Where can I find information about maximum allowed lens weight for my camera?
I'm asking because I have an opportunity to get an old Soviet-built 80-200mm lens for my Nikon D3100 for a very attractive price. But then it occurred to me: the lens weighs 960g (more than camera itself) and the camera has plastic body, so could it damage my camera?
Nikon website only list compatible types of lenses, but not maximum weight. I'm pretty sure this particular lens will be OK, but this kind of information would be very useful when considering purchasing heavy lenses.
While I'm asking about Nikon, I think the question will be relevant for any camera brand.
Answer
It's strange but I can't find this data either; clearly there is a maximum load the mount can take, but I can't find one for any DSLR manufacturer, even ones like Canon who have in the past manufactured a 16.5kg lens!
In the manual for the Panasonic GH1 mirrorless camera, the maximum recommend lens weight carried by the mount alone was 1kg. The Nikon F mount is bigger than the m43 mount so I would expect it to take at least this figure if not more.
I can say however that you won't have problems with a 1kg lens, as the mount will take this weight — people use this type of lens all the time without a collar (tripod mount for the lens).
If a lens was shipped by the manufacturer without a tripod collar, I would take this as indication that it is safe to mount this lens without one. The Canon EF85mm f/1.2L is just over 1kg and is shipped without a collar, so I would infer that this is well within the limit (though this is a short lens and so exerts a smaller moment on the mount).
I think that perhaps one of the reasons it isn't specified is that even when using a 1kg lens I've heard people report that it felt too heavy for the mount even when it wasn't, so they can rely on common sense — provided the mount is stronger than it looks!
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