Tripod Collar for 70-300G, has anybody found one?

[Kev The Doc]

Has anybody been able to locate either a purpose built 70-300G tripod collar or an adjustable / universal collar that would work?

 

[jimhughes]

I want one too. I'm really annoyed that no fitting was included on this expensive lens.

 

[Kev The Doc]

I want one too. I'm really annoyed that no fitting was included on this expensive lens.

Yeah, I should post on the full frame forum also, if I find anything will let you know.

 

[John Triebe]

It is not cheap, but the Novoflex ASTAT-NEX will work:

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www.bhphotovideo.com

 

[Kev The Doc]

It is not cheap, but the Novoflex ASTAT-NEX will work:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/758213-REG/Novoflex_ASTAT_NEX_ASTAT_NEX_Tripod_Collar_for.html

Oocha, but does only attach to one of their lens adapters?

 

[John Triebe]

No, I've got the FE 70-300G lens and the Novoflex tripod collar fits it perfectly. It also fits the 90mm macro, which is also a rather beefy lens.

 

[Kev The Doc]

No, I've got the FE 70-300G lens and the Novoflex tripod collar fits it perfectly. It also fits the 90mm macro, which is also a rather beefy lens.

Thanks for confirming, at least there's an option out there! Where exactly around the lens does it fit, can you posr a photo, is it the narrow portion of the lens, if so I can see how this can be more universal as all lenses / adapters are more similar diameter there.

Placing the camera on a tripod with the 70-300G fully extended hanging off the side is like a spring board :-D

 

[CameraCarl]

Oh man, I never thought of this! I've been planning to get one of these lenses to use with my a6000. I never dreamt that Sony would not design in a tripod mount. I can't even imagine trying to use this lens on an a6000 mounted on a tripod with its puny and weak tripod mount. It will rip the threads out of the camera in an hour. Sony can design sensors, but the rest of their engineering leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[rjjr]

No, I've got the FE 70-300G lens and the Novoflex tripod collar fits it perfectly. It also fits the 90mm macro, which is also a rather beefy lens.

Thanks for confirming, at least there's an option out there! Where exactly around the lens does it fit, can you posr a photo, is it the narrow portion of the lens, if so I can see how this can be more universal as all lenses / adapters are more similar diameter there.

Placing the camera on a tripod with the 70-300G fully extended hanging off the side is like a spring board :-D

the Novaflex collar on the FE 90...

 

[Kev The Doc]

No, I've got the FE 70-300G lens and the Novoflex tripod collar fits it perfectly. It also fits the 90mm macro, which is also a rather beefy lens.

Thanks for confirming, at least there's an option out there! Where exactly around the lens does it fit, can you posr a photo, is it the narrow portion of the lens, if so I can see how this can be more universal as all lenses / adapters are more similar diameter there.

Placing the camera on a tripod with the 70-300G fully extended hanging off the side is like a spring board :-D

the Novaflex collar on the FE 90...

Awesome, thanks! The fact it's universal certainly helps justify to myself forking out 150 bucks.

I've read that some people place the clamp screw the other way around i.e. on the top so it's less intrusive with the camera grip and lens release button.

 

[Entropy512]

I never dreamt that Sony would not design in a tripod mount.

Tripod mounts for 70-300 lenses are EXTREMELY rare.

Tamron 70-300? Nope

Sigma 70-300? Nope

All Sony 70-300s? Nope

Canon 70-300 versions? Nope

Dunno about Nikon, but expecting a tripod collar on a 70-300 is unrealistic as, for whatever reason - people just don't do it. (Probably because a 70-300 is RIGHT at the upper limit before where it's clearly necessary)

 

[John Triebe]

You're right that few lenses in that range have them. It's just that with a diminutive camera like the A6000 or A6300, and the historic weakness of the lens mount, it is something that makes sense. I'm glad Novoflex makes this unit and that it fits so well, and that it can be used on more than one lens really helps justify the cost.

 

[Kev The Doc]

I never dreamt that Sony would not design in a tripod mount.

Tripod mounts for 70-300 lenses are EXTREMELY rare.

Tamron 70-300? Nope

Sigma 70-300? Nope

All Sony 70-300s? Nope

Canon 70-300 versions? Nope

Dunno about Nikon, but expecting a tripod collar on a 70-300 is unrealistic as, for whatever reason - people just don't do it. (Probably because a 70-300 is RIGHT at the upper limit before where it's clearly necessary)

Valid point, but the 70-200 lenses typically do have a tripod collar.

