Is an XTi Strong Enough to Handle Heavy Lenses?

[TomBrooklyn]

Is an XTi up to handling heavy lenses as far as the strength of the body where the lens mounts?

In particular, I'm wondering about the Canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS on an XTi.

 

[aayjay]

I use it with the Canon 500mm f/4 lens with a TC all the time. I use it with and without a tripod. No problems.

Alan

 

[Jim Cassatt]

I use my 300D with a 400 mm f5.6L. Just be sure to support the lens with you hand, or when you mount it on a tripod use a tripod collar.

Jim
http://www.pbase.com/jcassatt

 

[ledittmar]

If the tele is heavy, it should have a tripod socket. Mount the lens on the tripod, not the camera.

 

[TomBrooklyn]

For comparison...

75-300 1.1 lb
70-300 f/4-5.6 IS 1.4 lb
70-300 f/4-5.6 IS DO 1.6 lb
70-200 f/4L 1.6 lb
70-200 f/4L IS 1.7 lb

70-200 f/2.8L IS 3.7 lb
This lens weighs more than twice that of the next heaviest one.
Too much weight for an XTi ?

 

[TomBrooklyn]

I use my 300D with a 400 mm f5.6L. Just be sure to support the
lens with your hand.

Hi Jim,

The 400 5.6L is actually lighter than the 70-200 f/2.8L but it's in the ballpark at 2.8 lbs. I can hold the lens when I'm taking a shot, but what about walking around with this lens attached? Sometimes I will have to run to run to catch a shot with two cameras hanging off my neck etc. Do you think it's up to that?

 

[marsbar]

If the tele is heavy, it should have a tripod socket. Mount the
lens on the tripod, not the camera.

This is what ledittmar means:



Now the question is will the lens support the camera... yes it will.

 

[TomBrooklyn]

I use it with the Canon 500mm f/4 lens with a TC all the time. I
use it with and without a tripod. No problems.

Hi Alan,

Well that lens at 8.3 lbs weighs a lot more than the one I'm thinking of getting.

 

[SteveDuff]

I use my 300D with a 400 mm f5.6L. Just be sure to support the
lens with your hand.

Hi Jim,
The 400 5.6L is actually lighter than the 70-200 f/2.8L but it's in
the ballpark at 2.8 lbs. I can hold the lens when I'm taking a
shot, but what about walking around with this lens attached?
Sometimes I will have to run to run to catch a shot with two
cameras hanging off my neck etc. Do you think it's up to that?

So you really want to know if the camera strap fixings will support the lens/body combo? They sound like the weak part of the whole setup, to me.

 

[Boo Boo]

 

[liquidstone]

Is an XTi up to handling heavy lenses as far as the strength of the
body where the lens mounts?

In particular, I'm wondering about the Canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS on an
XTi.

--



Philippine Wild Birds - http://www.pbase.com/liquidstone
(Over 240 species captured in habitat, and counting.)

 

[liquidstone]

... in posting this photo?

--



Philippine Wild Birds - http://www.pbase.com/liquidstone
(Over 240 species captured in habitat, and counting.)

 

[Brit]

I use a semi-permanently borrowed 70-200/2.8IS (from a friend) with my XTi for motorsports, airshows and similar events. I use it hand held and have never had any problems or even a hint that the camera body couldn’t handle the weight of the lens.

 

[CityLights]

... this question comes up. That is a 300D he is holding on a monster lens.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1031&message=11909763

--
CityLights
http://www.pbase.com/citylights/favorites
http://www.pbase.com/citylights/show_case
.

 

[AndrewPL]

YES, but you will have to support the camera by holding the lens anyway.
--
http://lpta.smugmug.com

 

[PicPocket]

In both the pictures linked by you, its the tripod taking the weight. The lens mount is only bearing the weight of the camera body. Thats not what was asked IMO

--
PicPocket
http://pictures.ashish-pragya.com

 

[MarcosV]

I lugged a 70-200/2.8 attached to my XT at Disneyworld for 10 days straight. No problems. Of course, I used the 70-200/2.8 tripod collar when mounted on a tripod. It also makes a nice hand hold when carrying the lens and camera body around (i.e., craddled in my arm like a babe was one of the easier ways to do this without getting shoulder fatique).

I had the 70-200/2.8 attached to a XTi for a couple days with the same results.

 

[XTIGuy]

Sometimes I will have to run to run to catch a shot with two
cameras hanging off my neck etc. Do you think it's up to that?

Common sense says you won't have the cameras dangling by their straps as your running. With some big guns as lenses I would be holding onto the lenses themselves while running, or holding the cameras snug against my body, or SOMETHING. Doing anything else seems like an invitation for the straps to break, and then the strength of the mount will factor into the equation in a way you weren't thinking.

Cheers!

--
http://londonshutter.photoblog.com

Canon XTi, Canon Elan II (still playing with film), Holga 120 and a dog.

 

[PeaceFrog]

No problem at all, even the old 300D was plenty strong for even the heaviest lenses.



Greg

--



http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/

 

[TomBrooklyn]

OK. Thanks for those links.
Cheers.