…And it is starting to really annoy me.

So, I’m willing to make any Nikon shoters out there an offer. Any weekend left this month, (pick a weekend, I’ve got a wedding!) ANY weekend, if you’re not using your DSLR or lenses, LET ME KNOW! I’ll buy you lunch, pay you $25, whatever you want, if you have a D2H, D200, a D80, a Fuji DSLR, a 17-55, 50 1.4, 35 f/2, ANYTHING that I am going to have to otherwise rent this month.

Okay I’m desperate. If you have a CANON DLSR and a lens, let me know too. *cringe*

(Garrick I already owe lunch, so maybe I’ll have to upgrade him to dinner if he loans me anything)

Here’s the deal- My D200 is at Nikon for focus calibration. Who knows how long that could take, it could be up to 2-3 weeks if I’m very un-lucky… My D70 plus no fewer than FOUR other items (lenses / flashes) are ALL at KEH being quoted for trade in towards a D300. Who knows what they’ll wanna buy and/or ship back to me… Lastly, the 50-150 f/2.8 that I still possess is focusing questionably on the rental S5 that I had this weekend. So essentially I have zero gear that I am 100% confident in. And FOUR weddings this month.

Talk about bad timing, eh?

Lemme know if you can help me out. If not, no big deal, I can just expense out the rentals, but still I hate to burn money, mine OR my clients…

=Matt=

EDIT: Just held the Olympus E-3 and 12-60 f/2.8-4 when I went to return my rental. WOW, that thing focuses FAST! They weren’t kidding when they claimed it was the world’s fastes AF system, I am in disbelief! Gerk, was the E-3 + 35-100 f/2.0 mind-bogglingly fast too? That particular setup is probably so much glass that it didn’t really seem different than the leading brand 70-200 2.8′s… But AF with the 12-60, man, this new SWD autofocus is like, instantaneous. Faster than the human eye even. Beats the snot out of Sigma’s HSM, noticeably faster than than the Nikon / Canon SWM / USM found in “prosumer” lenses, and equals / beats the ultra-fast 70-200 lenses… And I have tried them all, a LOT.

Viewfinder is big and bright, which is one thing I was worried about what with the 2X crop. Fears allayed!

Amazing quality body, too. I mean it is rock solid, but not heavy as a brick like a 1-series Canon or 2-series Nikon… Extreme attention to detail for those who photograph in really nasty conditions, seriously. Gotta be the best adventure photography setup on the market if you ask me… Only $2300 for the E-3 + 12-60! Sign me up for one plus I can get my favorite macro lens, the Sigma 150mm f/2.8 HSM, in the Olympus 4/3 mount. Niiice… That setup plus a 1.4x could get me from 24mm f/2.8 to 420mm f/4 with ease…

=Matt again=

So, Sigma has announced that they’re updating both the 50-150 f/2.8 EX DG, AND my beloved 50-150 f/2.8 EX DC

They are both now going to have the APO nomenclature, which means they’ve got an apochromatic element which SHOULD greatly improve close focusing…

This was a problem that was definitely visible with both the 50-150 AND the 70-200; even though the 70-200 officially had the “Macro” notation in it’s name it was not the best lens to shoot wide open at 200mm. My 50-150 is not the best lens to shot wide open at 150mm and close distances, either.

So hopefully the lenses should be tack sharp now at close focus distances.

HOWEVER, I have had a sad realization in using the 50-150 for a year or so now- It is not as practical as I originally thought to use a monopod in 90% of the situations I use the lens, meaning, I NEED STABILIZATION!!!! Yes I am the king of hand-holding rock-steady shots, but I dont’ always HAVE the time to hunker down and relax and steady myself and shoot without any camera shake, it takes time and concentration.

So, I am torn. Do I sell my current 50-150 and upgrade to the APO version? Do I WAIT for Sigma to come out with an OS version? Do I WAIT even MORE for Nikon to come out with their own DX verison with VR?

Sigh…

=Matt=