what is the heaviest lens you can comfortably use on a rebel?

Concidering that digital rebels are fairly compact and obviously not designed with super-zooms in mind, I wonder where you would draw the line for what lenses you can comfortably use in everyday practice. For argument's sake, let's say you don't use a battery grip and that you have to use the lens for an extended period of time.

At present time, the biggest lens I've owned is the 28 1.8. I've yet to leave my comfortable compact box.

Without grip? Hmm, I don't feel comfortable even with a 50 1.4 because of the really puny and difficult to grip... grip. I guess I could still manage with something around the size of a 100macro or my 17-40L + 17-55IS-hood for long shoots.

With a grip, I'm fine with my 70-200 2.8L IS.

I have used my rebel XTi with anything from the crap-tastic 50 1.8 to my 600 f/4 IS.....comfortably.

I use one hand to supprt the lens...............

I've used mine all day with a Sigma 50-500mm lens before which is rather heavy. I was glad that the Rebel XT is very light. Adding even more weight from a heavy body would make it even worse to carry.

Since I balance the weight underneath the camera and lens, any lens could be used with the Rebel series.

EcoRick wrote in post #8183362
Since I balance the weight underneath the camera and lens, any lens could be used with the Rebel series.

right, I don't think the camera size matters, it's whoever is holding the bottom of the lens!

I use the 70-200 2.8 IS on my XTi, and I've no problems with it. But I'd prefer the more substantial grip of the XXD though.

EcoRick wrote in post #8183362
Since I balance the weight underneath the camera and lens, any lens could be used with the Rebel series.

Exactly .. a better question is what's the smallest body you can put on back of a 1200 5.6

http://www.the-digital-picture.com ….6-L-USM-Lens-Review.aspx

I have the 100-400 with 1.4 teleconverter and have been toting it around recently on my T1i for bird shots. I think of it as a bazooka.

I am sure they thought about this when they designed the camera. It must be able to support anything Canon makes in the lens line or there would be some kind of warning in big red letters.

The lens mount is just as strong as other Canon bodies. However, just as with any other Canon body, you should handle the camera by the lens once it exceeds a certain weight to alleviate stress on the lens mount. I have no idea what that weight is, but it's pretty easy to get a feel once you start hauling a large lens around.

Bryan

I use the Sigma 18-200 DC OS daily, with grip or without.
Considering the lens weighs in at 610grams.

While it's not big in size, the 85L is very heavy and I use it on my Rebel comfortably.

I think the answer is pretty obvious, the Rebel mount is sufficient to hold any of Canon's lenses that don't come with a foot. Anything that hangs a lot of weight onto the camera would require support for the lens, such as a 150mm lens with a good bit of glass and metal, but there are supports available for lenses not equipped with a foot.

Handholding, when you hold the camera in one hand and support the lens with the other is limited only by your biceps.

I use my Bigmos without problems. It's not the lens, it's the shooter.