70-200mm 2.8 HA..uh no LOL!

Aayria

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I have a story to share:lol:

I finally decided to venture out yesterday to the ONLY local camera shop in my area and take a look at what they had. Up until now, I've only focused on reading reviews, studying, and reading what people here have to say about the different cameras and lenses.

I decided that, in my head at least, I wanted most to work towards using a D700 with a 24-70mm and a 70-200mm 2.8 as my primary lenses. So, I asked if I could take a look at them while I was at the store.

First, there were two gentlemen at the shop, one in his late 20s and one in his mid 50's or so.. I had my 6 year old son with me, and we were greeted by the younger of the two.

He asked what I used currently, and I said I just have the D5000 and primarily use my 50mm 1.4 . His reply?

"Oh the D5000! That one has AMAZING ISO performance!"

"uh.. wha? I get noise at 800 ISO, sometimes lower..." I replied

He then explained that well, relative to the grain you used to get with 800 ISO film cameras, the D5000 was awesome. ;)

Then, he asks if I've considered what camera body I want to upgrade to. I ask to see the D700.

"Why would you want to see that? I have this D300 here that is great and it's all you'd need..."

"Well..the D300 is a crop sensor, and I'd like to pair my camera with the 24-70 on a full frame.."

So he tries to convince me that nobody "needs" a full frame camera, and that all he uses is the D300, it's a great camera! He also says that crop sensors are the "future" of photography.

He then pulls out the 18-200mm zoom lens, stops down to 3.5 at its widest, 5.6 at its longest length. He tries to convince me I'd be just as well off getting THAT lens with the D300 as I would with the 24-70 on the D700. I explain to him that I want a good low light, sharp, performance lens for doing weddings down the road.. That it's important to me that I come as best prepared as possible, with what I am confident is the best equipment I can afford- this includes (to me) a FULL frame camera, and one of the standards in wedding lenses ... Stopping down to AT least 2.8.

I then hear the older gentlmen snicker at this other guy replies "man.. you must read a LOT of reviews and forums." :lol:

He then says "this 18-200mm zoom is awesome, you'd only need ONE lens, and you could use a crop sensor camera. Really, tons of wedding photographers love this lens, why don't you???"

"It doesn't stop down to 2.8..."

"Well. you don't NEED that extra blurry depth of field.."

"Maybe not always, but I like it, and I want the ability to perform in LOW LIGHT." ........ "so.. um.. could I take a look at the 24-70 mm 2.8?"



"We don't have that one in stock."

"How about the 70-200mm 2.8?"

He then pulls out this MASSIVE lens. I mean, sure I expected it to be big, but it was HEAVY. I really thought this was *THE* lens I'd want to work towards, but I am a pretty small person with tiny hands and I could hardly hold the D700 with this crazy lens on :lmao:

"Yeah, it's really heavy, especially on one of these bigger camera bodies. You should probably just go with this 18-200m..." He continued.

So, I said...maybe I could handle a long focal length prime lens, just for those shots where I was far away but wanted good low light/fast performance. I asked if he had another lens I'd read about; the 135mm 2.0 nikon.

What did he say? "GEEZ why would you WANT that??? You'd have to stand SO far away to even get a shot!"

ummmm...that's the point of a long focal length...you are trying to get a shot FAR AWAY:confused:

Then..the highlight of this entire venture.. What doe this kid do?

He gets very serious all of a sudden, and says to me. "You know wha the FUTURE of photography is? It's not these big DSLR's.. It's not in the bigger bodies and bigger lenses. It's in THIS!" He says as he pulls out from the shelf this thin, sleek, point and shoot looking thing.

" Really? The future of photography is in point and shoot?" I asked him.

He explained that cameras were all about getting smaller, not bigger. That sensor were all about getting smaller, like computers. And that this wasn't a point and shoot, because it had INTERCHANGABLE (puny LOL) lenses! wooo! =P

I said what do you mean? There's a reason the best, most expensive, professional cameras are either full frame, or medium format.. NOT cropped.

"Medium format?? NOBODY even HAS one of those things. " He replies.

Really? Nobody?

I'll stop there, because you get the idea of the conversation. That was about the point where I thanked him for letting me try the cameras/lenses out and went on my way. But I had to share my first trip to a camera store. At the very least, I learned that the 70-200mm is just way too big for me...so if I ever get a new telephoto lens, it will either have to be a prime, or lower aperture.

But the best part of the trip was the laugh:lol:
 
Interesting experience, seems like you experienced some experienced sales people there :)

They had to sell something to you but were not expecting a well informed customer. Well, at least you know that 70-200 2.8 is not what you will have. People at our local camera shop are different, they never force to buy anything and that's the reason I keep going back to them and also buy from them :)
 
I would have walked out long before that, you should try hand holding a 1Dmk2 and 300mmF2.8L :lol:, did you feel the weight of the 24-70 that is quite heavy
 
I have the 7D with both the 16-35 and 24-70. They are heavy, but once you are focused on shooting, you do forget all about the weight. I actually feel like the additional weight acts as a counterweight to the hand movement.
 
That's why I like to stay away form specialty shops like that... ESPECIALLY if I'm not well educated in what I'm looking for. So much misinformation. I'd much rather research everything and order online.
 
