[luftfluss]

The only folks I've ever encountered who actually complain about lens weight are some m4/3 users. They got into the system to go small, and the Panasonic 100-400 (1 kg) and Olympus 300/4 PRO (1.5 kg) seem heavy to them.

Anyway, I think the OP is conflating commenting on weight with complaining about it.

[monochrome]

And....do you also fly fish?

Indeed. Fly Fishing is gear-centric too. I don’t do big western rivers or Steelhead in Michigan any more but there’s plenty of wild trout within a 90 minute drive.

[Bruce Clark]

Personally, I have never decided one lens/body over another on the basis of weight. Performance, cost and need are the only considerations for me. I once had a workmate who did consider weight, he had prepared a complicated spreadsheet to calculate combined weight of several different camera body/lens combinations and other factors. I could not be bothered. He ended up with a Nikon DSLR of some description. Before he went on an overseas trip he bought a point and shoot and left the DSLR behind.

[stevebrot]

Or am I totally off base here?

No, I agree with you.

I am often surprised at how many people purchase heavy or bulky kit, use it for several months and then complain* about that aspect as if it were a fault in design forced upon them by other than their simple choice to keep the offending item, sometimes for years.


Steve

* I generally consider whether comment or complaint based on whether blame or persecution or unreasonable expectation are present. A few examples:

Comment: "This lens, while sturdy and highly regarded, is somewhat heavier than competing options in other mounts."

Complaint: "Pentax forces this anvil of a lens on its customers while competing brands offer superior product hundreds of grams lighter in weight."

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Last edited by stevebrot; 12-22-2019 at 10:51 PM.

[stevebrot]

Wow, I didn't realize the Sony 600/4 was so light! The amount of cash ($13,000!) it costs might weigh more than the lens itself! Talk about lightening one's wallet...

I had to check and sure enough, just 3.04kg. Strangely, though, shipping weight is is 9.8kg. It must require a wood crate.


Steve

[HoutHans]

I'm sure it's been mentioned above: If anyone desperately needs to lighten their photographic existence, I'm interested in a 600/4 lens, but I'm a real lightweight when it comes to money, so I'll compensate all of that weight with just a light amount of money: seems only fair. To the point: my wife always remarks how heavy my K-50 is, and thats when I remove the 18-135 lens that came with it and then she notices how even a simple kit lens like that weighs a lot. It is simply the price to pay for the laws of physics (want to gather a lot of light and refract is nicely into a flat plane with limited abberations? You'll need the glass, precision and rigidity).

As to the comparision between brands: I really like the lens teardowns by lensrentals and the differences on the inside of the lenses always amaze me, so one 70-210/2.8 is not like the other, if only because of the number and size of the elements involved, but also because of the motors, bearings and whatever else lives in there. Personally, I don't mind when keeping the weight down is only the last of the design priorities as that often also increases the durability and gives me the chance to buy a perfectly functioning lens that is a few decades old.

[Wasp]

"Ooooh, carrying my K1 with battery grip and 70-200/2.8 is such hard work."

Now there is a real first world problem. One that I would love to have.

[aslyfox]

at one point in time, I had a brief thought

" hey, my wife is with me, she can help with the extra lenses etc and I won't have to carry all that weight "

her simple response:

" you bought it, you carry it. "

such is life: you bought that big thing, knowing its advantages/disadvantages

hopefully you will be able to carry it when needed for a long time.

[Rondec]

No, I agree with you.

I am often surprised at how many people purchase heavy or bulky kit, use it for several months and then complain* about that aspect as if it were a fault in design forced upon them by other than their simple choice to keep the offending item, sometimes for years.


Steve

* I generally consider whether comment or complaint based on whether blame or persecution or unreasonable expectation are present. A few examples:

Comment: "This lens, while sturdy and highly regarded, is somewhat heavier than competing options in other mounts."

Complaint: "Pentax forces this anvil of a lens on its customers while competing brands offer superior product hundreds of grams lighter in weight."

A lot is often made about 200 or 300 grams of weight. Of course it's something, but in the context of fairly large lenses, it probably isn't as big a deal as some make it out to be.

I often see this sort of thing in user reviews. The other thing that amuses me in user reviews is when they mention the focal length as a con. "Unfortunately, I have found 40mm not to be long enough..." or some such comment. A 16-50 f2.8 shouldn't be knocked down because it doesn't go to 85mm -- it would be a different lens then and I think most people looking at it know that.

[Hythloday]

So, given that intro, why do so many folk complain about the weight of their best lenses?

There are light weight 'best' lenses and heavy weight 'best ' lenses

When there is 100% chance of taking pictures I will bring my heavy weight 'best' lenses. When the chance is less than 50% I will not use my heavy weight 'best' lenses, I will bring my lightweight 'best' lenses.

A zoom is more versatile than a prime. But the advantage of primes is that you really think about how to take your picture.

[reh321]

A zoom is more versatile than a prime. But the advantage of primes is that you really think about how to take your picture.

With my zoom lenses, I think first about what perspective I want - from where to take my photo. What thinking is more important than that???

[aslyfox]

With my zoom lenses, I think first about what perspective I want - from where to take my photo. What thinking is more important than that???

safety

[ you did ask ]

[reh321]

safety

[ you did ask ]

but relates to prime lens leading to better thinking than zoom lens does??

added: I was responding to member Hythloday's comment about thinking in using prime lens. I was saying that zoom lens leads to more productive thinking - of course, I would hope that all photography is done safely.

[Lowell Goudge]

I have sat and watched all the gripes complaints and comments for 5 pages of this thread, and have decided to jump in with some comments and observations.

First, I can understand why some people are commenting about weight, and there have been theories about this over time, but there is no value repeating them.

My approach is and has always been take what you are comfortable with. Although I am young enough, strong enough and fit enough to carry quite a load out, I never taking my entire kit, even with a car. The only time I ever took my entire kit was when I moved to a different continent, and even then 80% of it was put in a container.

My typical load to carry for a day is the following

K5, K1 MK2, sigma 70-200/2.8 EX plus its 2XTC, Tamron 28-75/2.8 xr di, and a sigma 10-20. Plus small back pack, chargers and iPad

Maybe some day I won’t be able to carry all of it. But note also, I many times take 1 body a messenger shoulder bag, and 2-3 legacy primes

It is all a choice

[Hythloday]

With my zoom lenses, I think first about what perspective I want - from where to take my photo. What thinking is more important than that???

For every picture a photographer has to think about perspective. A zoom lens offers the possibility to zoom out or in so that you get what you wnat in a picture. A prime doesn't offer you that possibility and you get more or less than you want in your picture.

I only take one camera and one lens with me when I go out. Suppose a photographer just uses a 21mm lens on APC. His/Her pictures will be entirely different than when a photographer only uses a 70mm lens on APC. With a zoom you can use both focal lengths. With just one prime you will have to stimulate your creativity to make nice pictures.

Just give it a try and you will see what I mean. It became clear to me when I went on a holiday last year. The weather forecast was very bad and I left my K-3 and DA16-85mm at home. I just took my K-S2 and DA 35mm.