billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

I concur, same with the Nikon f4 lens. SO????????????? What is the point you were making? I must have missed it.

foathog Loc: Greensboro, NC

No returns??? sounds like they ain't too proud of their product. LOL

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

That lens is not that heavy, why not just mount your camera to the tripod? I had the f/4 before replacing it with the f/2.8 and I have always felt that the f/4 was the sharper of the two lenses. Wonderful lens.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Makes perfectly good sense to me. However, if you want a collar, it appears that you can get one.
--Bob

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

So the purpose of the collar is to add weight to balance the lens. That makes perfect sense - like adding tons of rocks to the hold of those old wooden ships.

You should tell them that changing the position of the collar will allow it to balance perfectly.

http://www.dynamicscience.com.au/tester/solutions1/hydraulicus/simplemachineslevers2.htm

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Don't include it with the product, but sell it as an accessory. Car makers have been doing that for years.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

If you don't mind buying Aftermarket, there's an aluminum collar made by Vello, that you can purchase new for $49.95. You can purchase this from B&H Photo. The Part# is VETCAW. All letters, no numbers. This one is white. Good luck on your find. Perhaps elsewhere.

foxfirerodandgun Loc: Stony Creek, VA

I had a similar experience with a Nikon lens, but not with a collar, but lens hood. The 18-300mm DX 3.5-5.6 lens came with a hood and is much heavier than the 18-300mm 3.5-6.3 lens which does not include a lens hood which is a $30.00+ after market purchase. Me thinks that it all revolves around the bottom line profit margin. In today's retail market, the trend seems to be "pay more / get less".

Kozan Loc: Trenton Tennessee

Actually, one needs to consider the weight of the camera vs. the weight of the lens. If the lens weighs less than the camera, you would not want a tripod collar. If the lens is heavier, then yes.

Think about the torque applied to the camera lens mount, not just the fact that you have a long lens. In the case of the EF 70-200mm f/4L, I don't believe I would want a tripod collar because the weight of that lens is 1.55lb and the Canon 5D Mk4 is 1.76 lb.

Kozan

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

In this case, I think it's smart of Canon to let you choose.

All the Canon 70-200mm f/4 lenses' collar is optional because people often opt to use the lens without it... That lens is relatively compact and light weight (about 2/3 the size and weight of the f/2.8 lenses).

It would add to the cost of the lens to include it (as it does with the f/2.8 versions). As it stands, without the tripod ring the cost is $1300 for the new f/4 IS II, $1100 for the still excellent and available f/4 IS, and $600 for the f/4 non-IS version.

The Canon OEM rings for these sell for around $160. There are also third party "clones" for around $50. (Also $25, but avoid them because they are plastic and will break.)

In comparison, all the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses with tripod collar included all cost more: $2100 for the f/2.8 IS III, $1800 for the f/2.8 IS II, or $1300 for the non-IS version (which also is the only one of these models that doesn't have a fluorite element).

Nikon does the same thing. Their 70-200mm f/4 VR costs $1400 without a tripod ring, costs $155 for an OEM ring or $50 for a Vello clone.

The Nikon 70-200 f/2.8 VR FL includes a ring and costs $2800 (or $4000 for limited edition 100th anniversary version). This lens uses a fluorite element, like most of the Canon. The f/4 Nikkor doesn't.

Sony doesn't give you a choice. Both their 70-200s include the tripod ring. Their 70-200mm f/4 OSS costs $1500, while their 70-200mm f/2.8 OSS costs $2600. No fluorite in either of them.

Pentax doesn't give you any choice either. They only offer an f/2.8 version and it costs $1800, with a tripod ring but without stabilization or fluorite.

Tamron and Sigma make 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses in various mounts at various prices, all with tripod mounting rings. Neither of them make 70-200 f/4 lenses at all.

Tokina makes a 70-200mm f/4 only in Nikon mount, without a tripod mounting ring and with no option to fit one.

I do think it's cheap of Canon to not include lens hoods with many of their lenses. Only their premium L-series come with hoods. They're sold separately for everything else, and something I don't really consider option with most lenses (a very few lenses have recessed front elements and don't need a hood).

Edit: In many cases, the same Canon tripod ring fits and can be used on two or more different lenses. However, there's a new ring specified for the new EF 70-200mm f/4 IS USM "II" lens, in particular: Ring "AII(WII)". That appears very similar to the "A-2" ring used by the original 70-200mm f/4 (both IS and non-IS). However, it may not be interchangeable. I really don't know. It's possible the only change is the color, to better match the lens (the newer lenses are a bright white, older ones are somewhat off-white). So it might not be possible to "buy a used one cheap" off eBay, for the new lens. I'd want to confirm fit and proper function first... and be willing to live with somewhat mismatched colors. You also ain't gonna find used Canon OEM rings for $5 on eBay! (If you do, grab em! You can turn around and sell them for at least 20X that amount.)

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Canon's 100mm are the ONLY macro lenses around that focal length that even offer option of fitting a tripod collar!

Tokina, Tamron, Sigma, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, Zeiss, Rokinon, Samyang.... NONE of their 90mm, 100mm or 105mm lenses come with or even have means of attaching a tripod ring if you wanted to do so!

So, yeah, it might be NICE if Canon included one... it would increase the price of either of the two Canon 100mm macro by about $160.

But at least it's an option with the Canon 100mm macro lenses to fit one (which I've done with mine). It's not even possible with anyone else's macro lens around that focal length.

Incidentally, the 100mm USM (not the L/IS) uses the same ring as the MP-E 65mm macro and 180mm f/3.5L macro lenses.

Canon "Ring B" is included with both the MP-E 65 and 180mm. But of course they both cost a lot more, too.

The Canon 100mm "L" IS USM lens uses a unique "Ring D", sold separately.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Good info !

rstipe Loc: S. Florida

I've ordered 3 tripod rings from 3 different companies for Nikon lenses. None of them were plastic & were all under $15.00. They're identical to the Nikon branded items except they don't have the Nikon stamped on them. All were on eBay.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=Tripod%20Mount%20Ring%20A%20II%20B&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma&Top+Nav-Search=

$145

junglejim1949 Loc: Sacramento,CA

Thanks for the big picture and research on Canon and its competitors.