Well, it actually arrived yesterday, but I was out when it did, so the apartment manager had to sign for it and I got in unexpectedly late, thus I had to pick it up this morning in his office.
Of course, he had to see what the fuss was all about, and we both had a good giggle over the size of the outer box used to transport the equipment, versus the much smaller inner box that actually carried the lens and hood that I had ordered.
It was like housing an egg in a Volkswagen Bug.
I couldn’t wait for my first opportunity to use the new lens. I itched to be able to find just the right situation to take the first photograph.
So, after that, I headed out to a friend’s place to take care of some stuff for her and brought my camera and my new lens along, as well as the magnification filters I’d recently purchased to go with this particular lens. (My other lenses are 67mm while the new one is 52mm — so they don’t mesh well.)
After I took care of my friend’s stuff, I walked around a bit and took some pictures. I was able to get in further than I had before, but not quite as far as I’d really like. I’ve included an example to the left of a Bougainvillea. You can see an earlier example of this plant (with my 18-105mm lens) in a previous post.
The greater detail of the center of the Bougainvillea flower is there, but I’m looking for something even more detailed, so I’m having to seriously consider extension tubes.
Now, I know that there are a few companies who put them out, but seem to be finding a difference of opinion on how they perform. Some are downright effusive in their love for this equipment, while others bring attention to potential physical issues with certain brands and with caveats as to particular care that must be taken when using them. Of course, especial care must always be taken of photographic equipment, as most of us cannot afford to replace an item at the drop of a hat, particularly with the cost of such equipment.
The best spoken of off-brand (meaning Not Nikon) is Kenko, but their extension tube set (3 sections of varying length) begins at about $169.00, if you’re going with a site like B&H Photo or Amazon. I’ve taken a look at eBay, but I’m just not comfortable dealing with eBay for a purchase such as this. Too many variables to consider and the strong possibility of counterfeit items. Plus, I prefer to support American businesses, since I live in the States.
As I’ve said before, I’ll keep you posted on this particular adventure of mine. While I do have the money to purchase such a set, I can’t really justify doing so at this time.
Damn this whole conscience thing, anyway!
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