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RF 100-500mm tripod collar warning

NOVA Joe
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · RF 100-500mm tripod collar warning

I received my RF 100-500 last week and had a great time shooting with it over the weekend.

I guess most people prefer using this lens handheld with no tripod collar, I prefer to keep the collar on and have attached a Kirk plate for tripod use and strap attachment via the QD socket.

The collar can be rotated by loosening the know, however there is a lot of friction so the temptation is keep loosening the knob. Unfortunately, if you loosen the knob too far the collar pops open which may cause you to drop the lens and your camera. This happened to me twice this weekend and luckily I was holding the camera grip firmly both times.

Someone else pointed this out in another thread, but after this happened to me I thought it was worth a new thread. Hopefully this saves someone from dropping their gear.

Joe

Aug 23, 2021 at 05:13 PM

pinnatifid
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · RF 100-500mm tripod collar warning

A related warning: I use a Spider camera holster with my R5+RF100-500mm, and within a few weeks of daily use the lock knob on the tripod collar wore a hole/gash in the camera holster. Since I was traveling out of the country at the time I slapped a piece of duct tape on the hole to prevent the knob from digging further into the holster Twice after that the lens collar popped open and my camera fell to the ground. Amazingly it did not break. I think perhaps the duct tape caused the lock knob to loosen. After that I kept a shoulder strap attached and frequently checked the knob. I love using the Spider holster but maybe its not a good match for this lens & tripod collar. While this is probably a pretty narrow set of circumstances, it seems worth sharing.

Jul 02, 2022 at 10:10 AM

mdees88
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · RF 100-500mm tripod collar warning

pinnatifid wrote:
I think perhaps the duct tape caused the lock knob to loosen.

It's just a piss poor design. My R5 landed on a rock and it's toast. Haven't heard back from Canon yet.

It's sad I have to do this but IF.... and a BIG IF.... I ever use the tripod collar again I'm going to tether the lens to the collar. That's right, TETHER the LENS to the COLLAR. I've never had an arca swiss plate let go on me...

Jul 02, 2022 at 10:32 AM

PhotoCyclist
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · RF 100-500mm tripod collar warning

This doesn't happen on my RF100-500. If I loosen the knob 100% it does not just pop open - it needs to be pulled open. There is an audible click when closing the collar before you tighten it using the knob. The catch on mine works, which suggests that is how all should work and perhaps most do?

I know others with this lens and theirs is the same. It is possible a minority have slightly defective collars. Naturally, if a significant number of those sold overall failed then that would, indeed, be an issue but is that information available?

I do, however, always hold the camera grip when doing anything involving the collar or tripod anyway- this makes sense to me from a safety point of view.

I'd just add that my RF 70-200 2.8 collar is exactly the same. Works.

Jul 02, 2022 at 10:49 AM

NOVA Joe
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · RF 100-500mm tripod collar warning

I’m the one who started this post, but I wanted to let everyone know that I haven’t had any problems since I noticed the bad design issue. The collar works fine and is secure as long as you don’t loosen the knob too far. I have Kirk Design Arca-Swiss foot on my 100-500 with a quick disconnect socket and I carry my R3 and 100-500 on a strap with all the weight on that tripod collar and I completely trust it. That might not be a good idea, but so far so good. Rotating the collar is always stiff So the temptation is to loosen the knob and that’s where the risk of unintended unintentional opening occurs.

Jul 02, 2022 at 10:54 AM

Mike_5D
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · RF 100-500mm tripod collar warning

Maybe the collar's latch behaves differently depending on where the weight is being borne. For example, it could be on a tripod with the lens directly above the foot or you could be carrying it from a strap with the foot above.

Jul 02, 2022 at 10:58 AM

Sy Sez
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · RF 100-500mm tripod collar warning

I found out the "hard-way", but was lucky.

Had R5 /100-500L with sling-strap attached to the collar; dropped about two feet onto dirt/grass.
Fortunately, there was just a slight nick at one small point on the front of the lens hood, and no further damage; but now, I always make sure it is securely attached.

IMO, it could have / should have been a far better Fail-safe design!

Jul 02, 2022 at 03:40 PM

nimrazer
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · RF 100-500mm tripod collar warning

It's all because of cost-down from EF version.

Jul 02, 2022 at 03:43 PM

EB-1
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · RF 100-500mm tripod collar warning

The lens has been out for almost two years, so why are so many complaints recent? Has something changed?

EBH

Jul 02, 2022 at 04:27 PM

mdees88
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · RF 100-500mm tripod collar warning

EB-1 wrote:
The lens has been out for almost two years, so why are so many complaints recent? Has something changed?

EBH

Good question. Between this thread and mine there have been 8 instances where the collar inadvertently let go of a lens. I guess I'm the only one with serious damage...

That said if my lens had just fell in the grass and did not get damaged I likely wouldn't have created my thread.

Jul 02, 2022 at 05:25 PM

EB-1
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · RF 100-500mm tripod collar warning

EB-1 wrote:
The lens has been out for almost two years, so why are so many complaints recent? Has something changed?

EBH

mdees88 wrote:
Good question. Between this thread and mine there have been 8 instances where the collar inadvertently let go of a lens. I guess I'm the only one with serious damage...

That said if my lens had just fell in the grass and did not get damaged I likely wouldn't have created my thread.

I'm just wondering if something changed recently, such as Canon using a different supplier.
I don't recall all these complaints in late 2020/early 2021. I've used three 100-500s and not had a lens fall off, but I'm in the habit of locking the tripod collar before picking up the tripod, whether that is a 500/4, 600/4, 100-400, etc. The 100-400 II has such a smooth bearing that the camera can rotate when it is fully loose due to most weight being on the body grip side.

