Why the heck Ricoh didn't include a tripod collar with the D-FA 70-210?

**RobA_Oz** · 08-09-2021, 03:30 PM

Originally posted by steephill

There are plenty of Chinese knock-off versions on ebay for about £20, just search for the Tamron equivalent part A034. OK you don't get a magnesium alloy, just aviation aluminium whatever that is.

The difference in density between the two isn’t so great that you’d notice when it’s on the lens, and the one I bought looks smaller than the Tamron version, anyway.

biz-engineer · 08-10-2021, 01:04 AM

Any indication of where the nodal point(s) is (are) on that lens?

Oldbayrunner · 08-10-2021, 05:25 AM - **1 Like**

Years ago I purchased a Manfrotto 293 to support my long lenses without collars with much success.
https://www.manfrotto.com/us-en/telephoto-lens-support-293/

angerdan · 08-10-2021, 07:36 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by biz-engineer

I had a quick look again at the D-FA 70-210, which would be a light weight option for travel. It looks like it's a good lens, with decent optics and quick focusing

. But why Ricoh didn't include a tripod collar is beyond me

, the collar would have made the Pentax an improved offer compared to the Tamron version.

Ricoh don't include the tripod collar to offer the lens at lower price.
You can buy the Tamron A034TM tripod collarseparate or decide to save the money for something else.

stevebrot wrote about the optional tripod collar A034TM two years ago and it is mentioned in the lens review datasheet:
New lens HD Pentax-D FA 70-210mm -- Pentax Special Content - PentaxForums.com
HD Pentax-D FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR - PentaxForums.com
HD Pentax-D FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR - PentaxForums.com
HD Pentax-D FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR - PentaxForums.com
HD Pentax-D FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR Reviews - D FA Zoom Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database
HD Pentax-D FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR Reviews - D FA Zoom Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

**acoufap** · 08-10-2021, 07:47 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by FozzFoster

A similar case from my perspective is the marketing that went around the 'lens warmer' ring grove thing for the DA* 11-18mm, but was not followed up with a Pentax-branded warmer (?)
I would have bought one!

Would have been nice, yes. Never saw such a string warmer. So I bought a much bulkier one thats made for astro telescopes.

**i_trax** · 08-10-2021, 07:51 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by biz-engineer

I had a quick look again at the D-FA 70-210, which would be a light weight option for travel. It looks like it's a good lens, with decent optics and quick focusing

. But why Ricoh didn't include a tripod collar is beyond me

, the collar would have made the Pentax an improved offer compared to the Tamron version.

did anyone look at this?
HD Pentax-D FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR - PentaxForums.com

There are numbers of comments that Tamron collar does not fit perfectly , the one I have is ideal and very well priced.

Wheatfield · 08-10-2021, 08:12 AM

Originally posted by biz-engineer

I had a quick look again at the D-FA 70-210, which would be a light weight option for travel. It looks like it's a good lens, with decent optics and quick focusing

. But why Ricoh didn't include a tripod collar is beyond me

, the collar would have made the Pentax an improved offer compared to the Tamron version.

It isn't necessary. The lens is light enough that it's not going to bend a K1, which is the lens's intended market.
Note that mounting a camera/lens combination by the lens increases the possibility of camera shake.
One poster here has indicated that the K1 and 70-210 is more prone to wind induced vibration when tripod mounted, I haven't noticed this to be a problem.

Shivaess · 08-10-2021, 08:13 AM

Originally posted by photoptimist

It's not hard to find an inexpensive slide rail that makes it easy to mount and adjust any lens-camera combination so that the center of gravity is right on top of the tripod's center. As a bonus, it can also be used for nodal-point tiling for panoramic and Brenizer photography that avoids tiling artifacts in foreground subjects.

Whereas a collar only provides good balance with cameras of a specific weight, a slide can work with lighter or heavier camera bodies as well as any added teleconvertors, extension tubes, or adapters.

And this got me to look up Brenzier photography. Thanks!

biz-engineer · 08-10-2021, 08:36 AM

Originally posted by i_trax

I have one and very happy with it

I found your post about the third party lens collar. Great. Thanks.

Nuftur · 08-10-2021, 09:20 AM

Originally posted by biz-engineer

....... D-FA 70-210, which would be a light weight option for travel......

That is exactly the target group that does not go with a tripod - my opinion.

pid · 08-10-2021, 09:39 AM

Originally posted by normhead

The DA*200 also doesn't have a lens collar. My DA*60-250 has a place to attach a tripod mount.

DA* 60-250 1040 grams. Has a tripod mount
DA* 200 ----825 grams. Doesn't have tripod mount.
D-FA 70-210 819 grams.

My suspicion is the weight of the D-FA doesn't exceed the technical spec. that represents the weight that can be safely supported by the camera mount. But apparently the one from the Tamron version of the lens fits it if you need it for balance.

It's just so hard to line up your subject with a travel tripod, with a lens with no collar for balance.

