lense tripod mount

I just dug up my (relatively) old Nikon lense, 80-200 f2.8 AF/ED.

Just found out that it does not have a tripod mount on it. If I

simply place the camera on the tripod with this lense, I am afraid

it will bend the camera and/or lense mount. I checked with my shop

and they told me that Nikon does not make any "attachments" for old

models; only new 80-200 have the lense mount.

Any suggestions? THanks

To get a tripod mount on this lens, you need one of the later models -- same great glass, but easier to handle.

For this lens, when it was being made, several aftermarket suppliers made brackets for it that included a tripod mount, including Kirk Photo and some others. There was much internet discussion of these, pros and cons, and you might find traces of some of that if you search archives. None of them are being produced any more, but they show up on eBay or other place from time to time.

You might check with KEH or B&H used equipment to see if they have one. The only problem is that I don't think any of them worked all that well and they added weight to an already hefty lens.

Others on Photo.net will remember specific examples of these brackets and might have more encouraging comments to make about the various designs.

Just to elaborate, you won't (shouldn't if you're using a decent body of any kind) bend anything by not using a lens mount. It just makes for an ungainly and unsteady set-up and you need to be sure you have a good tripod head that locks down solidly to keep the lens from flopping down or moving during/between exposures. I use my 80-200 on my cameras with just the camera mounted on the tripod occasionally when changing lenses quickly is a priority.

--evan

I will not place as heavy a lens as an AF 80~200/2.8 on a

camera and then the camera on a tripod. My neighbor has had

problems with his F3s bayonet. Ive seen a gap open

between a Nikon TC-300 and lens with a Nikon F2As and MD-3 on the

back. If you cant find anything better here is a support

made by Manfrotto/Bogen...<br>

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<a

href="http://www.bogenphoto.com/product/templates/templates.php3?sectionid=103&itemid=354"

target="_new">TELEPHOTO LENS SUPPORT / Cat. No: 3420</a>