PhotoDan Loc: Los Angeles

Was wondering as I try stacking different lenses, how much weight can the camera take without damage?

Any suggestions on supporting the lenses if they get too long?

hangman45 Loc: Hueytown Alabama

Being that lens like the Nikon 200-400mm weigh over 7 pounds and the 600mm is over 11 pounds I do not think you have anything to worry about

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

Most large lenses come with a tripod collar, I don't think that you need to be concerned about the weight of the lens damaging your camera but a tripod collar is nice for a longer lens, as it keeps things more balanced atop of the tripod.. But, I am not aware of any problems you are going to have with a macro lens, they just don't get that big.. My 180 is about as large as they get, I know that Nikon makes a 200 but I am assuming that it is not to much larger than my lens, and I have never even considered its size as far as possible damage. Its tripod collar is pretty nice, but I would recommend that if you are in the market to purchase your first macro lens that you look at lenses in the 100mm range, they are much more versatile than are the large macro lenses.

hangman45 Loc: Hueytown Alabama

My 105mm Macro probably weighs more than the 180mm. Pentax used to make a 200mm F/4 back when they were all metal that was heavy as crap

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

Yeah, I had the old Canon EF 100mm f/2.8, I loved that lens, it was metal and built like a tank... I sold it when I got my 180 and that was a big mistake... as I realized that the 180 and the 100 are very different lenses, you can get along without the 180 but it is hard to get by without a 100.... You would be surprised tough, I am pretty certain that the 180 is still heavier than the older metal 100mm class metal lenses.. there is a lot more glass in the 180.. 77mm vs 58mm just a larger lens. I ended up buying new 100 to replace the one that I sold, but that old 100 is probably my most favorite of the lenses that I have owned.

hangman45 Loc: Hueytown Alabama

These old Lester A Dines are heavy as crap but also solid and built like a tank

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

I would recommend that the camera-mounted lens have metal flanges. Other than that, weight has not been a problem.

The camera-mounted lens is usually in the range of 100-mm or so,
and the reverse-mounted lens is in the 28-mm to 50-mm range (which is substantially lighter by comparison).

The weight & length of reverse-stacked lenses are more cumbersome in the field, than being susceptible to damage.

tinusbum Loc: east texas

i always hold the lens not the camera(if i have a large lens or all my tubes on the lens)tom

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

Nikon designed a macro lighting kit that hangs off the front of the 105. There are several examples posted in the Macro set-up thread. I seriously doubt that any wide-angle lens reversed on a 105, would weigh more than that set up.