ivangrant•4d agoTop Commenter

PSA: My telephoto lens mount cracked during a star trail shoot last winter

I was out near Flagstaff last February, trying to get a good shot of Orion setting over the mountains. Temps were around 15 degrees, and my Canon 70-200mm was on a tripod for maybe 40 minutes. Suddenly I heard this little snap, and the lens just tilted forward. The plastic mount ring had cracked right where it screws into the camera body. I tried tightening it but the crack just spread, so I had to pack everything up and head home. Turned out the cold made the plastic brittle, and my tripod collar was twisted a bit too tight. Now I always check the mount ring before any winter shoot, and I keep a spare metal replacement ring in my bag. Has anyone else had gear fail in freezing weather?

2 comments

2 Comments

nancy1543d ago

Is a plastic mount really that fragile in the cold?

calebrivera4d ago

Wait, was it the plastic mount on the actual lens or the camera body ring that cracked? I had the exact same thing happen with my Sigma 150-600mm a couple years ago up in the Sierras. Cold weather turned that plastic mount into glass, and I didn't even hear a snap, just saw the whole setup sagging sideways when I checked my composition. Kept using it for another half hour anyway because I'm stubborn, and the crack just kept growing until the lens was basically hanging by one little thread of plastic. Now I refuse to take any lens with a plastic mount out below 20 degrees, and I always hit the threads with a dab of dry lube beforehand. That spare metal ring idea is smart, might have to snag one for my backup body.