn a hole in the little ramp that tightens it?

BTW, I was wondering if you put the 70-200 collar on the RF100-500. It turns out that it will fit (if your light it up with the groove) and will grip the lens (I don't know if it will damage anything so I would not do this in practice).

Not normal to be sure. When I crank my collar down there is NO chance you can move it whatsoever no matter what. Sounds like a flaw in manufacture.

When I first got my 100-500 I thought the collar was properly attached, but the tightening knob never "bottomed out". I was walking with a sling attached when the collar came open, & the lens + my R5 dropped to the ground. Luckily it was just a about two feet onto grass, so no damage other than a slight hood nick.

I determined that the collar had not been closed to the degree that the "tightening point" was fully over the detent.

I would suggest removing the collar from the lens, and close it until it clicks, indicating the locking position. If having done that it still doesn't fully tighten down to a "stop", there is likely a defect.

Karl,

The four strips inside the collar are intact and in good shape. I have used it in cold weather - it has seen some very light rain/snow/sleet a couple of times. I use a rain sleeve whenever I've been in conditions that would cause more than a light spotting here and there.

Nothing is bent or broken, the collar fits correctly and nothing appears unusual.

The collar for the 70-200 is a different part number (Ring E), I did try to place it on the 100-500 (which uses Ring F) but it didn't seem to fit and I wasn't going to try to force it onto the lens barrel.

The pin that compresses the ring is not bent. I can advance and retract the pin by turning the knob and see that it does not appear to change shape as it moves in and out.

See attached photos of the tripod collar.

Thanks for the response. I'm here at Bosque del Apache with two fellow photo club members that each have the R5 and RF 100-500. Their lenses do no rotate within the collars when they tighten the knobs on theirs.

This is a view of the knob and ring mounted on my RF 100-500.



This is what the ring on my RF 70-200 looks like. It does not move in the slightest when the knob is tightened.

If it is not moving, then something is broken with the pin mechanism or the "ramp" inside has been grooved out (doubtful). I'm guessing the mechanism inside the screw know is broken. It is obviously not a simple screw as it ratchets when you back it out all the way.

When you back the pin all the way out, does it still "click?"

With the lens installed the gap, you show in the picture below is about 2.6mm. When tightened, the gap is about 0.6mm. If you take the ring off the lens, close the ring, and tighten the screw, the gap will close to zero.

With the ring off of the lens, you should be able to see the pin move in and out. You might try resisting the movement with say a screwdriver blade to see if it can exert any force. My guess is that the ratching mechanism may be messed up.

For reference, below I show the ring with the screw backed all the way out until it ratchets and then with the screw all the way tightened.

Good luck but I think you will probably require it to be repaired.







While I am not recommending it the RF70-200's collar ring will definitely fit on the RF100-500. I know is it not "proper." To get it to fit, you have to line the raised part of the collar's ring with the groove where the normal collar goes. It will not work in reverse as the RF100-500 collar won't fit on the RF70-200. Below is a picture of the RF70-200 collar on the RF100-500

drippinDodger said:

This is a view of the knob and ring mounted on my RF 100-500.



This is what the ring on my RF 70-200 looks like. It does not move in the slightest when the knob is tightened.

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drippinDodger said:

Thanks for the response. I'm here at Bosque del Apache with two fellow photo club members that each have the R5 and RF 100-500. Their lenses do no rotate within the collars when they tighten the knobs on theirs.

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Since you have access to two other lenses, can you switch around parts to see where your problem lies, e.g., put your tripod collar on one of their lenses and see if it works? Then put one of their tripod collars on your lens to see if it works?

If the "pin" is not directly over the detent, then it will be too high for the threads to engage. If the pin is directly over the detent, and the threads still won't engage that would suggest that it's cross-treaded.

With the collar removed from the lens: If it closes fully, and the threads engage, and it tightens down properly, then "something" is preventing it from fully closing to the "lock" position upon installation onto the lens.

The only other possibility that comes to mind is with the spring-loaded knob. When it's lifted it is not engaging, and if something is preventing it from lowering properly to the engaged position when released, it will just free wheel & never tighten down.

Leigh A. Wax said:

If the "pin" is not directly over the detent, then it will be too high for the threads to engage. If the pin is directly over the detent, and the threads still won't engage that would suggest that it's cross-treaded.

With the collar removed from the lens: If it closes fully, and the threads engage, and it tightens down properly, then "something" is preventing it from fully closing to the "lock" position upon installation onto the lens.

The only other possibility that comes to mind is with the spring-loaded knob. When it's lifted it is not engaging, and if something is preventing it from lowering properly to the engaged position when released, it will just free wheel & never tighten down.

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Thanks for your comments.

When I put the collar on the lens with the pin fully retracted I can feel it snap as the pin clears the inclined portion of the detent. The knob will advance and retract through its full range of motion when mounted to the lens.

When I loosen the knob on the collar and back it all the way off it clicks when it reaches the end of its range of travel.

With the collar off of the lens and the knob retracted the collar will close completely.



Tightening the knob on the collar until it stops when it's off the lens sees the side with the detent depressed.



