I has a new toy!

SteveOBHave · 10 Dec 2010 at 10:55

Nothing really amazing but I thought I'd share.

I'm off to India in a couple of weeks so I was thinking that this would be a good addition to the 50mm f/1.8 and Sigma 10-20mm. Means I have a little length and also can leave my 18-70mm kit at home. I'll have to chuck it on the D300s when I get home and have a play. Not a terrible feeling lens at all tho and not bad at £410.

Shadowness · 10 Dec 2010 at 11:07

I had the VR1 version a while ago. Cracking 'all in one' lens, great for travelling too.

SteveOBHave · 10 Dec 2010 at 11:08

That's what I'm hoping. I'm curious to see what the sharpness is like compared to the old kit lens.

robertgilbert86 · 10 Dec 2010 at 11:10

Certainly make sure the sharpness is enough for you before leaving without the 18-70! I had the VRI and sold it pretty quick.

SteveOBHave · 10 Dec 2010 at 11:19

Yeah - I figured at £400 ish it wasn't a bad gamble as I can flog it off for around the same again. Having said that the 18-70 wasn't stunningly clear IMO (altho just quietly that might be down to my average photography skills LOL).

Mud · 10 Dec 2010 at 13:14

I took two DX bodies to India loaded with a 17-55/2.8 and a 70-200/2.8, and there were times when I would've prefered your setup. Here's my set from this time last year in case you're interested. For what it's worth, Jaipur was the highlight.

SteveOBHave · 10 Dec 2010 at 14:04

Mud said:
I took two DX bodies to India loaded with a 17-55/2.8 and a 70-200/2.8, and there were times when I would've prefered your setup. Here's my set from this time last year in case you're interested. For what it's worth, Jaipur was the highlight.

Awesome - love the set and I don't see any issues with sharpness in there. Loving the monkeys as well - stoked. We're flying into Delhi, then doing the golden triangle - Agra and Jaipur then flying down to Kerala to see a bit of jungle and do a river boat cruise before going to sit on a beach.

Really looking forward to it - your photos are a great look at some things to expect.

Raymond Lin · 10 Dec 2010 at 14:38

You guys not thought about just taking 1 single prime lens?

SteveOBHave · 10 Dec 2010 at 14:45

Raymond Lin said:
You guys not thought about just taking 1 single prime lens?

That's a pretty big ask in my opinion. I love having the excellent wide angle of the 10-20mm with me especially when travelling because it does give quite a bit more context to some shots. I also like to have the option of chucking a prime on but recently I've had the odd shot (especially people shots) where the extra length of a zoom allows for some versatility. I am a big fan of the 50mm but sometimes I feel it's narrow FOV limits some compositions.

I'd hate to go somewhere half way around the world and find that I don't have the tools to capture what I want.

Schizophonic · 10 Dec 2010 at 15:44

Raymond Lin said:
You guys not thought about just taking 1 single prime lens?

No thats only a thing Raymond would do

robertgilbert86 · 10 Dec 2010 at 22:48

Isn't that just an arbitrary bragging point Raymond? I think most people who can take decent photos with a range of focal lengths can do the same on a prime.

Raymond Lin · 10 Dec 2010 at 22:57

robertgilbert86 said:
Isn't that just an arbitrary bragging point Raymond? I think most people who can take decent photos with a range of focal lengths can do the same on a prime.

No, but 2 bodies and 2 lenses seems a lot for travel?

Unless the point of the trip is to get photos then fair enough. I am just talking from a practical and weight perspective. Sure I would have liked to have a wide angle inside the colosseum, or a fish eye amongst the skyscrapers in HK but I didn't because glass are not light.

Another point, I think it improves one's photography anyway. The logical thing to do, like above, is to take a wide angle in those situations, one where a million other people has done before. Probably stood in the exact same spot and took the same shot. But restrict yourself to a prime, you might think you will miss some shots, and you probably will, but it also make you more creative.

I went to HK twice with my 30D, first time with my 16-35, second time with my 50mm. The photos from the 50mm is a lot better. I would have thought it would be the other way round too but it turned out different.

Limitation might just be a way to open up one's vision.

But that's just me.

MikeHunt79 · 10 Dec 2010 at 23:05

Raymond Lin said:
Limitation might just be a way to open up one's vision.

But that's just me.

It's not just you, I find placing constraints on yourself can often lead to more creativity, be it photography or anything else where you can be creative.

Mud · 10 Dec 2010 at 23:33

SteveOBHave said:
Awesome - love the set and I don't see any issues with sharpness in there. Loving the monkeys as well - stoked. We're flying into Delhi, then doing the golden triangle - Agra and Jaipur then flying down to Kerala to see a bit of jungle and do a river boat cruise before going to sit on a beach.

Really looking forward to it - your photos are a great look at some things to expect.

Thanks

The autofocus on my 70-200 gave out whilst I was there, so it was a bit of a struggle. Mostly monkeys...but I like monkeys

I didn't enjoy Agra much...it didn't help that I was there on a holy day, but the Taj Mahal was rammed and the constant attention from sellers and beggars was at its worst there. Make sure you find the rear view of the Taj Mahal from across the river, many seem to miss that. Good call on Kerala, I didn't go there myself, but I prefered the south in general - much more relaxed and less touristy (though it still has its fair share of tourist-type attractions). I started in Tiruchirapalli, moved slowly north-east by road to Chennai, before (quickly) doing the golden triangle.

robertgilbert86 · 12 Dec 2010 at 10:25

I know what you mean Raymond, I've been out with primes before and got shots I wouldn't have otherwise but if I'm doing a big trip a extra few hundred grams isn't a big deal. I find the main issue is the size of the body rather than the lens anyway!