What is the correct resting position for a camera with a long lens and a battery grip?

Question

I just got a battery grip for my Canon T3i, which has a 18-135 lens with hood on it.

After installing the battery grip, the body is obviously considerably taller, and the weight of the lens is now resting on the hood tip mostly. Would this harm the camera/lens balance in any way?

What would be the best resting position for a camera with a battery grip and long lens?

Asked by GR7

Answer

Before setting the camera down I often do a quick check to see that the hood is on tightly and correctly, and retract the zoom. That is, the lens should be in its shortest position because the weight is least likely to cause any undue pressure.

I don't know how tough the hood on your lens might be. Modern Nikon hoods all seem to be about the same, which is to say heavy plastic that doesn't buckle under some weight. I have used an old 80-200(?) that had a lighter-weight hood that would flex with a little pressure. Anyway, with the quality of the hoods on the lenses that I have, I don't hesitate to set the camera down with weight on them. I often stand the lens on-end with the hood on the table/ground/whatever, supporting the full weight of the lens; when a body is attached to a lens, I set it on its side.

Answered by Dan Wolfgang

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