More photos of the unpacking can be seen on my other blog.

So say I’m obsessed is one thing, but what is it when you enjoy something so much that you don’t really do anything else because nothing else compares?
Whilst talking to some friends it occured to me that I alter my career ever so slightly to keep life interesting. I have always had a creative passion and when I get into something there is a trend for me to REALLY GET INTO it. But I digress…
So, what am I doing now? I’m preparing lunch but I want to get out there and shoot some landscape which isn’t something I do often but I am seeking wider challenges – hmmm, I wonder if this is the excuse I need to buy that £1000 14-24mm f/2.8 lens?

As a good friend constantly reminds me, I’m the wrong side of 30. Most of my friends at my age have the 2.5 family household. Some of them don’t particularly like other people’s weddings. I love them!! It’s an absolute hoot. But not all wedding photographers are like me, so for potential bride and grooms here’s my top ten list for…

…You know you have a good Wedding Photographer when:

1. He turns up early and has already taken 100 shots of your house in every detail.
2. You realise that there is someone else going around busier than your bride’s maids & your parents.
3. He has a camera so big that is has it’s own gravitational pull
4. Nothing distracts him away from his equipment, not even the lure of beautiful bride’s maids
5. He walks with a limp because of sustained injury from carrying 2 cameras, 4 lenses, 3 battery packs, 2 flashes, 1 tripod and a hernia
6. He has a personality that can gather people together; from the rowdiest of guests to the most gentle of children
7. He is the only one who is not having anything to drink AND is taking “shots” on the dance floor
8. You see him seemingly looking at nothing, then realise he is actually lining up a great shot of your parents.
9. Children keep asking him why he needs a camera that big!
10. and finally, by the end of the evening he has a grin on his face because he has had so much fun capturing the greatest moments of the greatest day in your life so far!!!

28mm - 419mm equivalent lens on a 35mm camera

Tamron announces 15x zoom lens for Nikon, Canon DSLRs – Engadget

I have always been a believer that the best Nikon lens are the ones made by Nikon themselves. You do pay a premium for them but always worth the money.

“This lens could knock Nikon’s 18-200 VR out the water…”

This beast from Tamron has given me pause for thought. It has a 15x zoom range which is unheard of in the SLR world which gives the travelling photographer a huge advantage by not having to carry many lenses around with him. My current ‘all-rounder’ lens is the excellent 18-200mm VR by Nikon. Because of it’s wide zoom range and VR stability it is easily the most practical and versatile lens I have but this Tamron could potentially knock it out the water….BUT there have always been build & glass quality issues with Sigma and Tamron lenses.That is not to say these lenses are bad, they are certainly worth the money you pay for yet consistently they are always being outperformed by Nikon glass. It is that old money VS quality factor which all of us faces in any passion we persue… even women

A member of Engadget called Razor posted something that summed up a good reason for choosing (or not choosing) this lens.

This is meant mainly as a travel lens, much like the Nikkor 18-200 VR. I don’t think Tamron is marketing this as a replacement for primes, or “pro-level” zooms. It cannot give perfect image quality. I’ll wait to see photo samples before I pass judgment.

My principle concern is build quality. Overall I am not impressed with how Tamron builds lenses, but I’m spoiled on glass like my Nikkor 70-200 2.8 VR, or my Nikkor 105 2.8 VR.

I think there are a good deal of photographers who buy fast lenses for the wrong reasons, like shooting wide-open all the time to avoid flash use.

My point, is that stopping down is often necessary and a f6.3 on the tele-end is not necessarily a deal breaker for portability.

I shall be keeping a close eye on this lens and keep you folks informed.

Other sites covering this lens are:

Popphoto.com

DPReview.com – as always DPReview have gone into some detail and is an excellent read.