Inspection of the pin as the knob is turned shows that the profile does not wobble as it would if it were bent. It extends and retracts without any change in profile.



Canon responded to my email about the collar not locking down firmly to the lens barrel and wants me to send the entire lens to a service center. I'll wait until early next week before I send it to them so that I'm not trying to ship during the last minute push for Christmas deliveries.

drippinDodger said:

When I put the collar on the lens with the pin fully retracted I can feel it snap as the pin clears the inclined portion of the detent. The knob will advance and retract through its full range of motion when mounted to the lens.

When I loosen the knob on the collar and back it all the way off it clicks when it reaches the end of its range of travel.

With the collar off of the lens and the knob retracted the collar will close completely.

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That looks different than my collar with the pin retracted. Whether the screw is in or out there, the top-bottom gap (as these two pictures show looks the same. You can move the ring left and right with the screw out, but NOT up and down (as the picture is oriented). It suggests that the pin opposite the clasp or the hole the pin goes through is messed up.

Below is a picture of the mount with the screw backed all the way out and the ring spread. Note there is still a gap, whereas your has no gap when the screw is back out.


Quick picture with the screw backed all the way out. Note the gaps on both sides.

drippinDodger said:

Tightening the knob on the collar until it stops when it's off the lens sees the side with the detent depressed.



Inspection of the pin as the knob is turned shows that the profile does not wobble as it would if it were bent. It extends and retracts without any change in profile.
Canon responded to my email about the collar not locking down firmly to the lens barrel and wants me to send the entire lens to a service center. I'll wait until early next week before I send it to them so that I'm not trying to ship during the last minute push for Christmas deliveries.

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I would suggest pressing on why they need the lens as well. Nothing good will happen to the lens with an unnecessary round trip via shipping. I also like the suggestion of finding someone else with the same collar so you can compare side by side.

drippinDodger said:

When I loosen the knob on the collar and back it all the way off it clicks when it reaches the end of its range of travel.

With the collar off of the lens and the knob retracted the collar will close completely.

the detent depressed.



Inspection of the pin as the knob is turned shows that the profile does not wobble as it would if it were bent. It extends and retracts without any change in profile.

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Here are shots of mine closed down tight Off and On the lens.





Note the above, On-lens image: If it's functioning properly, you can visually see the pin extend down until it tightens fully down.

Unfortunately I have the same issue. I’m disappointed to come here and find that I’ll likely have to send my lens way to canon as it’s brand new. Sometimes the collar closes tighter than others but never tight enough to stop it from rotating on the lens. With the collar off the camera and in the fully closed position it appears to be fully closed but I can pull it apart 1 or 2mm with my hands pretty easily.

JiggyB said:

Unfortunately I have the same issue. I’m disappointed to come here and find that I’ll likely have to send my lens way to canon as it’s brand new. Sometimes the collar closes tighter than others but never tight enough to stop it from rotating on the lens. With the collar off the camera and in the fully closed position it appears to be fully closed but I can pull it apart 1 or 2mm with my hands pretty easily.

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Yes, I have the same issue with the collar. It is a new lens and the collar closes just fine while off the lens but won't close up when on the lens. I just took off the collar to hand hold while shooting birds. For the life of me, I can't figure out how to get the collar to fit. I actually got it to tighten once, but then wondered how I could go from landscape to portrait if the collar was tight. I'm back to not being able to put it on at all.

I contacted Canon (shortly after posting my original message on the forum here) about the tripod collar on my lens. The response that I got from them was that I'd have to send the entire lens to a service center. I had contacted them during the holiday season and didn't want to bother trying to ship something during the high demand holiday season so just put off sending it off to the service until last week. It took about a week and a half to get my lens returned to me. The documentation in the box with the lens when it was returned stated that the tripod collar wasn't covered under the limited warranty and they had replaced it as a courtesy. I had CarePak coverage on the lens which should have covered the cost of the repair should they have decided to charge for the replacement. It cost me roughly $100 to ship and insure the lens when I sent it to them.

drippinDodger said:

I contacted Canon (shortly after posting my original message on the forum here) about the tripod collar on my lens. The response that I got from them was that I'd have to send the entire lens to a service center. I had contacted them during the holiday season and didn't want to bother trying to ship something during the high demand holiday season so just put off sending it off to the service until last week. It took about a week and a half to get my lens returned to me. The documentation in the box with the lens when it was returned stated that the tripod collar wasn't covered under the limited warranty and they had replaced it as a courtesy. I had CarePak coverage on the lens which should have covered the cost of the repair should they have decided to charge for the replacement. It cost me roughly $100 to ship and insure the lens when I sent it to them.

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Wow that's a strange occurrence. My tripod collar on my 100-500 is tight as a buss butt at fly time. Strange how it would have issues.

I am also very unhappy with the RF 100-500 tripod collar. It is very hard to lock down so it doesn't slide around. If left slightly loose, it is likely to break open and your lens would end up on the ground. I really hate this collar. I've had many Canon telephotos and none before ever caused a problem. Who came up with this awful design???