Nikon's new 24-70/2.8, 24/1.8 and 200-500/5.6 are now official!

[Ilkka Nissilä]

Nikon does mention a separate mode of VR for tripod use:

http://www.nikonusa.com/en_US/IMG/Images/Micro-Sites/VR/technology/normal/tripod/

Nikon write "This mode automatically differentiates the frequency of the vibration from that of camera shake, and changes algorithm to correct image blur caused by slight tripod vibration.  Tripod mode is employed in three super-telephoto lenses that are likely to be used with a tripod." The 400/2.8, 500/4 and 600/4 are mentioned with explicit tripod mode VR switch.

Three other lenses where tripod vibration is automatically detected and reduced are mentioned (200/2II, 300/2.8II, and 200-400/4II), but it doesn't say if this is as reliable and effective as the switch-activated tripod mode in the three bigger lenses. I noticed the new 24-70/2.8 E VR also has tripod mode.

[Akira]

They are all heavy leneses and should generate relatively lower resonant frequencies which the VR mechanism might be able to follow.  The VR in the new 24-70/2.8 might have improved in that aspect?  Sorry there are all speculations.

[simsurace]

I don't think they are trying to achieve this with their long lens collars...
 
If these assumptions are correct...

It seems they never intended the tripod collar to be responsible for preventing vibrations...

Maybe we should write a petition to Nikon? What makes the idea difficult to get support for is that some people think the whole idea of landscape photography with a long lens is doomed to failure. Personally I think telephoto landscape images are often very beautiful and moody, making me want to go out and experience those places whereas the super wide angle makes my legs and vestibular system feel a bit ill.

If this is indeed the case, it is a sad situation. This is quite ignorant of a very important use case for long lenses. I agree with you about the importance of long focal lengths for landscapes and I would also add cityscapes and architecture to the list of things that quite often simply look better with a long lens. I would definitely sign a petition like this.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

The tragic aspect is that the first series of ED-IF telephoto lenses tended to have good to excellent tripod mounts ....

[pat mezzulo]

I am just an old school engineer. I was taught to keep the center of gravity low and tight when transferring weight to supports.
The 200-500 tripod mount just does not follow that design principle.....

[Erik Lund]

You also need a design for unhindered access to the controls of the lens, focus zoom VR on off, AF MF etc. for purely practical reasons - The new foot designs allow for that and they look sleek.

If tele lenses where designed for strength and stability we would be back at he dual 90 degrees apart threaded fixed collar-less design of many decades ago... Do you really miss that?

[Frank Fremerey]

I do not understand that Nikon is not listening.

So many Millions of bad Collars made and an Internet full of criticism.

[stenrasmussen]

I do not understand that Nikon is not listening.

So many Millions of bad Collars made and an Internet full of criticism.

Selective hearing 😊

[Jan Anne]

I do not understand that Nikon is not listening.

So many Millions of bad Collars made and an Internet full of criticism.

Because these lenses aren't designed for slow shutter speed landscapes on tripods but for high speed monopod or out of hand use.....

[Ilkka Nissilä]

Jan, Nikon themselves advertise the 80-400 with slogans like "Any subject. Any distance" and show examples including some landscape images, one of them of some trees at 1/10s.

[Erik Lund]

I do not understand that Nikon is not listening.

So many Millions of bad Collars made and an Internet full of criticism.

Because these lenses aren't designed for slow shutter speed landscapes on tripods but for high speed monopod or out of hand use.....

I completely agree with JA here.

These are for action sports and wildlife shooters...

[Erik Lund]

Jan, Nikon themselves advertise the 80-400 with slogans like "Any subject. Any distance" and show examples including some landscape images, one of them of some trees at 1/10s.

But you can do that with the lens, VR on tripod mode and shoot of couple of images and one will be sharp

[Akira]

You also need a design for unhindered access to the controls of the lens, focus zoom VR on off, AF MF etc. for purely practical reasons - The new foot designs allow for that and they look sleek.

If tele lenses where designed for strength and stability we would be back at he dual 90 degrees apart threaded fixed collar-less design of many decades ago... Do you really miss that?

Actually, I seriously want this.  Switching between landscape and portrait orientation is much faster with this system, if small A-S plates are attached to both feet.

[simsurace]

In my opinion, being optimized for wildlife and sports is not a good argument for bad tripod collars.
Besides, lenses such as the 80-400 are marketed as general-purpose telezooms, but being unstable at certain shutter speeds compromises their ability to perform as such.

It's relatively well known how to design a stable collar. Nikon can look back at some of their older lenses. The competition (Canon, Sigma to name two) are able to do it, offering more value and more potential uses for the lens. The more uses, the more sales. In this thread alone, there are a handful of people who didn't buy certain lenses because of this shortcoming.

A collar which is rigid and well designed does not need to compromise maneuverability for action shooters.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

It is easy to understand that the requirement of sports photographers for carrying their long lenses dictates a grippable handle instead of a low-profile tripod mount. However, these concerns needn't be mutually exclusive. All it takes is to design the rotating collar generously wide, and let it have a broad and sturdy foundation for either a handle-type foot, or a low-profile massive foot suitable for long exposures. Surely it'll add mass, but even an increase of 2-300 grammes for a better support wouldn't hurt the sports shooters by much, and if judiciously engineered would make wonders for everybody else.

The current approach is contrary to these goals, though. The collar has been narrowed in general, and the foundation for mounting the tripod extension ("foot") has been weakened by paring it down in mass and size. From what I see of Canon long lenses, they are not much better designed than the corresponding Nikkors. Thus we apparently face an industrial problem.