Lens Rotater

[TUX424]

I have been getting in to sport photography and the 50mm f/1.8 just wont cut it so i am planing on getting a AF-D 80-200 f/2.8. Anyway when i see the pro photographers at football games and such there are able to have the Camera Body mounted to large telephoto lens. But my question is how are the camera bodies able to be rotated when the lens stays in the same postion mounted on a mono/tripod. If anyone has any idea what i am talking about and some more info about them that would help. Thanks

 

[elemental]

Some big telephotos have their own tripod collar mounts, which allow rotation. Is this what you mean? I think these rotate.

 

[Battou]

Some big telephotos have their own tripod collar mounts, which allow rotation. Is this what you mean? I think these rotate.

The OP may or may not realize it but that is exactly what he is looking for.

Most long lenses come with them but I have heard of some that don't LaFoto has two of them from a third party for canon mount that did not but anywho.

The tripod mount has a knob (well seen in elemental's photo) on the side that when loosened allows the lens to rotate in the tripod mount wile mounted on the tripod. as for where to get one for a lens that did not come with one from factory I do not know, but lemme know when you find out I too would be interested in a couple for some of my 200mm+ lenses that lack them.

 

[Josh66]

Yup, they're using tripod collars. Switching between landscape and portrait is very fast and easy with a collar.

 

[Josh66]

The tripod mount has a knob (well seen in elemental's photo) on the side that when loosened allows the lens to rotate in it wile mounted on the tripod.

I think I'm due for a new collar for my 70-200. It rotates too easy now - I don't even have to loosen it up anymore. ...I wonder if I can just change the padding on the inner surface?

 

[TUX424]

ok thanks for the help i thought that is was an attachment that went between the lens and the camera body but that wouldn't make any sense. So it is just that tripod collar that allows for the camera and the lens to rotate i guess not just the camera body. Does anyone know what kind of prices those sort of things go for since im on a tight budget. Thanks again

 

[Battou]

I think I'm due for a new collar for my 70-200. It rotates too easy now - I don't even have to loosen it up anymore. ...I wonder if I can just change the padding on the inner surface?

Well if it's anything like mine, you may either be as simple as replacing the retainer screw, or the surface of the barrel under the tripod coller is gouged. that you could fill in with paint or a rubber ring.

 

[jlykins]

ok thanks for the help i thought that is was an attachment that went between the lens and the camera body but that wouldn't make any sense. So it is just that tripod collar that allows for the camera and the lens to rotate i guess not just the camera body. Does anyone know what kind of prices those sort of things go for since im on a tight budget. Thanks again

The Nikkor 70-200 2.8vr can be had for around $1500 used/referb. I just bought the Tamron 70-200 2.8 for $700. It's not quite as fast autofocusing as the Nikkor but it's super sharp and it focuses closer if you're going to be doing any kind of macro. Sigma also makes a nice 70-200 2.8 in the same price range as the Tamron. The best bet is to go to your camera store and try one out. Put it on your camera and see which one you like.

 

[Big Mike]

The name brand collars are probalby fairly expensive, since they are accessories for lenses that are extremely expensive. The off brand ones might not be that expensive though.

 

[kundalini]

You can also use something like this Custom Bracket. I know it works with the body attached, so I'm guessing a collared telephoto would also work.

 

[Josh66]

Well if it's anything like mine, you may either be as simple as replacing the retainer screw, or the surface of the barrel under the tripod coller is gouged. that you could fill in with paint or a rubber ring.

It has some kind of felt liner on the inside, I think that's just getting worn away. The screw and the lens itself both look perfect. It's not loose to the point that it causes problems (still stable); sometimes, if I have too tight a grip on the cmera, I can rotate it without meaning to. I don't think it will wear more, but if it does it will need replaced for sure.

The name brand collars are probalby fairly expensive, since they are accessories for lenses that are extremely expensive. The off brand ones might not be that expensive though.

If I remember correctly, they are typically 10-15% of what the lens they are designed for costs. I've noticed that with Canon lens hoods too - 10% the cost of the lens.

 

[benhasajeep]

When I was shooting college football with a 300 f/2.8, I initially used the tripod colar on the lens. That was too much of a pain. Not very quick. After a while I just left the collar loose and allowed the lens to spin freely. You really dont have to worry too much about the horizon being absolutely level, as most editors don't like too wide of a view, so your cropped in fairly close. Easier to hide the fact the frame is not level.

For a while I tried a pistol grip head on a monopod. Left the tripod collar locked down. That worked pretty good. But added a bit of weight to the whole thing.

If your doing this for a paper you will find they crop quite a bit of your picture for what fits the space available in the paper. So, it really may not matter if you use a vertial shot or not. Photo edditors do what they want to do to fit a space set up by the layout edditor. Deppending on how close your shot is. They can pull a vertical crop from the horizontal shot.

 

[table1349]

I think I'm due for a new collar for my 70-200. It rotates too easy now - I don't even have to loosen it up anymore. ...I wonder if I can just change the padding on the inner surface?

Yup new padding should fix it right up. I have done this more than once. Just use the same type of material that was OEM.

 

[table1349]

You can also use something like this Custom Bracket. I know it works with the body attached, so I'm guessing a collared telephoto would also work.

The CB is fine for short glass, but for long glass it is preferable to use the collar. It maintains a center of balance on the monpod/tripod that the CB doesn't. It also relieves the stress of the weight on the mount. I'm thinking that my 400 f2.8 would be a little front heavy on the CB.

 

[kundalini]

^^ Could you not use the tripod mount on the lens to attach to the CB and still maintain balance? I've only seen one once and that was for a short time, but didn't really look at the mounting closely. Thought it was a neat trick for quick flip in orientations.