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Robin Reid | all galleries >> Picture A Day (Year One) >> August 2004 PaD > August 30: Seven Stamps
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30-AUG-2004

August 30: Seven Stamps

Those of you who visit this PaD with any regularity, know that I committed myself to using my Canon 70-200 “L” IS Lens for seven days. Now I’m planning on seven days with my Quantray 50mm f/2.8 Macro Lens. This image is #1.

And speaking of numbers, remember how warriors often paste a symbol of success on their airplane etc? Please note the seven (count ‘em 7) stamps pasted to the bottom part of the barrel to celebrate my work.

What did I learn you ask?
1. The lens is heavy
2. It definitively collects the light and gets more detail than my mostly comparable EF lens
3. There is no apparent image degradation on either end of the zoom range
4. The image stabilizer does work, and it pays to use 400 ISO
5. It is great for standing back and sucking in subjects like people and animals.
6. It is fabulous for knocking out the background
7. You think about subjects much differently when using a the big lens.
8. Observers think you are a professional and often nod knowingly when you comment on the pucker factor and ambient vs. direct light
9. Fellow PaDers will express envy and awe in all of their comment below. ;-)
10.Now I am off to Macro World.

Canon EOS 10D ,Quantray 50mm f/2.8 Maco
1/4s f/22.0 at 50.0mm iso400 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
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brother_mark01-Sep-2004 03:09
Like jypsee I have an 80-200 f/2.8 AF-S, no image stabilizer, so I'm pretty much satisfied with the sharp images it takes. Weighs a ton, too.
Lou Giroud31-Aug-2004 10:06
I presume you will buy the 28-300 with the new 20D when it's on the market, or .... :)
Guest 31-Aug-2004 03:55
Nice! I may have to try that! I shoot macro's everyday too! but they are all macros of teeth! :)
Ian Morehouse31-Aug-2004 03:05
Hi Robin, lens envy has set in. I am about to loose all my Canon gear for a while. It is going in for a clean and a couple of repairs to faulty lenses.
I am planning to get yhis and one other a 24-70 and a TC 1.4.
jypsee31-Aug-2004 02:29
I use the old version of this lens (80-200 f/2.8 L); no IS and no USM. It's one of my favorites and it's SHARP!!
Cindy31-Aug-2004 00:46
Thanx for the series Robin, I love to see what other lenses can do, not that this lens is in my budget for quite awhile, if ever. :-) Looking forward to your next series, now blow off the smoke and move on cowboy. ;-)
Guest 31-Aug-2004 00:42
"Put 'em up, pilgrim."

You're tempting me, Robin! I want this lens!! Good luck this week with the 50.
Herb 30-Aug-2004 23:39
"The west has never seen a man with so many notches on his gun"
Robin , I am on the other end of the spectrum right now, had to send my 100-400 back as the IS worked intermittend. As you know I have used this lens for the last 3 month and it is amazing how your brain gets used to visualise your images to the long lens.
So for the next 20 days it's macro and wide angle.
Anne Young30-Aug-2004 23:21
This is an awesome exercise, Robin. Maybe I'll try this when I get back. I need to re-familiarize myself with some of my lenses.
Rich Adams30-Aug-2004 23:20
You might be able to cancel your gym membership since you removed your tripod collar! I've got the same lens, and your're right on all fronts... except you forgot to add how much less powerful the Credit Card becomes after the big white tube arrives in the mail!
Guest 30-Aug-2004 22:10
Oh yes, I have this lens as well ... one of my favorites to be sure. You sure do get looks when you walk around with this giant. :-) Angela once refered to it as the beast ... I've been calling it that ever since ... fits it perfectly. lol
Pall Gudjonsson30-Aug-2004 22:10
Yep - I do envy you - I only got her smaller sister - the lighter 70 -200 f/4 :-)
Guest 30-Aug-2004 22:04
I too have that lens and love it. A neat idea to do a week exclusively working with it. Hmmm... You may have just given me an idea (for which I thank you profusely for -- I've almost completely run out!)
Gayle P. Clement30-Aug-2004 22:03
Robin, you sounded so impressive until I got to number 8! I admire your methodical approach to learning your tools. The stamps just sparkle there, too! I'm thinking they're more like notches on a gun.