stogie1020

I would do one of the mail order places, but with overnight, I would have to sit at home all day tomorrow for delivery...

wndrlst

That sucks. I'll loan you mine... :P

Dan Martin

The 7D's AI-Servo can be used with macros to add forward/backward stabilization:

7D + 100mm f2.8L IS = killer macro combo!

wndrlst

I'm giving serious consideration to selling both my 60mm and 100mm macros to swap for the new 100mm IS. Esp now that I have the 50mm. The 60mm was a decent portrait lens, but now I have that covered. If anything, I'll want a wider fast prime.

So yummy...

Mizouse

Wow didn't know that aboot the 7D. Pretty cool

stogie1020

Well, disappointingly, even stopped down to f6.3, I am finding the 10-22 soft around the edges.

wndrlst

I'm sending my 50 f/1.2 back - it's back-focusing really, really badly - like several lines of text behind the one I'm aiming at - badly. B&H is being great about it, and sending me another with the caveat that I still may have to have it calibrated. Which sucks to have to pay extra, on top of the 1700 already spent..seems really wrong to me. I called Canon about having this one calibrated - they won't even spring for the shipping even though it's brand new. :thumbsdow on Canon's customer support.

wndrlst

While not the sharpest lens I own, I've found the sharpness to be acceptable - it's definitely softer wide open and at the widest angle. Is this a rental?

waTSX

I think it may be unreasonable to expect any wide angle lens to be tack sharp from edge to edge. Kind of the limitations of the optics.

waTSX

Sorry to hear about that, Dancer. That sucks. Canon really should make that right, and not just because it's one of their high-end lenses, but because it's the right thing to do. Did they quote a price on how much it costs to calibrate a lens?

stogie1020

Nope. Bought is back when Cashback was at 25%
Yeah, I guess I need to remember to compensate for a crop while framing.

wndrlst

No - my first question was whether they'd pay for shipping since it was brand new, and she said no, so I hung up and called B&H. I'm disappointed, but at least B&H is standing behind their return policy with no questions.

It actually makes me feel a bit better about a couple of the focus issues I had at my portrait session. Fortunately, I used a small enough aperture in most cases to allow their faces to still be in focus, but many shots were just a little softer than I felt they should be, after all the hype about this lens, and even just for it being a prime. I was surprised. Fortunately, too, they new part of the reason they were guinea pigging for me was to test out the lens.

srika

dang that sucks - hope the new one works out for you -

I contemplated getting the 24 1.4 the other day, thought it would be useful for a big show (Armin @ Aragon) in October - let's see, I can get that lens, or a 7D! kinda crazy they both cost the same.

wndrlst

Isn't it, though? I'll let you know...thanks!

moeronn

wndrlst - That sucks about the shipping, but it still might be better to ship to them to calibrate than return to B&H and still have to calibrate.

One reason why I'll probably stick with Canon is that their repair department is fairly local and easy to drop off and pick up at. Nikon had a repair department in SoCal, but they closed up a few years ago.

wndrlst

Yup, I may still have to, but it wasn't just a slight problem - it was really severe. I felt it was really unacceptable in a brand new lens of that caliber.

wndrlst

OK, the second copy of the 50mm 1.2 is here, and it's MUCH, much, much better. It still back focuses a tiny bit, but it's an amount I'd consider to be within reason. If I stop it down to f/2+ I get my target in focus, which I can deal with until I get a body with micro-adjust capabilities. It's about 1/2 line of text behind the line I focus on, rather than 6 lines back. Out with the old..

waTSX

^^Good to hear.

lcrazyaznl

iTrader: (1)

Nice my canon buddy got a 135l 2.0 its quite a lens on the 5dmk2
sadly my friends are getting new stuff

d300 friend moved to a d700
man im stuck with my dx lenses 2 of them. tempted to go fx but would have to sell
and get a 24-70

stogie1020

Thanks again for this. I just placed an order for the Canon 17-55 to try it out when I am Seattle in a few weeks to see my new nephew for the first time. I am figuring on a bunch of indoor, less than spectacular lighting shots. Of course I will bring my flash, but would love to see this lens do me right.

I still need to rent the 24-105 to try out, but if the 17-55 amazes me and I feel OK with it as a good walk around, I may just buy the darn thing.

