Tripod collar replacement 300mm f4.5

[jamespjones]

I purchased a 300mm f4.5 a little while back and placed a classified ad for a replacement collar. I gather a

lot of these lenses had the tripod collars removed. Does anyone with this lens have a DIY collar or know

where I could find a replacement?

 

Thanks

[michael_bradtke]

http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/ballheads/

[jamespjones]

Thanks for the fast response, but I'm not sure I follow. What product do they make that fits

the bill?

[cbabbitt]

If you mean the 300mm f/4 I got a replacement for the lens collar at Kirk Photo. http://www.kirkphoto.com/lenscollars.html

[michaelschrag]

I am sure that he means just what he said f4.5

 

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/late70nikkor/telephoto/300mmf45ed.htm

[michaelschrag]

James - call up Kirk enterprises and see if they can help. The 300mm f/4.5 has one of the better Nikon tripod collars. The f4 version has one of the worst - which is why they make a replacement for that lens.

[cbabbitt]

My bad. Yes the orginal collar for the f/4 was garbage.

[michael_bradtke]

Sorry James

 

I did not mean to leave you in the dark.

 

RRS makes a replacement for the 300 f/4 not the 300 f/4.5

 

My bad.

 

You could try calling them and see if they have any ideas.

 

Michael

[lex_jenkins]

Short of having a machine shop fabricate a custom collar for you, about the only realistic option is to try to find an orphaned original Nikon collar.

 

You'll need to identify the specific model lens you have. It sounds like the ED-IF version. The collar could be removed fairly easily. I have the ED non-IF version and the collar is not removable - not easily, anyway, without disassembling the entire lens.

 

Call around to KEH and other shops that sometimes take in entire collections of camera gear. They may occasionally pick up an orphaned collar. KEH often advertises odds and ends stuff like this on their website. At other shops they may not advertise this stuff but a sales person may remember that they have one sitting in a dusty box under the counter.

[at]

Cant answer your question directly but an off the wall idea (for the mean time) would be to use beanbag on a small (say 6 inch x 6 inch)platform mounted to your tripod. It would work and can be easily

constructed. At least you would be able to use it on a tripod to

take full advantage of this len's optics.

[at]

Or you try this....

 

http://www.adorama.com/BG3420.html

[jamespjones]

Thanks everyone. I was hoping there would be a product out there like the one August

suggested - I've called around a bit and was told that finding an original tripod collar would

be like trying to "find a needle."

 

If there are other suggestions - I'm still curious to know how people are dealing with this

issue. I think there are a number of 300mm f4.5's out there without tripod collars. (yes, as

Lex mentioned it is the ED-IF version)

[mark_woods]

<p>I'm in the same boat that James was in--or I will be, if I buy the least expensive instance of this lens I can find out there, which is collarless and selling for $120 less than an instance of the same lens with its proper collar. Did you ever find a solution, James?<br>

Cheers,<br>

Mark</p>