... the DFA*85 is with hood 1.355 g without tripod mount.

biz-engineer · 08-10-2021, 10:27 AM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by pid

... the DFA*85 is with hood 1.355 g without tripod mount.

The length of the lens matters as much as the weight. It's about having the tripod point not to far away from the center of gravity camera+lens.

normhead · 08-10-2021, 10:48 AM

Originally posted by pid

... the DFA*85 is with hood 1.355 g without tripod mount.

It's pretty short, not as much leverge stressing the mount?

**disasterfilm** · 08-10-2021, 12:42 PM

Originally posted by Oldbayrunner

Years ago I purchased a Manfrotto 293 to support my long lenses without collars with much success.
https://www.manfrotto.com/us-en/telephoto-lens-support-293/

For people in the Arca Swiss ecosystem, I've got one of these and it's pretty handy.
amazon.com : Neewer Telephoto Lens Support Bracket Quick Shoe Plate Long-Focus Stand Holder with 1/4inch and 3/8inch Screw Thread for Tripod Ball Head DSLR Camera Photography : Electronics?tag=pentaxforums-20&

For extra clarity, the camera attachment piece can be rotated at 90 degrees so a camera with an L-bracket fits right in. And for girthy lenses like the DA*200, you can mount the rail upside down so that the vertical bar actually fits under the lens. Works just fine for the DA*200, F*300 (no tripod bracket), Rokinon 135, etc.

A bit off-topic since I wouldn't necessarily recommend this to biz-engineer as a travel accessory to bring along (it's bulky to pack and not handy for daily carry either). But for ancillary readers searching for a $50 stability solution, I'll confirm this is a steady fix.

Wheatfield · 08-10-2021, 01:04 PM

Originally posted by pid

... the DFA*85 is with hood 1.355 g without tripod mount.

The D FA* 85/1.4 is a couple of inches shorter than the D FA 70-210/4, but is almost a full pound heavier. It loads the camera body a lot more than the 70-210. Pentax doesn't seem to think it needs a tripod mount.
I'm not sure where this fetish for tripod mounts comes from. They are certainly required for some lenses as some lenses are heavy enough to bend the camera body. If the camera and lens are mounted via the tripod socket on the camera, there will be less vibration, so this should be the way it is done when possible.
If the tripod head sags, then it isn't robust enough. The solution is to get a better head, not find some contraption that allows the rig to balance on something too flimsy to support it properly.

08-10-2021, 07:51 AM - 1 Like	#21
i_trax Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Perth Western Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,621	I have one and very happy with it Originally posted by biz-engineer I had a quick look again at the D-FA 70-210, which would be a light weight option for travel. It looks like it's a good lens, with decent optics and quick focusing . But why Ricoh didn't include a tripod collar is beyond me , the collar would have made the Pentax an improved offer compared to the Tamron version. did anyone look at this? HD Pentax-D FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR - PentaxForums.com There are numbers of comments that Tamron collar does not fit perfectly , the one I have is ideal and very well priced.

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08-09-2021, 03:30 PM	#16
RobA_Oz Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tasmania, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,197	Originally posted by steephill There are plenty of Chinese knock-off versions on ebay for about £20, just search for the Tamron equivalent part A034. OK you don't get a magnesium alloy, just aviation aluminium whatever that is. The difference in density between the two isn’t so great that you’d notice when it’s on the lens, and the one I bought looks smaller than the Tamron version, anyway.

08-10-2021, 01:04 AM	#17
biz-engineer Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2015 Photos: Gallery Posts: 12,232 Original Poster	Any indication of where the nodal point(s) is (are) on that lens?

08-10-2021, 05:25 AM - 1 Like	#18
Oldbayrunner Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 1,665	Years ago I purchased a Manfrotto 293 to support my long lenses without collars with much success. https://www.manfrotto.com/us-en/telephoto-lens-support-293/

08-10-2021, 07:36 AM - 1 Like	#19
angerdan Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2015 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,639	Originally posted by biz-engineer I had a quick look again at the D-FA 70-210, which would be a light weight option for travel. It looks like it's a good lens, with decent optics and quick focusing . But why Ricoh didn't include a tripod collar is beyond me , the collar would have made the Pentax an improved offer compared to the Tamron version. Ricoh don't include the tripod collar to offer the lens at lower price. You can buy the Tamron A034TM tripod collarseparate or decide to save the money for something else. stevebrot wrote about the optional tripod collar A034TM two years ago and it is mentioned in the lens review datasheet: New lens HD Pentax-D FA 70-210mm -- Pentax Special Content - PentaxForums.com HD Pentax-D FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR - PentaxForums.com HD Pentax-D FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR - PentaxForums.com HD Pentax-D FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR - PentaxForums.com HD Pentax-D FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR Reviews - D FA Zoom Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database HD Pentax-D FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR Reviews - D FA Zoom Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

08-10-2021, 07:47 AM - 1 Like	#20
acoufap Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Munich, Germany Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,187	Originally posted by FozzFoster A similar case from my perspective is the marketing that went around the 'lens warmer' ring grove thing for the DA* 11-18mm, but was not followed up with a Pentax-branded warmer (?) I would have bought one! Would have been nice, yes. Never saw such a string warmer. So I bought a much bulkier one thats made for astro telescopes.

