Tripod Collar Blues
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
by
Bjørn Rørslett |
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Now, let's move on to more
interesting issues. For example, how can we improve the tripod
mounts on lenses we already own, or are planning to purchase?
Many cases can indeed be solved by quite simple means, as shown
below.
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Instant Medication
Shaken,
Not Stirred
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©
Bjørn Rørslett/N |
The AFS 300 mm f/4 Nikkor has one
of the worst tripod collar of any Nikkor lens. A canister
with asthma medication brings instant relief and much
needed stabilisation of the lens (of course, any object
which fits in between the mounting foot and the lens
barrel can be used for the same purpose).
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longer-lasting solution for the AFS 300 mm f/4 Nikkor
lens would be replacing the poor original collar with a
third-party item. The one depicted here is made by Rainer
Burzynski and costs approx. 200$. |
For some lenses, the
tripod mount is under-dimensioned but otherwise quite functional.
Here, the obvious approach is to strengthen the existing mount.
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"L" Addendum
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©
Bjørn Rørslett/N |
The 500 mm f/4 P Nikkor is a superb
telephoto lens, but its tripod mount is quity skimpy and
clearly asking to be reinforced. I combined the
additional support with a "L" bracket machined
to fit a Arca-type clamp, thus killing two birds with one
stone. Besides, there now is two-point support for the
lens mount. After modification the 500 mm f/4 P behaves
impeccably on a fluid-damped head such as the Sachtler
shown here.
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Wimberley makes a range of replacement feet for
the big AFS 400, 500 and 600 mm Nikkors, which may help reduce
their instability on tripods. There is a custom-made modification
for the 500 mm f/4 P Nikkor from Burzynski as well, but I haven't
seen this in actual use so cannot vouch for its usefulness.
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