70-200 VR - How do you handle this lens?

[david_king11]

I have seen many people handle this lens and nobody that I have seen holds it the way I do. I prefer to have the

tripod mount base rest in the palm of my hand - or maybe slightly closer to my wrist on the butt of my hand. This

allows me to zoom in and out without any movement from the lens barrel. When I take the tripod collar off, I feel like

my hands are too much on top of the zoom ring and it slows me down.

 

Does this make sense?

 

How do you hold the lens?

[elmroc]

I take the tripod collar off, and cradle it by the underside with my left hand, and shoot with my right.

 

Lefthand stays on the underside of the zoom ring

[lex_jenkins]

Interesting, David, I tend to use the tripod collar foot on my 300/4.5 AI to help support the lens for handheld use in the way you've described. By resting the tripod collar foot on the base of my palm it places my fingers in a more natural position to adjust focus. I've also used the foot as a brace, by pressing it against the side of a tree or other support.

 

Since most tripod collars can be rotated out of the way if desired I've never been tempted to remove one.

[josephwalsh]

I loosen the collar and turn it so the tripod base is up and to the right..about 2:00 o'clock as I look at it

from behind the camera.

I also find the grip a big help for verticals with this lens and my 300mm.

[dcphotography]

David King, that's how I held it when I used a friend's 70-200. Must be something with the name David?

[stwrtertbsratbs5]

I use John's method. Works fine for me.

[jonb]

It depends. Unless I'm in a situation where I expect to have to zoom a lot, I grasp the barrel near the front, in front of the focus ring, with my elbow resting on my chest for maximum stability. But if I do want rapid access to the zoom, I'll remove the foot or swing it up out of the way and grip the zoom ring.

[rday]

I rest the tripod base in the palm of my hand too - do that with both lenses I have that have the tripod mound. I have large

enough hands that I can still operate the zoom and focus rings without readjusting.

[elmroc]

One of the main reasons i take it off completely is becuase I have larger hands, and this tripod foot being smaller than most (and to some is an inadequate foot/collar to start with) is too small in my hand to achiave any real stabilization. The lens barrel directly in hand offers me the best support.

[david_king11]

I think you are right, David!

 

I also like holding it that way so that when I rotate camera from a horizontal to a vertical setting, I dont have to do that whole toss the lens up in the air and catch it as I bring it back down. While holding the tripod collar, it's a smooth transition.

[rey_laurel]

I have recently acquired this lens and I too place the tripod mount on the the palm of my hand. I have some leather bicycle gloves (open fingers) on my left hand to help take the sting off my left palm but have bare fingers to feel the lens rings.