Mizouse

well if you do want to buy, i can offer you mine, for ~800 or a nice hawt Arizona white chick

stogie1020

Will mostly white work?

moeronn

Stogie - I'm sure you will enjoy the 17-55. If you have one, make sure you bring the nifty-fifty along too.

stogie1020

That's my usual indoor "less than ideal light" lens, but on the crop sensor, it is just not right for indoor shots for me.

I needed to get some business head shots of an employee today at the office, and used the 50 1.8 with off camera flash and it worked great, but I had plenty of room to back up to foot zoom (out). I don't generally have that luxury in a small living room, so I wanted something wider with f2.8. I guess I would be pretty damn happy with a 35 f1.4, but I have heard such good things about the 17-55 that I feel compelled to try it.

Mizouse

how would i know its from arizona

stogie1020

Well, it looks like LensProToGo may have completely chunked me up for my weekend trip to Seattle.

I rented the 17-55 f2.8 for delivery Wednesday (flight Friday morning) so there would be time for a little delay and to try the lens out for a day before I needed it for a family get together in Seattle.

I entered my billing address and my shipping address on their website.

They called me this past Monday to ask if a Thursday delivery would be OK instead of the Wednesday delivery I had requested on the rental form. I was reluctant because this was my buffer period, but they said the previous renter wanted an extra day. I said 'yes'.

Their shipping system concatenated the billing and shipping addresses unbeknownst to me, and so, with no buffer day to correct the error, my lens is on a UPS truck going to an address that is 40 minutes from my office and an hour and a half from my home.

LPTG is trying to figure out how to fix this, but may end up having to (if they are willing to) overnight a lens to my hotel in Seattle. Let's see how this turns out.

Mizouse

Sucks. I could overnight you mine

stogie1020

Thanks for the offer. Unfortunately I have a noon flight to catch. UPS said they are going to try to arrange for me to be able to pick up the package directly.

:fingerscrossed:

Mizouse

what about after you rent the lens?

wndrlst

Yikes. Good luck, stogie!

jupitersolo

Yes good luck and it's + xfingers +

stogie1020

UPS called. When the driver returns at the end of the evening, they will allow me to come pick up the package.

Bad first intro to using LPTG...

moeronn

Sorry to hear about the confusion and extra hoops.

Next time give cameralensrentals.com a try. That's where I rented the 10-22 from originally. They didn't have one in stock, so they purchased a new one and had it delivered straight from B&H to me along with a tripod and ball head.

Plus, this is where I pre-ordered the 7D from.

SaaBaaDoo

I used lensrentals.com for my 70-200 2.8 IS. They are awesome to deal with. Even sent it a few days early and said those extra few days were on them! As much as I don't want to, I have to return ship it tomorrow.

stogie1020

Yeah, I rolled the dice, and thought someone had mentioned having good service with LPTG.

Truthfully, aside form botching the requested delivery date and screwing up the delivery address, they have been very nice and are trying to be helpful.

EuRTSX

So.. I currently have the D2H, and am contemplating that I should sell the D2H and the 17-55 so that I can upgrade to a D300 and get a lens with a bit more zoom.

I understand that the 17-55 is a KILLER lens, and I agree with everyon that it is, however it didn't have the reach that I wanted when I was taking shots in Toronto. Any good recommendations on replacing the 17-55 that's good to pair with a D300?

jupitersolo

If you want an a-i-o it's the 18-200, if you want to keep the killer IQ and add to it, it's the 17-55 and a 70-200. Or you can do what I'm doing with Cheryl's 16-85 and a 70-300. Or you could put the 18-70 in the mix and add a 70-300.

EuRTSX

:shudder:

D300 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G + 16-85mm?

I'm tempted to get a prime now... and the 16-85 should be sufficient...

stogie1020

Well, I picked up the package from the UPS shipping center, so the good news is that I have it.

I am a bit disappointed in that the lens has a considerable amount of dust visible inside (a common problem with early versions of this lens) and also that the lens did not come with a hood. LPTG web site says most do. I guess this lens isn't "most."

jupitersolo

A lens w/o a hood, I don't like that, even if they "warn" you about it. I wonder about the other companies policy on that.