I guess it goes back to what are the common uses of these lenses and maybe the 70-200 is more portrait and the 70-300 typically more handheld use?

I know 99% of the time I'll be using the 70-300G handheld, but there are still times, such as firework displays, where I'll absolutly need a tripod collar, think I will purchase the Novoflex.

 

[CameraCarl]

I never dreamt that Sony would not design in a tripod mount.

Tripod mounts for 70-300 lenses are EXTREMELY rare.

Tamron 70-300? Nope

Sigma 70-300? Nope

All Sony 70-300s? Nope

Canon 70-300 versions? Nope

Dunno about Nikon, but expecting a tripod collar on a 70-300 is unrealistic as, for whatever reason - people just don't do it. (Probably because a 70-300 is RIGHT at the upper limit before where it's clearly necessary)

Canon does have an optional tripod mount for the 70-300mm L IS lens. I bought one for my lens, although I do think it should have been included in the price of the lens.

 

[rjjr]

You're right that few lenses in that range have them. It's just that with a diminutive camera like the A6000 or A6300, and the historic weakness of the lens mount,

The A6300 has a stronger lens mount than the A6000.

 

[greynolds]

The A6300 has a stronger lens mount than the A6000.

That's what I've heard too.

The concerns I have with the Novoflex ASTAT-NEX are whether it really gives enough support to make the lens stable on a tripod and if it has the risk of damaging the lens:

1) The collar obviously takes the load off of the camera's tripod mounting point and the lens mount which is good, but it mounts so close to the lens mount that the bulk of the weight of the lens is presumably still going to present a stability problem. Tripod collars usually end up somewhere near the middle of the lens to make them as stable as possible. I'm considering ordering one of these mounts, but am unsure if it's really going to make the lens any more stable on my tripod.

2) The second concern is whether there's a risk of the collar damaging the lens given that the lens wasn't designed to work with a collar. Essentially, the concern is the possibility of crushing / cracking the plastic where it attaches. Anybody have any thoughts on this?

 

[jimhughes]

That Novoflex thing is seriously overpriced.

I use this Manfrotto support, which costs less than half as much and is sometimes discounted even further. It does the job, and works with any lens but it's clunky and heavy, not something you'd carry around.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001BX3ZXE/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Sony wants us to buy their big expensive FF lenses for our a6300, but won't do anything in the design to actually support the small camera.

 

[missingendpoint]

Perhaps the author of this:

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www.thingiverse.com

could be asked to make a version for the 70-300G. Of course, you would then need to find someone with a 3d printer to make it happen.

I should add that I have the 18200 [original version] and have printed this mount -- and it works great. Can't beat the price -- a dollar or so of material and a few hour wait.

 

[VTbirdland]

I found using a heavier tripod makes a big difference. Went from light Dolica to a 16lb rated Benro that was on sale at BH. The mount plate is twice as thick and the 70/300 lens feels rock solid on A6300. I shoot birds from a blind and this solved a lot of drooping issues.

 

[Baba Ganoush]

I found a workaround for this problem that works for me, but it's not a great solution unless you plan to be out shooting for a some time with the 70-300mm and do not expect to switch frequently between it and another lens.

I have a quick release plate attached to the base of my A6300. It's a RRS dovetail that I originally bought for my A6000, but it fits the A6300 and that's where it now resides. It's not cheap by any means, but today there are probably any number of similar base plates that are much less expensive and can do the same job.

I also had available an inexpensive 80mm Arca/RRS compatible QR plate. I screwed this plate into the RRS dovetail on the body of my A6300, extending it outward under the lens (i.e., at a 90 degree angle). A slight gap of about 1 mm remained between the top end of the 80mm dovetail and the lens collar, right where the serial number of the lens is found. I closed this space with a US 5 cent piece, a nickel, which I cemented to the dovetail so it wouldn't come loose.

So, I can now mount my A6300 + 70-300mm lens to a tripod via the 80mm dovetail rather than via the RRS dovetail on the base plate of the camera. The arrangement appears to be quite stable as I change the orientation of the tripod head, although I'm careful to stay within 45 degrees or so of the vertical, never tilting the tripod head farther over on its side. I can't vouch for this setup if the camera were put into portrait mode. That would probably add too much stress and not be secure enough to suit me. For that I'd want a real lens collar and foot.