THE BIG DEAL ABOUT BIG LENSES

Alright, so you guys know about the big, white "L" lenses, or the nice, black AF-S, VR lenses, but what is the big deal about these expensive pieces of glass?

Almost everyone knows they are professional equipment, optimized to give the very best images possible using expensive, and exotic glass. They are mostly well sealed, and designed to be handled under tough, demanding conditions. These lenses operate at a higher level than your typical consumer lenses.

That said, under normal shooting conditions, making small 4x6 prints, you can get similar looking images with a decent consumer lens, at least to the untrained or non-critical eye.

Let me share with you the real scoop on these expensive lenses with a true story:

A few months back, I was shooting with the hot, new Canon XTi (400D) in downtown Manhattan. I was testing the camera, shooting all sorts of things. All of a sudden, a sweet young lady comes up to me, and in that soft, and 'quirky-sexy' British accent, she said to me, "Excuse me, what kind of lens is that?" I tell her it's the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS lens. She then said, "Where can I buy one of these lenses?" I told her B&H or Adorama. I then asked if this is going to be for her. She said it's for a friend. She then gazes at my long lens so lovingly, as if wanting to touch it, to caress it. I would've let her touch it too, but you know I am a committed man, and that would be a sin! :-)

Anyway, I excused myself because the Eyewitness News guy came out, and I just had to get the shot. The girl was mesmerized by my big, white Canon L lens. She didn't even look twice at the poor, puny XTi, which was actually the new boy in town, and a hot commodity at the time.

So not only do these lenses perform extremely well, but they're sexy to boot! In case you're wondering, yes, the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS is one of the finest lenses I have ever used.

Some of you may remember me saying this before, but this all goes back to my proclamation, so even if you have a small weenie, remember this or write this down:

"In this game, we shooters know...Big Camera, Big Lens Equals Big D**K" :-)

PS: By the way, I ended up having to sell my big Canon lens when I went poor, so I guess I have a small weenie now!

Best, Sam