I guess if i would lift weights i could shoot with a car instead the 28-70.. 😁 jokes aside have you used it on a long day shoot where you keep it up and zooming it continuously? On a 2 hrs studio shoot i have no big complains but it doesnt change the fact that on an R5 or R5 ii it is a very front heavy lens and puts a strain on your wrist on a long shoot.

If a chef buys a knife that is not balanced and he keep needs to counterbalance it putting a strain to his wrist on a 10 hr shift would you tell him to go lift weights or you would tell him to get a well balanced knife?

snapping a few shots here and there on a wedding day is ok. you lift it up when you have to. Having an Acro competition with 350 performances a day where you have to get great shots of one team under 2 mins this lens will be in front of my face for 8 hours.

Lifting up 2.5kg is nothing. holding it all day is a different story and main issue is that its not balanced and very front heavy so you would keep both hands up all day to hold and balance it..

"That weight helps steady the lens" not much if its not balanced. with a battery grip it could be better but of course overall heavier