08-10-2021, 08:12 AM	#22
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	Originally posted by biz-engineer I had a quick look again at the D-FA 70-210, which would be a light weight option for travel. It looks like it's a good lens, with decent optics and quick focusing . But why Ricoh didn't include a tripod collar is beyond me , the collar would have made the Pentax an improved offer compared to the Tamron version. It isn't necessary. The lens is light enough that it's not going to bend a K1, which is the lens's intended market. Note that mounting a camera/lens combination by the lens increases the possibility of camera shake. One poster here has indicated that the K1 and 70-210 is more prone to wind induced vibration when tripod mounted, I haven't noticed this to be a problem.

08-10-2021, 08:13 AM	#23
Shivaess Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: VA Posts: 28	Originally posted by photoptimist It's not hard to find an inexpensive slide rail that makes it easy to mount and adjust any lens-camera combination so that the center of gravity is right on top of the tripod's center. As a bonus, it can also be used for nodal-point tiling for panoramic and Brenizer photography that avoids tiling artifacts in foreground subjects. Whereas a collar only provides good balance with cameras of a specific weight, a slide can work with lighter or heavier camera bodies as well as any added teleconvertors, extension tubes, or adapters. And this got me to look up Brenzier photography. Thanks!

08-10-2021, 08:36 AM	#24
biz-engineer Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2015 Photos: Gallery Posts: 12,232 Original Poster	Originally posted by i_trax I have one and very happy with it I found your post about the third party lens collar. Great. Thanks.

08-10-2021, 09:20 AM	#25
Nuftur Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2019 Posts: 39	Originally posted by biz-engineer ....... D-FA 70-210, which would be a light weight option for travel...... That is exactly the target group that does not go with a tripod - my opinion.

08-10-2021, 09:39 AM	#26
pid Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 567	Originally posted by normhead The DA200 also doesn't have a lens collar. My DA60-250 has a place to attach a tripod mount. DA* 60-250 1040 grams. Has a tripod mount DA* 200 ----825 grams. Doesn't have tripod mount. D-FA 70-210 819 grams. My suspicion is the weight of the D-FA doesn't exceed the technical spec. that represents the weight that can be safely supported by the camera mount. But apparently the one from the Tamron version of the lens fits it if you need it for balance. It's just so hard to line up your subject with a travel tripod, with a lens with no collar for balance. ... the DFA*85 is with hood 1.355 g without tripod mount.

08-10-2021, 10:27 AM - 2 Likes	#27
biz-engineer Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2015 Photos: Gallery Posts: 12,232 Original Poster	Originally posted by pid ... the DFA*85 is with hood 1.355 g without tripod mount. The length of the lens matters as much as the weight. It's about having the tripod point not to far away from the center of gravity camera+lens.

08-10-2021, 10:48 AM	#28
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Originally posted by pid ... the DFA*85 is with hood 1.355 g without tripod mount. It's pretty short, not as much leverge stressing the mount?

08-10-2021, 12:42 PM	#29
disasterfilm Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Texas Posts: 406	Originally posted by Oldbayrunner Years ago I purchased a Manfrotto 293 to support my long lenses without collars with much success. https://www.manfrotto.com/us-en/telephoto-lens-support-293/ For people in the Arca Swiss ecosystem, I've got one of these and it's pretty handy. amazon.com : Neewer Telephoto Lens Support Bracket Quick Shoe Plate Long-Focus Stand Holder with 1/4inch and 3/8inch Screw Thread for Tripod Ball Head DSLR Camera Photography : Electronics?tag=pentaxforums-20& For extra clarity, the camera attachment piece can be rotated at 90 degrees so a camera with an L-bracket fits right in. And for girthy lenses like the DA200, you can mount the rail upside down so that the vertical bar actually fits under the lens. Works just fine for the DA200, F*300 (no tripod bracket), Rokinon 135, etc. A bit off-topic since I wouldn't necessarily recommend this to biz-engineer as a travel accessory to bring along (it's bulky to pack and not handy for daily carry either). But for ancillary readers searching for a $50 stability solution, I'll confirm this is a steady fix.

08-10-2021, 01:04 PM	#30
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	Originally posted by pid ... the DFA85 is with hood 1.355 g without tripod mount. The D FA 85/1.4 is a couple of inches shorter than the D FA 70-210/4, but is almost a full pound heavier. It loads the camera body a lot more than the 70-210. Pentax doesn't seem to think it needs a tripod mount. I'm not sure where this fetish for tripod mounts comes from. They are certainly required for some lenses as some lenses are heavy enough to bend the camera body. If the camera and lens are mounted via the tripod socket on the camera, there will be less vibration, so this should be the way it is done when possible. If the tripod head sags, then it isn't robust enough. The solution is to get a better head, not find some contraption that allows the rig to balance on something too flimsy to support it properly.