Stupid question about big lenses

Doca

Doca

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Name
Brett
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I've just upgraded my bridge camera & jumped in with both feet and got a 7d and 70-200 2.8 IS UMS lens.

When I'm holding the body with one hand whilst changing settings you feel the weight of the the lens on the body.

Is it possible to damage the body with too heavy a lens? I will be getting a 2x extender soon which will make it even heavier.

This seems like such a stupid question as the camera is obviously made for these lenses but on the outside chance its not I wanted to check before I brake it :)
 
joebh123 said:
No, it will be fine. Just try not to hold up the camera by just the lens.
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The lens is heavier than the body, it actually makes sense to hold the lens - aside from just the weight difference you get less moment (physics term) around the mount if you hold the lens.
 
joebh123 said:
No, it will be fine. Just try not to hold up the camera by just the lens.
Click to expand...

only if you have plastic lens mounts, apart from that shouldn`t be any problem.

The camera will take the weight of the lens no problem however when getting involved in lenses over the size/weight of say a 70-200 for instance its best to support it with 2 hands, monopod or lens collar mount.
 
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It's not a daft question at all. The daft question is the one you don't ask. ;)

The camera body around the lens mount is reinforced to take the weight of these larger lenses and lenses much bigger than your 70-200 too.

However you do need to exercise a bit of common sense with very heavy lenses. The most force exerted on the lens mount will be when the lens is at right angles to the camera body and it's good practise to have your left hand under the lens for support and to take the stress off that lens mount. Larger lenses tend to have their own tripod mount to avoid this exact problem of the lens mount supporting the whole weight of the lens. Over time with careless handling it's entirely possibly to stress the lens mount.

When you're walking around with your camera around your neck with a long heavy lens mounted get into the habit of supporting the lens with a hand cupped under it. If you can't do that, it's a much better arrangement to have the lens hanging straight down towards the ground rather than hanging at right angles from the body which is when it exerts the most stress on the mount.
 
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I habitually carry my 500mm f/4L by the lens tripod foot with the camera mounted to the lens, but the lens is much heavier than the camera. Effectively, the body is hanging from the lens, but that's a much safer arrangement than the other way round.
 
OK thanks for the replies. Seems that it will be generally ok but best to apply some common sense and support the lens where possible.
 
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