Reminds me of the time I sold myself a 400D ;)
Seriosly I got the one guy in the shop new to selling and - well - lets say it was good job I walked in there knowing what camera I wanted first ;)

But yah sounds like neither of them really knew what they were talking about - and very odd of them to talk you out of buying highpriced goods as well!!

As for the 70-200mm my advice is to not abandon it completly as an idea. When I got mine it seemed massive (esp with the hood), heavy and totally sharp! It feels a lot small now that I've had a good time using it and whilst the weight is a consideration its a very easy weight to get used to.
And this is coming from someone with small hands
 
You should have said...."And that's why I'll be a photographer and you'll just be a guy who sells cameras"
 
Haha. That is hilarious. I had a similar experience with my last trip. I went in with my D90 and 50mm 1.8 Nikon. I wanted to get the sigma 10-20mm. I did eventually walk out with it, but not after him trying to sell me the 18-200, telling me that "on a crop sensor camera like the D90, the 10-20mm turns into a 20-35mm lens, therefore the 18-200 will cover that and way more." Well..other than that being completely backwards and wrong, he was right about one thing, I love the lens. I tried explaining that the 10-20 is a DG lens and made for digital cameras, not working on full frame. After about 15 minutes, I walked out with my lens and lower blood pressure from the laughing bout that followed. :lol:

Mark
 
Funny write-up, but very true of the typical mass-market camera store where the average customer would need nothing more than a D300 at the highest end, and where the 18-200 is an eminently desirable and good-selling lens. In a related note, on Sunday I ran into a young woman who was snapping photo after photo after photo of her two kids at play. After a while, I asked her if she was getting good shots, and she told me that she was, "having trouble getting her shutter right." She gushed with enthusiasm over her husband's new, as she put it, "$1,500 gift," the Nikon D90 and the new 70-300 VR lens.

Although she said she didn't know the first thing about photography, she absolutely loved the 70-300 VR Lens, and had no trouble handling it. She asked for a couple of tips, and I happily obliged. Anyway...a lot of people using DX Nikons, as well as some pros using the D3 series and D300 bodies are pretty enthused about the optical capabilities of Nikon's 70-300VR--it's a much better optical performer than the "old" 70-300 class of lenses from multiple manufacturers. SO, maybe you ought to put that lens on your list as a possible 70-200/2.8 alternative. It's DX and FX-capable, has VR, and is not nearly as heavy as the 70-200,and it is also generally smaller and lighter.
 
I have the 7D with both the 16-35 and 24-70. They are heavy, but once you are focused on shooting, you do forget all about the weight. I actually feel like the additional weight acts as a counterweight to the hand movement.

Agreed. My main lens is the 70-200mm f/4L IS on the 7D (don't really have a need for f/2.8 but have thought about changing to it) and the counter-balance really works for me. Helps to steady much better IMO.
 
In defense of the "small camera store"... The one in my city (very small city) is quite good.

It is my secondary source for info (next to the Web) and my primary source for hands on before making a purchasing decision.
 
Funny write-up, but very true of the typical mass-market camera store where the average customer would need nothing more than a D300 at the highest end, and where the 18-200 is an eminently desirable and good-selling lens. In a related note, on Sunday I ran into a young woman who was snapping photo after photo after photo of her two kids at play. After a while, I asked her if she was getting good shots, and she told me that she was, "having trouble getting her shutter right." She gushed with enthusiasm over her husband's new, as she put it, "$1,500 gift," the Nikon D90 and the new 70-300 VR lens.

Although she said she didn't know the first thing about photography, she absolutely loved the 70-300 VR Lens, and had no trouble handling it. She asked for a couple of tips, and I happily obliged. Anyway...a lot of people using DX Nikons, as well as some pros using the D3 series and D300 bodies are pretty enthused about the optical capabilities of Nikon's 70-300VR--it's a much better optical performer than the "old" 70-300 class of lenses from multiple manufacturers. SO, maybe you ought to put that lens on your list as a possible 70-200/2.8 alternative. It's DX and FX-capable, has VR, and is not nearly as heavy as the 70-200,and it is also generally smaller and lighter.


Thanks for the suggestion, I will look into it :) But again, my main concern is that I prefer a lens that can stop down to at least 2.8. I'm ussually right up there for most shots, and I don't do a lot of zooming.. So I think I might look more the route of a long focal length prime lens if need be.

Maybe I should give it another try.. I can see it not being quite as bad if I was just used to it.. But I'm still not sure if I could stand without falling over while shooting with the 70-200 2.8!

I'm glad everybody got a good laugh from this.. My husband and I were up all night laughing about it :lol:
 
In defense of the "small camera store"... The one in my city (very small city) is quite good.

It is my secondary source for info (next to the Web) and my primary source for hands on before making a purchasing decision.


That was the one bonus I'll give this shop credit for.. It really was great being able to actually hold/see/ and use some of the gear I've been oogling over online:mrgreen:
 
If you still find the 70-200mm heavy you can always use it with a monopod. For wedding type work that should not be too limiting - and if you get a very good one they can go very low to theground whilst still being very strong
 
I drove an hour last week one way to have somebody tell me that 35mm was considered a portrait length lens. Thank god I knew what I was looking for and why.
 

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