Pros: Distributes the weight of a long(ish) lens, and allows easy rotation portrait and landscape orientations.
Cons: Has to be purchased separately from the lens.
The Bottom Line: Even though it increases your investment in an already expensive lens, the AII tripod collar is a worthwhile accessory for your Canon 70-200mm.
ncphototrekker's Full Review: Canon Tripod Mount Ring A II (W) For 70-200mm f/4L...
If you have purchased the Canon 70-200mm f/4 whether it be with or without the image stabilization, you have likely noticed how heavy this lens is. If you are using a 5D or 1D body, you might not be affected by the weight of the lens, but if you are using a 10/20/30/40D or especially a Rebel body, you will feel the weight of this lens. While it is not heavy enough to require the use of a tripod collar (why Canon opted to make this an additional purchase item), I would strongly recommend purchasing this accessory.
I know, I just finished saying that the weight was not really an issue. You are right I did say that. However Rebel shooters using this lens will really feel off balance when mounted to a tripod. The body will hold the lens, but the added stability of a collar will make the whole rig much more stable. All of a sudden, the weight of the lens is much more evenly distributed over the tripod head and the camera body is now only supporting its own weight with much less leverage than the long and heavy lens that is mounted to it. The same benefits can be seen with the 10/20/30/40D bodies as well, although not nearly as pronounced. The larger bodies will see no real difference as the bodies themselves are quite a bit more substantial in their own weight.
Even with that being said, I would still recommend this collar to all Canon shooters with the 70-200mm f/4 lens. The best feature of this accessory has nothing at all to do with the weight, and provides the same benefit across all of the camera bodies. This benefit is similar to all tripod collars in that with a simple twist of a thumb screw, you can twist the camera and lens through a full circle, although most of us will stop at ninety degrees when a portrait orientation is achieved.
Of course, a tripod can accomplish this very task with a flop of the head, but if you will notice, the camera position will shift to the side on the outside of the arc. Essentially, the lens will move to the right or left several inches. This could be problematic for really tight shots requiring the photographer to reposition the entire tripod. By rotating from landscape (horizontal) to portrait (vertical) orientations using the collar, the lens itself doesn't move a bit.
Like I said, no matter what body you are using, this particular benefit can be seen across the board. Even if the weight of the lens wasn't a factor, I would say this alone is enough reason to add this accessory to your bag-o-goodies.
Build Quality...
This collar is made of the same metal material that the lens barrel is made of. It is quite strong and inspires confidence. there is a rubber strip on the inside of the collar to add a source of friction to keep the lens from rotating accidentally. The thumb screw is large enough to make it easy to manipulate without the need for any special tools. The foot that mounts to the tripod is threaded for a standard mounting screw and will easily fit a quick release plate. The finish on the piece matches that of the 70-200mm, both in color and in texture. When it is mounted to the lens, you can't tell they came separately.
How it Works...
Installing the ring is a simple affair and doesn't require any instructions at all. All you have to do is loosen the thumb screw all the way. This will allow the ring to open, but not all the way just yet. There is a safety built into the clasp which requires you to unhook the two ends of the ring. This is a great touch to keep you from losing your camera when the ring is loosened. With the ring opened up, you just click it back together with the lens placed inside. There is an indexing mark on the collar that allows you to index the collar to the lens for horizontal shooting so you can still make use of the spirit levels in your tripod head. After you tighten the thumb screw you are ready to shoot.
Final Thoughts...
I had originally purchased the 70-200mm f/4L IS USM without the tripod ring as I had read that it was not really needed with the 40D body. I have my reservations about that recommendation however. Using the relatively light Manfrotto 055MF3 tripod, I really felt that everything was a bit nose heavy and I didn't particularly like that. I went ahead and ordered the collar to make the tripod mounted camera a bit more stable.
It arrived in just a few days from B&H Photo Video and was installed on my lens in just a few seconds. I mounted it on the tripod and instantly felt very good about $143.00 purchase. No longer was the tripod nose heavy, and the camera felt much more stable. I really feel that there is much less stress placed on that single tripod mounting screw with the collar in place.
The first time I used the collar and needed to switch to portrait orientation I thought I would give the collar rotation a chance. A quick twist of the screw and I was able to quickly and easily rotate to a vertical view. It was actually much more efficient than doing this with the tripod head. To me, this is the biggest benefit that can be achieved with this product, and taking into consideration the build quality, and the weight distribution, I have little choice but to give this collar a solid five star rating. Well done Canon!!
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