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i've never owned a huge lens before and given that i'm about to buy a 300/2.8 i thought i should ask some stupid questions.

1. i will be using a monopod 90% of the time. when mounted on a monopod do you turn VR off or leave it on ? getting alot of mixed info from searching. the main reason i ask this is that if VR is indeed turned off when on a monopod, i'm wondering if buying a VR 300/2.8 is actually worthwhile at all.

2. i have a manfrotto 488RC2 ballhead; will this be sufficient for holding it in place ? my gut tells me no it wont be cos that plate is too small. what do others use and does anyone have recommendations. the wimberly heads are just WAY too pricey.

thanks for the help.

Rooz wrote:1. i will be using a monopod 90% of the time. when mounted on a monopod do you turn VR off or leave it on ? getting alot of mixed info from searching. the main reason i ask this is that if VR is indeed turned off when on a monopod, i'm wondering if buying a VR 300/2.8 is actually worthwhile at all.

Even with the monopod there will be a slight amount of movement/vibration which the VR will be happy to get rid of. Leave the VR on!

2. i have a manfrotto 488RC2 ballhead; will this be sufficient for holding it in place ? my gut tells me no it wont be cos that plate is too small. what do others use and does anyone have recommendations. the wimberly heads are just WAY too pricey.

A ballhead on a monopod is usually a recipe for disaster: too many degrees of freedom. I use a tilthead (with an Arca-Swiss clamp on top).

In your case I would recommend you investigate the Manfrotto 234RC (I have the plain 234 with a clamp added). Set it up so the lens can tilt forward/backwards, and you can get the sideways tilts just by rotating the 300/2.8 within its collar.
I just checked sample prices: the 234RC is AU$71.50 at Vanbar. The plain 234 is only AU$44.

I use the 234RC with my 200mm f/4.0D and it does work exactly as Dave points out. The only draw back is it is very difficult to get it tight enough that the clamp doesn't turn a bit in the tripod mount of the lens. What it really needs is a clamp that makes use of both tripod holes (I assume the 300mm f/2.8 will have two holes, too).

DaveB wrote:In your case I would recommend you investigate the Manfrotto 234RC (I have the plain 234 with a clamp added). Set it up so the lens can tilt forward/backwards, and you can get the sideways tilts just by rotating the 300/2.8 within its collar.
I just checked sample prices: the 234RC is AU$71.50 at Vanbar. The plain 234 is only AU$44.

ok, i have the 234RC2 head aswell. is that tiny QR plate sufficient or should i just clamp the lens straight onto the head without the QR plate ?

i agree andrew, i think this is the problem with the RC2 plate, only one screw hole means it moves around a bit. the 300/4 is bad enuf, i fear the 2.8 will really test the limits.

That's why I use the Arca-Swiss system.

The (Kirk) clamp I have on the 234 is screwed down tight (with a spanner, not with the thumbwheel) and the bolt is sealed with lock-tite. See this page for an illustration using an RRS clamp. I have mine with a screw clamp (lever-release clamps didn't exist when I set mine up) with the jaws oriented parallel to the swivel.

A good plate on the lens' foot is not going to swivel. The Wimberley (P-30) and RRS (MPR-113) plates for this lens have two screws, and the Wimberley also has a lip at the rear to sit snug against the rear of the foot.
I would recommend either the Wimberley P-30 or the RRS LCF-14 (which is a complete replacement for the 300/2.8 VR's foot with an integrated QR plate).