EBH

Jul 02, 2022 at 06:09 PM

Sy Sez
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · RF 100-500mm tripod collar warning

For the Collar to "come loose", the tensioning Knob/screw bust be backed out until it clicks where it's actually in the pre-removal position, where merely pulling on the knob will release it from the lens.
If the Knob is screwed in, to catch a few threads, it should be safely secure.

Jul 02, 2022 at 07:49 PM

NOVA Joe
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · RF 100-500mm tripod collar warning

Sy Sez wrote:
For the Collar to "come loose", the tensioning Knob/screw bust be backed out until it clicks where it's actually in the pre-removal position, where merely pulling on the knob will release it from the lens.
If the Knob is screwed in, to catch a few threads, it should be safely secure.

Yes, that’s the way it is supposed to work. Unfortunately many of us, myself included have had the lens fall out of the collar. I was lucky and caught the lens immediately, many were not and had damaged lenses and/or cameras. Canon has sold tens of thousands have f these lenses and only a small fraction of those buyers read this forum. If we have hear about a few accidents, the real number is probably in the hundreds. The collar does not rotate smoothly like other L lenses, so we keep loosening the knob to try to make it rotate smoothly, then it suddenly releases. It’s a very, very bad design. Hopefully, a lot of people will read this and learn to be extremely careful or Canon will fix it. I don’t think the latter is very likely.

Joe

Jul 02, 2022 at 08:10 PM

Sy Sez
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · RF 100-500mm tripod collar warning

NOVA Joe wrote:
Yes, that’s the way it is supposed to work. Unfortunately many of us, myself included have had the lens fall out of the collar. I
Joe

Mine dropped from my Collar-foot attached Sling-strap.

Initially, on mine, with the tensioning Knob-screw fully backed out, I repeatedly twisted it to tighten, but it apparently never engaged the first thread. The weight of the Camera & lens works toward unclasping the collar, and in that position, it can disengage with a light tug, without pulling out the Knob.
With mine, apparently a bump against my leg was enough to "dump" it.

The flaw: After my "drop" I noted that I had to press in quite hard & apply force on the Knob to engage the threads,
I subsequently, repeatedly engaged & reengaged the threads, and now it tightens, from the backed off position with an effortless twist.

Jul 03, 2022 at 10:48 AM

juststeve
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · RF 100-500mm tripod collar warning

There is an earlier thread on this very subject https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1761666.

In it, I put forth my two cents twice, having had a couple of instances where the ring let loose of the lens. A couple of evenings ago, I had a third instance. Fortunately, I was in waist high grass and the lens and camera landed softly. Luckily too, as there was plenty of granite and limestone in the immediate area.

I do carry my 100-500 by a foot mounted strap a great deal, always when walking my dogs daily and when intent on photographing. This certainly increases the risk of a tripod ring catastrophe. This design requiring an insertion of one part into another until it clicks, and then pressing down on a knob until it clicks, and then tightening said knob, is one idiotic example of over-design to the point of stupidity.

Canon needs to redesign this folly of a tripod ring and issue free replacements before we photographers suffer ruined cameras and lenses and Canon creates a bunch of new Nikon and Sony users.

Jul 03, 2022 at 04:34 PM

Zenon Char
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · RF 100-500mm tripod collar warning

So do I. I mount my Peak Design to the foot and have been carrying it that way since the 100-500 was released. It gets a lot of mileage.

Jul 03, 2022 at 04:42 PM

MicheleB
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · RF 100-500mm tripod collar warning

Long time Canon shooter and got 100-500 early on. This opening has happened to me several times. I can get it to do it by tightening the screw until the collar does not turn then slowly unscrew knob and shake gently once like it would when walking. In just a few turns the collar opens and it is not loose enough to allow the collar to rotate. Note i am not pulling on the knob at all and it still opens. So unless I screw it down very tight when walking it will open. It is a poor design and in addition you really have to be careful to make sure the screw is threading in. I have had many long Canon lenses and never had this problem before and in fact it has been much more difficult to take the collar off in the past. Fair warning. I have other friends with same lens wo this problem. I have not contacted canon as yet and hope to demo to a rep at an upcoming Expo.

Oct 30, 2022 at 12:00 PM

Imagemaster
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · RF 100-500mm tripod collar warning

MicheleB wrote:
I can get it to do it by tightening the screw until the collar does not turn then slowly unscrew knob and shake gently once like it would when walking. In just a few turns the collar opens and it is not loose enough to allow the collar to rotate.

So where is the logic in slowly unscrewing the knob after you have tightened it? Sounds stupid to me.

Never had a problem with my collar, but I never carry my camera/lens by the collar anyway.

Oct 30, 2022 at 03:15 PM

ChrisHA
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · RF 100-500mm tripod collar warning

I bought this lens during an availability window back in Dec. to save travel weight paired with a R3 but ended up sticking with my tried/true 500/1.4x instead. I plan to start using this 100-500 with the R5 as a 2nd rig (unless I swap it for the RF 70-200 instead for the extra light/bokeh). Thx for this reminder heads up as I read about this issue before. FYI: something that I do with all of my rigs is attach the lens foot plate to the camera body with Op/Tech 1301012 uni adapter loops/system connectors (regular) for peace of mind as “crap” happens and it’s cheap insurance.

Oct 30, 2022 at 03:30 PM

MicheleB
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · RF 100-500mm tripod collar warning

The tripod collar is designed to rotate so you can shoot portrait or landscape. You have to loosen the screw to rotate the lens in the collar.

Edited on Oct 30, 2022 at 03:53 PM · View previous versions

Oct 30, 2022 at 03:38 PM

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