Tripod Collars 100 f/2.8 vs. 180 f/3.5 macro lenses

[douglas_myers1]

<p>Folks,</p>

<p>I have the stupid plastic tripod collar for my 100 f/2.8 USM ... and it sticks all the time. Hate it. <br>

Thinking about selling lens and collar and buying either 100 macro with IS or 180 macro. Question: Do either lens still require the stupid plastic collar or can you get real collars for them? <br>

Does the 180 come with a collar at purchase? <br>

Thanks everyone ....</p>

[JosvanEekelen]

<p>What is "the stupid plastic tripod collar"?</p>

 

[douglas_myers1]

 

Canon

 

 

 

 

 

<h2><a name="desc" href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/194450-REG/Canon_9487A001_Tripod_Mount_Ring_B.html"></a>Tripod Mount Ring B for 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro, 180mm f/3.5L Macro & MP-E 65mm f/2.8 Macro Lenses</h2>

 

 

<ul >

<li>B&H # CATMRB</li>

<li >Mfr # 9487A001</li>

</ul>

 

[ljwest]

<p>Do you have the Canon Tripod Mount ring B (B) kit? That requires the use of a supplied adapter collar with the EF 100 f/2.8 Macro USM.</p>

<p>The EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM appears to use a different tripod mount collar, the "Ring-type tripod mounting socket D (B)" (the "B" in parenthesis indicates Black, as opposed to "W" for White...)</p>

<p>The EF 180mm f/3.5 L Macro USM uses the same tripod collar as the 100 f/2.8 Macro USM (the non-L version), but without an adapter collar. It also appears that this lens is supplied with the tripod mount, but not the adapter.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/categorySiteMap.action?pageKeyCode=categorySiteMap&nodeCid=0901e02480069f71&expanded=true">Canon product info index</a></p>

[fmueller]

<p>FWIW, the 100/2.8 macro is not a heavy lens. I use it with a T1i and previously an XT, which are comparatively low built quality, as far as Canon DSLRs go. Nevertheless, I have never encountered a problem mounting the camera on a tripod and have it support the lens.</p>

[peter_j2]

<p>Such anger! You don't need an extra cost tripod collar for the 100/2.8 macro. Canon would have supplied it as standard equipment with the lens if you needed it. </p>

[lester_wareham]

The 180 used the same tma-b but without the plastic adaptor, the 100 usm is the only lens that needs it. Nb although the

mp-e 65 also uses the tma-b I understand the 100L has to use its own variant tma-d that presumably can't be used with

anything else. Unlike the 180L and mp-e the tma is not supplied with the 100L.

 

In my experience the 180 is a much better length than 100 for tripod use and the 100 is easier to handhold although there

is of course overlap, I regularly use the 180 handheld but it is unusual to use the 100 on the tripod. The 180 has finer MF

control than the two 100 macros.

 

Note that the macro flashes mount directly on the 100, mp-e etc but the 100L and 180L both require step down macro

light adapters.

[lester_wareham]

Also the 180L can be use with the canon TCs, the 100L can not.

[marykonchar]

<p>In my opinion Canon should provide a tripod collar with the 100mm macro. Of course, you don't need a tripod collar on such a short lens to support the weight, but a tripod collar is a great asset when using macro lenses, as you can change the camera orientation without repositioning the camera on your tripod. The last thing I want to do after achieving the proper positioning on a macro subject is to tear down my set-up so I can switch from portrait to landscape orientation or vice verse. </p>

 

[douglas_myers1]

<p>Folks, for those of you who are familiar with the benefit of any tripod collar, AND who have familiarity with the tripod collar canon sells specifically for the 100 f/2.8 USM (the one with the sleeve inside) ... do you have any remedy for the sticking problem inherent with the collar? Would graphite or some other slickum agent help. Thanks to those of you who understand wha the issue is here ...</p>

<p> </p>

[lester_wareham]

Doug, I have used the 100 usm on the tripod ring.

 

Whilst it is not a smooth as the tma on lenses that do not need the plastic adaptor, for me it did the job. I did find that for

free movement one needs to slacken the lock much more than with other lenses.

 

Although you can use the 100 mm usm just on the camera L-plate, as Mary observes a tripod ring is a boon for macro

work.

[JohnMWright]

<p>I spent $10 on ebay for a metal tripod ring for my 100 USM. You have to tighten it securely, but for $10, I can't complain. That'll save you quite a bit over shelling out for a new lens... </p>

[douglas_myers1]

<p>Thanks folks ... yes mine sticks so badly (even when loosened) that it's almost unusable for the first few turns or so. You really have to torque on it to get it to turn at all and it squeaks with resistance. Then, it seems to loosen up. I thought maybe some lithium grease or graphite might have been used successfully by others? You'd think for $140 Canon could do better! Oh well. Not a perfect world right?</p>

[john_mcafee]

<p>Hi, Doug. I have the lens and ring that is giving you trouble. My experience was that when I first mounted the lens in the ring, I did not get the three detents correctly in the slots of the insert. They only line up at one angle so that all three are in slots. When I had it on incorrectly, it was much stickier than it became after I figured out the glitch. It is still more sticky than the ring on the 70-200 f4 which has a nice glide to it, but I have found it good enough and useful once I had it mounted right. Before that I was pretty disgusted.</p>

[douglas_myers1]

<p>John ... thanks very much for the reply ... I have tried remounting the "ring" over the back of the lens and then reinstalling the tripod collar over the ring. I am absolutley positive that I have everthing correctly oriented ... and it still will not work. Literally so tight that it "squeeks" when I rotate it. It's unusable. I've even tried a thin coat of oil on the surfaces which are supposed to rotate. They still bind up.<br>

<br />Really ticks me off I spent $140 on something literally unusable (other than just for horiz shots). If you want to rotate for vertical shots forget it. You need a pipewrench. This is crappy for Canon to sell something like this!</p>