ring attachment for EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM

<p>Hello,<br>

I am new to macro photography and am currently ordering some gear, but am confused about whether or not I need the tripod ring for the EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM or if simply attaching the camera directly to the tripod would work just as well?<br>

The ring from Canon is kind of expensive (~$200), but I am willing to buy it if its worth it.<br>

Can someone please give a run down of the advanges and disadvanages of shooting with the ring attached vs the camera directly?<br>

I didn't find much on Google which I thought was strange...<br>

Thanks for any help!</p>

<p>I can't speak for that lens specifically, but in general, using a tripod collar on a lens instead of mounting the body on a tripod has a couple of advantages. If the lens is particularly long and/or heavy, the collar allows for better balance since it's mounted somewhere near the centre of mass. And if you need to switch between landscape and portrait orientation, it's usually quick and easy with a collar: the lens can rotate within the collar, so typically all you need to do is to loosen the collar slightly, rotate the lens, and then tighten the collar again.</p>

<p>That is one of my macro lenses, so I can give you specific feedback. As Steve says, a ring is used so that the camera+lens is more nearly balanced on the tripod head when the lens is long and heavy. However, the 100L is neither long nor particularly heavy. If you use it without a ring, the camera+lens is out of balance in one direction: it wants to pitch forward. If you use a ring in the normal position (bracket pointed forward), the camera will be out of balance in the other direction. It is closest to balanced if you use a ring but mount it backwards. All in all, it is not really essential for this lens, but it is convenient.</p>

<p>However, I would not consider buying the canon ring. This is one of several accessories that are marked up a ridiculous amount. You can buy these on eBay for perhaps $15-30, depending on which type you get. Just make sure it is the correct one (hinged, felt lined). Some vendors sell metal ones, while other sell plastic. The metal are more expensive. Mine is metal, labeled "Shoot tripod mount ring D (B)".</p>

 

<p>I own that lens. I use it with either my 7D or 5D. The lens is small enough that I do not feel that I need the ring. I believe the $200 can be better spend on a focusing rail for macro work, put in the piggy bank to save up for a ring flash for macro work, or earning points by taking your spouse out to dinner and a date.</p>

<p>Thanks for the responses! I will not get the ring for now and see how it goes.</p>

<p>Andrew, I started the following photo.net thread about 3rd party collars. You might find it helpful. I was about to order one of these, but decided that a deteriorating medical condition leading to recent major neck surgery would prevent me from using it for the near future. I also just emailed you a copy of some personal correspondence where one thread participant related his own experience with the iShoot collar. I hope this helps, Larry</p>

<p>http://www.photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/00YmkL?start=10</p>

<p>I have the lens. Great lens! The lens is small enough you don't need a tripod collar. I wanted to go vertical without a major tripod adjustment, but I wasn't willing to spend $200 extra for a $500 lens. I bought a $10 collar on eBay; I figured no loss if it doesn't work. It works OK, but it requires taking the lens off the camera to install it (not a big deal, but it is an extra step). I found if it is not clamped down tightly the ring will slip backwards. I'm sure the Canon model works a lot better.</p>

 

<p>I got the ring for the 70-200mm f4 IS zoom and I never find I need it. Personally I doubt you need it for a smallish lens like the 100mm. I will depend a bit on what kind of tripod head you have as to whether it is worthwhile. If you have a good ball head then I suspect it will be a waste of money.</p>

<p>OK, a dissenting voice. I have the Tripod Ring D for my 100/2.8L and would not want to be without it. Yes, it costs silly money for what it is, but not silly money relative to what has to be spent on the outfit as a whole, so I just grin and bear it.</p>

<p>Why is it useful?</p>

<p>First, if you are shooting with macro flash (MR-14EX or MT-24EX) then the whole question of balance works ot differently, and the setup is far better balanced using the tripod ring.</p>

<p>Secondly, it gives you an extra dimension of movement independent of your ballhead, and that's not only useful for swapping between portrait and landscape formats but also, perhaps even more so, for making minor adjustments without disturbing anything else.</p>

<p>For close-up work in the field, often in awkward working conditions, these are enough to close the deal for me. YMMV, of course, but it would be wrong for the case for the tripod ring to go unstated.</p>

<p>I completely agree with Robin</p>

I bought both the plastic and the metal versions from EBay. The metal version is much better, and looks strong and

pretty well made.

<p>When making tedious adjustments while shooting macro subjects, the ring attachment is quite desirable. It can't be beat for changing orientation from portrait to landscape, or anywhere in between. And it allows for some creative movement such as rotating the camera evenly during a long exposure. And if you use Arca style QR plates, you even have a mini manual focus rail built into the mount -- just loosen the mount and slide the lens forward or backward. Just be sure that you don't move the lens too far or forget to tighten the mount before you resume shooting.</p>

<p>Another plus for using the ring attachment is that the outfit will be better balanced when using extension tubes and/or teleconverters, as well as the previously mentioned ring type flash.</p>

<p>At the very least, I would want to have an l-bracket on my camera body in order to change from landscape to portrait without having to redo my whole setup.</p>

<p>This is all based on working with the camera mounted on a tripod, of course.</p>