Digital single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras are the standard tool for serious photographers. With the introduction of cameras such as the Nikon D40 and the Canon Digital Rebel XTi the market for digital SLR cameras has expanded tremendously. A point-and-shoot compact digital camera can offer reasonably good image quality, but a digital SLR, which usually looks a lot like an old standard 35mm film camera and may use the same lenses, offers the following advantages:

Canon EOS 20D and 70-200/2.8L lens; note the blurred background from the f/2.8 aperture

* accurate, large, and bright optical viewfinder

* fast operation and large controls

* excellent image quality in low “available” light situations when it is necessary to use higher ISO speeds

* interchangeable lenses

Digital Photography Basics: learn how to build a digital SLR system – photo.net

I’ll start with the pros and cons before I get into the details.

Pros

• Very fast
• Amazing Stability with Vibration Reduction
• Tough build quality
• Silent focusing
• Smooth focusing ring

Cons

• Weight. When attached to my D300 it is not something I can wear around my neck for long
• Expensive (ish). But when you consider the range it could be worse

Physical Use

The lens is quite big and heavy but not cumbersome. I have read of some people not being able to use it for long but I can shoot for several hours without any discomfort. I personally like it’s imposing presence, it let’s my subjects know (usually musicians) that I am going to be taking great shots of them. The weight does not bother me; I am right handed so with my left I support the lens in the palm of my hands and tuck in my elbow into my chest for stabilization. It’s not possible to always do this, especially at the speed I shoot. The weight will eventually tire me so I simply lower the camera and lens, look at my subject away from the eyepiece then recompose my shot through the lens; this really helps to me to discipline myself into literally searching for great compositions in framing so you could say the weight is making me a better photographer.

Performance

I’ll keep the superlatives to a minimum and attempt to describe real world use.

• indoors with room lights - this is where the lens is really tested; in no other condition are the available lights dimmed to create mood, so with such poor light the lens has to provide great stability, speed and fast focusing. Whilst shooting an anniversary party the lens opened up many options to me; although it has a narrow angle it really comes into it’s own when you want to shoot but don’t want to disturb the party. It is excellent when you want to capture those candid moments without people intimidated by a camera, I can shoot from an unobtrusive distance because the F2.8 lets in so much light. Very good if you like those depth of field effects to really make your subject ‘pop’ out.
• indoors with stage lights – Stage lights are usually powerful, so I have no problems using this lens. If I were really picky, I would say sometimes it struggles to focus because the stage lights are constantly moving; so I lock onto my subject as best I can then switch to focus lock or manual focus.
• outside with stage lights at gigs – The same as indoors with stage lights, except that if I’m shooting during daylight I don’t struggle with focusing. During night shoots when the only illumination are the stage lights then it is just amazing as the colours really pop out to stunning effect.
• outside with natural light – This is one of the few times I wouldn’t choose to use this lens because there is alot of available light that I bring out the trusty 18-200mm VR which gives me more focal range; also I wouldn’t use the F2.8 to full advantage plus the weight is something that doesn’t make it practical (hiking, journalistic shoots) unless I’m stationary much of the time (specific location shoots)

VR – Vibration Reduction

I just want to make a specific point about Nikon’s VR image stabilization system. It goes without saying that it does help to keep your photos sharper, but is no replacement for a strong tripod. I would say it allows me to shoot a few shuttle speeds lower with it activated but no more than that.

Conclusion

In a gig situation and indoor envinroment, the 70-200mm AF-S VR lens would be the first lens I pack without a doubt, but if you were to be on the move alot and shooting landscapes (which I rarely do) then I wouldn’t bother taking it with me and opt for the 18-200mm instead.

Choosing Lenses for Concert Photography | ishootshows.com: Concert Photography

Todd is a photographer i have alot of respect for. I frequently visit his blog to look at what he’s been shooting. He has posted an article about the lenses he recommends when shooting musicians. You should really have a look if you are serious about photography; it’s not for the faint hearted though, the lenses are often more expensive than the camera body.

Photographing live acts is something I am very passionate about; there is something very engaging when I see performers feeling the moment. If you happen to be at the King’s Head (Aylesbury) on a Saturday night, say hello if you see me