Seeing twice is believing
Unable to let yesterday’s scenery alone, I convinced a friend to come and see if things were as they had seemed. That is, we went back to the local photography trade show today. At least the admission price was within our budget.
Good photography equipment isn’t cheap. Once you commit to a particular product line, there’s a good chance that you’ll learn to love it, because trading out is simply not an option. A few thousand here, a few thousand there… much more practical to master the tools and then integrate them into your craft.
But, it still is fun to see new toys. Perhaps that’s what keeps the various photography magazines going. Not the articles; the ads. Especially the multipage listings of gear (this is a geek world) with abbreviated model designators, complete to focal length and F-stop range, with the appropriate mounting and the possible price point. Keep the client wanting more. Other than a few photos that are high on sparkle and low on rational detail, gear ads are all about the dream.
Today (and yesterday), I finally saw some of the more expensive toys, within physical reach. I know, we aren’t supposed to touch things we can’t afford, but the stuff was right there. And at the far end of the spectrum, out past “no possible need for such a thing” and touching the edge of “who in the world could ever afford such a thing”, the biggest lens I’ve ever seen.
The rocket shaped (and sized) marvel is offered by Sigma. The “APO 200-500mm F2.8 EX DG zoom telephoto” weighs in at a backbreaking 15.7 Kgs. Your expensive camera body will seem to be no more than a tiny appendage at the end of a huge metal cone. Perspective breaker: a MSRP of $38000.00 USD although I’m sure your local camera store will knock a few loonies off the bill, in hopes of selling the most expensive item in inventory.
There were dozens of other lenses on display, but none came close to this one for sheer impracticality.
