The Lens Collar: Support In Just The Right Places

The Lens Collar: Support In Just The Right Places

“The loftier the building, the deeper must the foundation be laid.” - Thomas Kempis

     Have you ever seen the pro photographers at a sports event? You know, the guys on the sidelines with black, pocket covered vests and HUGE telephoto lenses? Well they're quite familiar with lens collars, as they come standard issue for those enormous barrels of glass. Lets take a closer look and see how they work! 

     

     A lens collar (a.k.a. tripod collar, lens bracket, camera bracket or big metal ring) is pretty much what it sounds like, as you can see in the photos. It's meant to hold the lens and attach it to a tripod or monopod for stability. Since the lens is mounted to the tripod, the camera hangs free in the air. I thought this was strange when I first saw it, but it makes sense that the heavier & bulkier of the two should be mounted. On the side of the collar, you'll find a tightening knob or screw that secures the collar around the lens.

     In the photo below, a large lens was used to demonstrate the use of a lens collar, because usually, a lens collar isn't used on smaller lenses. A small lens, like a Canon 17-40mm f4 L, is easily steadied by hand, or can be safely supported by the body of the camera itself. However, if you're using a lens like the Canon 400mm f4 weighing in at around 4 1/2 lbs, a lens collar is probably something your going to want! If you have a long telephoto without a collar, and would like to see if a collar is available for it, check B&H, as they have a great selection of lens collars available. And, guess what? If you're not the proud owner of a $6,000 mega lens, and all you have is a lowly old beat up Canon 75-300 f4-5.6 MkIII (ahem... like me), you can buy the Manfrotto 293 Telephoto Lens Support and voilà! Now, you can head to the race track or sports event or rodeo or whatever, and look super cool with a lens support system! 

By Ximonic (Simo Räsänen) (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

     Well, that's about all there is to say about lens collars. Or rather, that's all I know about lens collars. It's a simple device that serves a very important purpose: stability. I imagine it would be near impossible to get a decent photo without a collar and tripod if you're using a very large lens. If you're a landscape photographer, this is a must-have accessory! 

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