Using Pentax 67 with 300mm ED lens

[ChuckP]

I was wondering how people use this lens with a tripod. Do you just attach the lens tripod collar to the tripod head and let the camera hang off the end? Or will you need a rig to attach both camera and lens to that is attached to the tripod head? If you use additional parts to attach both camera and lens how are verticals handled? I'm dreaming about buying the lens but realized that there might be a large additional cost to buy the part to use with a tripod. Plus having to carry around additional tripod parts in the camera bag.

 

[destroya]

I have an extra tripod quick release plate that I can and do use on the lens. most of the time that is the way I use it, with the lens quick release plate in the tripod. from time to time I use the camera on the tripod, but that not often. the quick release plate was like $20 so its not expensive. I just leave it attached to the lens all the time. if you do not use the tripod plate on the lens, I find, depending on the angle, and the heaviness/sturdiness of your tripod head, the lens can and does sink from the weight.

 

[John Koehrer]

Camera on tripod, lens supported with monopod?

 

[alentine]

As destroya said.
The lens has a collar, which has a foot.
You can use external lens foot(essentially is a quick release plate) to adapt your lens collar foot to your tripod head clamp. Not every plate is compatible with every head clamp.
The foot/plate is supposed to be attached to the lens collar foot, permanently(no glue) for easier use.
The place of lens collar(and therefore the lens foot/plate) is the best place where the camera and lens be in a balance after connecting to the clamp of your tripod head.

 

[ChuckP]

Thanks for the comments. Sounds easy enough. Just use the lens collar to attach to the tripod and let the camera hang off. I was surprised that the lens weighs more than the camera (Pentax 67II). I've never had a big telephoto with a tripod collar before so it's all new to me.

 

[GRHazelton]

I have a 300mm f2.8 Tamron which I use with either my Pentax LX or my Pentax K - 5. I wouldn't even consider supporting either camera with the 300 lens by the camera tripod socket! The lens weighs close to five pounds! the lever arm against the lens mount could likely damage the camera. I urge your combo of the 300mm lens and the 67 should also be supported by the lens tripod socket

 

[DREW WILEY]

I've answered this question at least twice on previous threads. I use both attachments - the one on the lens collar as well as the camera body. These are unitized by a machined block of hard maple with 1/4-20 thread sockets embedded in the appropriate spots. This in turn has a larger 3/8-16 socket in the center for bolting directly to the platform top of either a large Ries wooden tripod or my big Feisol CF tripod modified to a platform top. This is how I get exceptionally sharp shots with the big 300EDIF, plus mirror-lockup. It's even more difficult to stabilize that my 8x10 camera. Not a good lens choice if traveling light is your priority; yet a wonderful lens if you're accustomed to weight. But at high shutter speeds too fast to experience mirror slap, you can successfully shoot it rifle-style nestled on a rolled-up jacket or large bean bag resting atop a car roof, fence post, etc. Monopods and any kind of light duty tripod system are futile - they just amplify vibrations; ball heads are for boneheads in this case. Getting rid of any tripod head is the smartest thing you can do in this application. I hear a lot of unnecessary complaints about unsharp shots from both varieties of Pentax 67 300's. It not the fault of the lenses! Want good results? - then be willing to give them some serious stabilization.

 

[GLS]

I use both attachments - the one on the lens collar as well as the camera body. These are unitized by a machined block of hard maple with 1/4-20 thread sockets embedded in the appropriate spots. This in turn has a larger 3/8-16 socket in the center for bolting directly to the platform top of either a large Ries wooden tripod or my big Feisol CF tripod modified to a platform top

I don't consider this a good solution as it precludes shooting in portrait orientation unless you tip the whole setup on its side (and away from the tripod center, thus defeating the stability gains).

In contrast, mounting via the lens foot alone allows the above via the rotating collar. I have not used the 300 ED (it's on my list though), but would be confident a heavy duty tripod legs + head combo could produce perfectly good results when using MLU and just the lens foot mounting.

 

[DREW WILEY]

For vertical orientation you just make a right angle bracket out of a solid stainless steel L-piece or comparable die-cast aluminum. Lighter and way more stable than any tripod head. Quick to attach too. Be confident all you want. But you're guessing, and guessing wrong; I'm not. I've actually tested all kinds of options, and now rely on what is truly reliable. What a few people have successfully done with more ordinary heavy tripod applications is to attached an adjustable strut between a special front of the lens collar and a lockable position low on a leg somewhere. Just using the built-in lens collar won't sufficiently stabilize this huge lens against P6X7 internal vibrations. I have gotten lens-collar-ring-only to work with a Nikon adapter; but that's a quite different combination. The bigger test of mounting technique is actually the non-EDIF 300, since it doesn't have a lens collar at all. But I know how to do these too.

 

[abruzzi]

Kirk made an L bracket for the Pentax 67 (and 67II) but they're no longer made and the two that I have seen on eBay have both gone for +$500.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/554711-REG/Kirk_BL_6X7II_BL_6X7II_Compact_L_Bracket_for.html

 

[DREW WILEY]

That Kirk bracket strikes me as simply too flimsy and subject to vibration for this particular application, though it might be helpful with other P67 uses. The mere fact they illustrate it atop a wobbly ballhead informs me that whoever was in charge of marketing it didn't have a clue what they were doing. But that's nothing new - Marketing MBA's usually can't figure out how to tie their own shoelaces. What is sufficient? I dunno in terms of off-the-shelf items. So I make my own. But you might be pleased to know that it takes about 1% of the expense given in the above post to do this.

 

[abruzzi]

Also a while back there was a Pentax left hand bracket on eBay. Instead of a wooden handle it was an aluminum block in the same shape of the wood, more or less, except the outside edge was flat and had tripod mount. I doubt it was original, but nonetheless seemed very well made. It was selling for ~$200, and was based on the later grip with hot shoe instead of cold shoe.

while I envy people with the skills and tool to make things like that themselves, most of us don’t have that capability, so it’s useful to know what can be bought off the shelf, if you can find it.

 

[GLS]

Kirk made an L bracket for the Pentax 67 (and 67II) but they're no longer made and the two that I have seen on eBay have both gone for +$500.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/554711-REG/Kirk_BL_6X7II_BL_6X7II_Compact_L_Bracket_for.html

Yes I know about this. I have searched for one for years, without success.