do you really need tripod ring for 70-200 4 IS

Hi all,

I'm finally ready to buy myself my first L.

For the price difference, and also for my style of shooting, I am thinking of getting the 70-200 4 IS over the 2.8 IS (IS is more important for me than bigger aperture)

my question is, do we really need a tripod ring for the 4IS, or is it okay if i just put the camera on the tripod. having to purchase a tripod ring will make the price of the 4IS higher to justify going with the 2.8IS altogether.

It depends on the tripod head and the tripod. On mine which is a carbon fibre manfrotto with a joystick head, no I can mount the camera body with the 70-200 F/4 with no weight problems. Now, the 2.8 IS definitely requires the tripod mount.

Not only does the tripod ring balance the camera lens over the tripod, it also provides for very easy portrait oriented photos. If you shoot with a tripod, spring for the tripod ring.

It's not "needed", but it's definitely recommended. Much easier portrait/landscape orientation, and especially on a monopod, it balances the kit WAY better than without.

This is all good advice, but I'm going to argue against: I have a 70-200 f/4L IS, and just got done with a photography trip in the Rockies. My tripod (manfrotto 190xprob + 488rc2) went on every hike with me, and more than once I used that lens on-tripod without a ring to do long-exposure shots of waterfalls and cascades. At no point did I feel I was putting my camera or lens at risk with that combination, in both H and V camera orientations. The balance never felt precarious. It just isn't that heavy of a lens, really.

Would a ring remove any doubt? sure. And I may eventually pick one up. But it sounds like we're in the same situation where this (so far) is just a hobby, and we need to balance purchasess against other expenses in life (like, say, the mortgage )

Put the money you'd spend on the ring toward a good set of filters for the 70-200 and enjoy it. It was my first L too, and still wows me with its clarity and speed. An awesome investment, and it'll make you never want consumer-class glass again.

another vote for getting the ring

the issue is not safety, it is safe to use without the ring
the issue is convenience and ease of use
much easier

I shot without a ring for about a year and then got one
what a difference....

thanks for everybody's advice.

Although using the tripod would give me extra convenience, it's comfortable to know that I can use the lens without the tripod ring, at least until i purchase one (this forum never fails to make us spend too much money LOL).

im curious how the tripod ring helps with portrait orientation ?

pan tilt heads til 90* very easily as well as ball heads ...

jsut dont forget if using tripod, to turn IS off. instructions state to turn off IS if used on tripod....

When changing the horizontal-vertical axis with the tripod collar, the image remains centered and level if the tripod is level.

neil85 wrote in post #4253776
im curious how the tripod ring helps with portrait orientation ?

pan tilt heads til 90* very easily as well as ball heads ...

As you tilt the head over 90 degrees, you entire composition changes and you'll have to recompose and re-level the shot. With the tripod ring, you just rotate 90 degrees and shoot. You get both a landscape and portrait shot from the exact same spot.

I have a 70-200F4 non-IS (which is lighter) and I don't like using it on a tripod without the collar. Not that it'll harm the lens or camea, I just don't like the balance much. The collar makes the lens easier to use, especially if you're trying to frame and shoot quickly (e.g. wildlife or sport). Being able to turn from portrait to landscape is nice, too.

John

it doesn't need a ring but is slightly better balanced with one. Note how close the ring is to the camera on this lens. That should tell you something about how close the center of gravity is to the camera anyway.

neil85 wrote in post #4253776
im curious how the tripod ring helps with portrait orientation ?

pan tilt heads til 90* very easily as well as ball heads ...

Dropping the camera/lens into the slot takes the camera off the center axis of the tripod and will cause instability issues, as well as having to recompose the shot.

You don't *need* the tripod ring. IMO, the best solution is to get an L-bracket for the camera body. This way, all of your lenses can be used in any position whenever you feel the need to change composition from horizontal to vertical. With an L-bracket, you can change position in a matter of seconds, and the camera will always be centered over the tripod. The tripod ring will be limited to one particular lens...