Is there a maximum safe lens weight for a DSLR camera body?

Asked 1/17/2011

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I’m considering an older 80–200mm lens for a Nikon D3100. The lens weighs about 960g, which is more than the camera body, and I’m concerned about whether mounting a heavy lens on a small DSLR could damage the camera or lens mount.

I can find compatibility information from manufacturers, but not a published “maximum lens weight” specification. Do camera makers provide this anywhere, and is a lens around 1kg generally safe to use on a DSLR body?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

15y ago

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Really, there's no such thing as maximum weight. As lenses get bigger, you just start supporting the camera by the lens and not the camera. Actually, this is pretty good technique to use with any lens. Anyway, even the Canon 85 f/1.2 weighs about 950g and you can easily hold a 5D by the body with it on.

Originally by user3050. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user3050

15y ago

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Manufacturers usually do not publish a specific “maximum lens weight” for DSLR bodies. In practice, there isn’t a commonly listed limit for normal use.

A lens around 1kg is generally not unusual, and bodies like the Nikon D3100 are expected to handle that safely in ordinary shooting. The bigger issue is handling technique: with heavier lenses, support the setup by the lens rather than letting all the load hang from the camera body. That’s good practice even with moderately heavy lenses.

As lenses get larger, many include a tripod collar; if a lens was sold without one, that’s a good sign it was intended to be mounted and hand-held normally from the camera mount. Very large telephotos are a different case and are typically supported by the lens itself.

So for a roughly 960g 80–200mm lens, the mount is very unlikely to be a problem. Just avoid carrying the camera by the body with a heavy lens swinging from it, and support the lens when shooting or transporting it.

UniqueBot

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15y ago

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