What! Really? Are you out of your mind? That is Grose! At least some Canonian did it in a controversial music video with a Nikon girl licking a Canon lens and camera. I am NOT making this up. I whined in the response to the video but many other of my friends in Pentax community see it as good humor and fun to watch despite the fact that the video ends with a laugh at the brand of lesser known Pentax. I thought about not linking the video here which will bring up the controversy in brand loyalty. But that is not complete reporting if I do that. I want to share a bit of a similar encounter in a lesser scale -- smelling of one's lens displayed in a 24" Dell monitorI recently visited a co-worker of mine who had his cube filled with beautiful pictures with a lot of outstanding traveling shots in Europe. I was fascinated to say the least. I immediately went to strike conversations with him and everything started normal and well as in every relationship. But the oddness does not come until he talks about his most favorite Nikon lens he has used in those 15+ pictures in his cube. He brought out the Amazon link for Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 ED VR II AF-S lens. "What gives," I asked and he got his glass literally touching his computer monitor with "oh yeah, that is my baby." He then went on to describe his beauty while smelling the lens in front of his 24" monitor. If my co-worker is onto a D700 as his main body, I may have understood him better but with a D300 (not sure with a 's' or not) and with a digital crop, I don't think I see the reasons for his admiration or "Licking his Nikor lens" so to speak.
I checked online and price he paid is actually higher than what is currently quoted and according to my friend, it is worth every penny he has thrown at the lens. I stopped short in asking him how he married to carry a 3.3 pound-er on his D300(s) body around Europe. I don't see the pictures with Hin licking a 3 pound-er lens but rather crying and shaking throughout the trip. My Pentax pancake 70mm f/2.4 limited that I had on my Pentax K-x White didn't even remotely interest him a thing or two in the visit. I am not disappointed but I am curious on the logic in traveling heavy all throughout Europe with a such an heavy gear.
Tamron 80-200mm f/2.8 adaptall-2 30A
is on the back of my K20D
My equivalent of the similar focal-length and speed lens is my Tamron SP 80-200mm f/2.8 adaptall-2 (30A) and Markus has discussed about this lens in an earlier thread. The cost of this MF lens is about 1/10th of the the Canon and Nikon branded equivalent. We miss the AF in this manual primes. Whether my heavy 3+ pound-er can produce 1/10th of the image quality is NOT as important to discuss but rather on the weight and the FOV when used in aps-c sensor in Pentax. With a tripod mounted on this adaptall-2 lens and together with the adaptall-2 p/k-a, it is more like a 3 lb 4 oz (not exact but close enough) weight. When I used it in two event shootings. I can't hand-hold this lens for over 30 minutes of non-stop shooting. I can recall the feeling of sore hands and quite a number non-keeper in the shooting. Due to the weight, it is not my favorite lens at the moment. I need a support system as in a better mono-pod. At the moment, I have a cheesy Dolica mono-pod and I don't think it can work well with this heavy lens plus body. Please bear with me that I am not harassing people and big fan of heavier equipment. We are happy with whatever works for our styles and we can care less of what other people thought of. I hope to stay neutral and not come out as someone who likes to flame with a biased opinion -- which I do have with the Pentax lighter primes and lighter zoom lens. Lighter does not equal to 'better' but it does fit my style of traveling light.
Pentax DA* 50-135/2.8 is smaller and about half the weight of a 70-200/2.8. 60-250/4 is in between the two.
- DA* 50-135/2.8: 67mm filters, 765 grams, 76.5x136mm
- DA* 60-250/4: 67mm filters, 1040 grams, 82x167.5mm
- FA* 80-200/2.8: 77mm filters, 1510 grams, 88x195mm
- Sigma 70-200/2.8 HSM II: 77mm filters, 1370 grams , 86.5x184.4mm
- Tamron SP 800-200mm f/2.8 adaptall-2 (30A): 77mm filters, 1359 grams, 81.8x173.5mm
The 30A will weigh a bit more with the p/k-a and tripod mount. I have been using a 3rd party tripod mount for a Canon lens that I admire -- the Canon 70-200mm f/4.0 L, the non-usm one which is quite compact when I tried it from my Canon buddy.
I was shooting using both of my 70mm and 77mm limited alternately so that I can come to a conclusion what I miss in the down-sizing of my limited primes, most of these shots are from my 77mm
Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8 next toTamron SP 80-200mm f/2.8 adaptall-2 (30A)
Though the SDM issues, I am knocking on wood that it stays as my most favorite Pentax zoom and I don't mind the SDM to be a touch slow as I rather it be slow and ugly than something that weighs more and cost more. The DA* 60-250mm f/4.0 is the next best zoom that Pentax has offered and I truly hope the positive trend gets better in SDM and affordable pricing, and more options in the long end such as 100-300 and 100-400.
With the hoods mounted, they both look unexpectedly bulkier, especially the DA* with a long and deep hood
No way I lick my lens
Not Pentaxian!
Only Moronic Canikon in the Video!
Small is beautifully smart
Worth drooling, do they!
My main traveling crew with 15/35/70 limited in my recent New Zealand trip. My 35mm limited can be replaced with 40mm but I have a sweet spot on flowers and butterflies. What I am trying to get at is that heavy and big does not equal top-notch performance with high price tag. Lighter and compact also does not equal mediocrity. We can care less how others make fun of our gear towards the end in the video.
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4 comments:
You know Hin, there is a certain mentality that bigger is better and then there are those who like it small and compact. At Disney world I sometimes see guys with a D3 and a 80-200 or like today I saw the sigma 50-500 I think. It was huge and I think it is a status symbol having a big camera and a big lens just like driving around in a huge SUV is a status symbol. I just did a photo shoot with a kx last night using my modest 50-200 Pentax which I enjoy so much more than the 18-135 Nikon i use at work. The Pentax lens is smaller, lighter, and focuses a lot smoother the lens is incredibly sharp too. I think the kx is the new beginning and i can't wait to see what comes out next. I'm not a follower, I'm a leader.
fRANK, much thanks for the visit and sharing. This is great to hear your thoughts. The Kx is simply amazing in every aspect that I have used it. I have fallen in love with photography all over. Though I still love my K20D, the Kx is gem in low light shooting. And I truly hope we are all leaders in a unconventional sense from the boring norm. I just wish the next big thing in Canikon gets heavier and bigger. We all get the last laugh when we visit Disney or go hiking with our dear Canikon friends. Not that I try to curse them as they do have excellent gear and some of their gear are lighter but not as compact and sturdy as the limited.
I think I will make a collection of photo of people with big cameras and big lenses.
Some males need big expensive stuff, especially if it is long and pointy, as some sort of compensation for their, um, lack of photographic ability (let us say, to be polite). They probably also like fast cars, rugby and other stupidity.
"Don't Lick Your Limited" -- that's my motto.
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