cactuspic Loc: Dallas, TX

My camera strap is attached to a small Arca style clamp. For longer lenses, I attach the strap to the Arca style plate on the tripod ring. For shorter lenses, I attached the strap to the L bracket on my camera. Taking the strap off and putting the camera on a tripod is a breeze. Everything works well with my Black Rapid strap but there are other brands that will work as well.

Irwin

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I wouldn't do that, but I tend to be cautious. A lot would depend on the camera and lens and the age, condition, and construction of each. Better safe than sorry. Large lenses often have a tripod collar, and keeps some stress off the mounting point.

tlmly

I use OP/TECH USA camera straps which have a quick connect system. I put the inexpensive system connectors on every piece of equipment that has lugs for a camera strap. I can change the strap connection point from camera to lens in less time than it takes to swap lenses.

MrPhotog

My general rule of thumb is that the heaviest part of the system is what I carry. The lightest part is supported by the lens mount.

That way, in all cases, the greatest load on the lens mount will be just the weight of the camera.

Same idea applies when mounting to a tripod. Heaviest part gets mounted to the tripod. With a big lens it is usually that lens. The only weight on the mount is the camera body.

Many long lenses have tripod mounts designed to balance when a camera body is attached.

Camera mounts are strong, but abuse is cumulative.

hjkarten Loc: San Diego, California

Professional grade cameras often advertize that the mounting coupler for the lens is reinforced to accommodate heavier lenses. But I can't recall if they then provide guidelines for weight of the lens. SONY stated that their A1 camera had a redesign of the lens coupling ring for greater strength. Their 200-600 mm telephoto has neck strap mounts on the tripod collar and recommends that the weight be carried by those mounts rather than the camera mounts.

Blair Shaw Jr Loc: Dunnellon,Florida

I'm a real Chicken about that. The camera strap is around my neck and the barrel of the lens is in one hand while the camera body is in the opposite hand. Otherwise the tripod ring on the lens is mounted to the gimbal sled in some stable fashion to prevent accidental dips or shifts of that nose-heavy critter.

I cannot afford that kind of mistake to ruin my day.

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

The stress you are applying to both camera and lens is entirely different walking as opposed to riding any bike. Sudden jolts can wreck the internal elements of digital cameras. They won't be beneficial to your lens either. Your body may absorb those jolts but your gear isn't built to do so. Maybe you need a Go-Pro instead?

CamB Loc: Juneau, Alaska

I would never want the camera to support a large, heavy lens. I would always hold or mount the lens and make it support the camera. Where the camera and the lens attach is a weak link. You want to take care of it.
...Cam

Cheese

News and sports photographers do it all the time.

Orphoto Loc: Oregon

Yes.

Drbobcameraguy Loc: Eaton Ohio

You are correct. A big heavy lens can damage your camera. I always support my lens if the lens weighs more than the camera. I'm paranoid I know but better safe than sorry. My smaller lenses like the 105 micro is fine hanging from the camera. My 70-200 f2.8 is in my opinion to heavy to hang from the camera. As stated I am paranoid. Obviously my 150-600 Sigma or my 300-800f5.6 at almost 13 pounds is Way TO HEAVY

JBRIII

If somebody else was paying for my equipment and only wanted the shot at any cost, I wouldn't worry either.

gwilliams6

The reality is that pro camera models have strengthened camera lens mounts, they even often mention that in the specs. The Sony A9 , A9II and Sony A1, used by many pros, have strengthened camera lens mounts.

My former Nikon DSLR F4 and Canon EOS 1D Mk III I had also had strengthened camera lens mounts.

That being said, as a photojournalist of 47+ years covering news, sports and more, I always carry my long heavy lenses, with lens straps attached to the lens, shouldering the weight of the lens/camera combo.

I never rely upon a dangling camera to shoulder all that weight on that camera lens mount. With the long lens supported by the lens strap, handheld, in sling mode, or on a monopod or tripod, the camera can safely handle its own weight attached to that big lens.

Yes a big heavy long lens, dangling and with its full weight supported only by the camera lens mount CAN work those camera lens mounts loose , I have seen it happen.

Cheers

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

In general, you should hold the camera by the lens rather than the camera when you have a heavy lens on. Has nothing to do with the strap. A heavy lens will put torque on the lens mount when you're holding the camera with the lens horizontal. Holding the lens will put much less torque on the lens mount because (1) the camera is lighter; (2) the distance from the center of mass of the camera to the mount is very short compared to the distance from the center of mass of the lens to the mount.

If you have the strap holding the camera, a long lens will be pointed downward because there's nothing to offset the torque of the lens to the strap. But then the lens is pulling on the lens mount. Not a torque, just a steady force (unless the lens bumps into things).

I gave up using a strap more than a decade ago. I just hold a long lens by the tripod foot. It makes a convenient handle. I hold the camera when I have anything up to a moderate lens (e.g. my 24-70). The 70-200 gets treated as a long lens.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Which of the Canon 400mm lenses do you hang from your camera? I'm guessing it's not a 400mm f/2.8. Those weigh around 8 lb., probably not something you'd carry on a mtn bike!

The Canon 400mm f/5.6 is actually pretty light, under 3 lb. and shouldn't be too much problem. The Canon 400mm f/4 "DO" is heavier, but not a whole lot. About 4.5 lb. It also shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Canon EF 400mm f/2.8 and 400mm f/4 have strap lugs to directly support the lens. (So do the 300mm f/2.8, 500mm f/4, 600mm f/4 and 800mm f/5.6.)

I've got a couple of the Canon lenses with the strap lugs and have straps on both camera and lens. I've adjusted the lens strap longer so that if I want I can carry by both straps. But most of the time I just carry by the lens handle or strap. (The cameras weigh about 2 lb., so are the lighter part of the package.)

However, you undoubtedly have an adapter to fit a Canon lens to a Sony camera. I don't know how strong the bayonet mounts are on those adapters. The bayonet mount on the camera should be fine. And the lens is built to handle it. But I still worry about the adapter and think you may be at some risk of the lens falling off. Be careful.