I Need a tripod collar for Pentax 67 300mm F4

wildbill · Jan 4, 2010

The lens is a beast and a tripod collar is the only way I'm going to get a sharp neg. I'm not interested in bogen contraptions and yes, I'm using a sturdy head/tripod/mirror lock up. This is the older model (nod ED IF). Really right stuff couldn't help me with a source. The lens is about 85mm in diameter. If anyone knows the exact diameter for the necessary collar, speak up. Where can I get one aside from having it made$$$$$$$$$?

wildbill · Jan 7, 2010

c'mon!

David A. Goldfarb · Jan 7, 2010

I'd have responded earlier, but you've covered all the options really in your post. If it's worth it to you, save up some dough, and enjoy your lovely SK Grimes collar. I had the same thought about the collar for a Canon FD 300/4L, but eventually I just sold the lens.

CBG · Jan 7, 2010

SK Grimes or other shop that could do machining would be the way to go.

Joachim_I · Jan 7, 2010

The problem with this solution is that it is probably (almost?) as expensive as selling your current lens and buying a used ED version which has some additional advantages next to the tripod collar. I can highly recommend the 300mm ED.

wildbill · Jan 8, 2010

do you mean $kgrime$? It's too bad because I got a hell of a deal on the lens and love the focal length.

coigach · Jan 8, 2010

wildbill said:
do you mean $kgrime$? It's too bad because I got a hell of a deal on the lens and love the focal length.

Can't really answer your question directly other than to say that I use this lens for landscapes on an old manfrotto heavy duty ball head, use MLU and cable release and never stop down more than f8 and I get tack sharp images. Anything smaller than f8 causes problems though in my experience...

Good luck with the collar.

Cheers,
Gavin

dentkimterry · Jan 8, 2010

I have one of these 300mm's. Where would you put a tripod collar? Over the focus distance and depth of field scale?

Terry

wildbill · Jan 8, 2010

no, just in front of the aperture scale. there's about 3/8" open space. The ring would have to be thick but I think it would work fine. The set up just isn't very solid compared to my other lenses, especially in vertical mode on my kirk L bracket. The lens is just too long for no support unless you're shooting close to wide open in bright sun with fast film, three things I almost never do.

domaz · Jan 8, 2010

Why not use a Gimbal head? If you are going to use long lenses you need a proper tripod head.

coigach · Jan 9, 2010

wildbill said:
The lens is just too long for no support unless you're shooting close to wide open in bright sun with fast film, three things I almost never do.

I use it with a ballhead, no extra support, f8 and asa 64 film in the mostly sun-free Scottish landscapes - tack sharp.

Go on - live dangerously...!

Cheers,
Gavin

wildbill · Jan 12, 2010

Well, I'm glad you guys are getting sharp negs at all shutter speeds. Doesn't help me get a collar for my lens though.

Joachim_I · Jan 12, 2010

What do you expect? That it falls from the sky? Since you are obviously not appreciating alternative suggestions, you will need to pay for a customized tripod collar or you won't get one. It is very simple.

2F/2F · Jan 12, 2010

Was there a lens support with a tripod coupler made for this lens? I am talking about the kind that screws into the camera body, supports the lens from below, and gives you a new tripod thread on the center of gravity that you have with that lens. If not, maybe an adaptation of one of the ones made for the Mamiya RB system would work. If not that, a custom device of this sort would not be the most difficult or expensive thing to make, though it would take time and some money.

patawauke · Jan 13, 2010

The gimbal idea is the best IMHO. I too have this lens on a P67II, and, even when mounted on a sturdy Dutch Hill tripod and A-S B1 head, the heavy unbalanced rig tilts down infinitesmally slowly after composing. If you're bracketing for example, you should re-check composure for each exposure. Where would you look for a 300ED version?

David A. Goldfarb · Jan 13, 2010

A gimbal head like the Wimberley still requires a collar with a large lens to be balanced and to go from horizontal to vertical easily.

wildbill · Jan 13, 2010

David A. Goldfarb said:
A gimbal head like the Wimberley still requires a collar with a large lens to be balanced and to go from horizontal to vertical easily.

EXACTLY! A new head wouldn't make a tripod collar fall out of the sky. And changing to that style of head just for one lens would be a pain in the ass and quite costly. I usually shoot with large format gear that might look kinda funny on top of a wimberley head.

Keith, a gadget that used the camera's tripod threads as a base wouldn't work for because it would add another area for movement. Besides, I use custom arca-type quick plates on my cameras which are made to fit snug around a large area on the base of the camera. Without those, movement occurs from the shutter.

I don't expect it to fall out of the sky but there's got to be someone out there who has found an existing collar the same size as this lens or a solution besides having one made at skgrimes.

wildbill · Jan 15, 2010

okay, maybe some progress. I've found an apugger I know w/ a machine shop. Anyone with big calipers who can measure the diameter of their lens directly in front of the aperture scale? It's the section with the apertures written on it.

I Need a tripod collar for Pentax 67 300mm F4

wildbill

wildbill

David A. Goldfarb

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CBG

Joachim_I

wildbill

coigach

dentkimterry

wildbill

domaz

coigach

wildbill

Joachim_I

2F/2F

patawauke

David A. Goldfarb

Moderator

wildbill

wildbill

I Need a tripod collar for Pentax 67 300mm F4

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