December 2007 - Santa is A-OK!

He brought Ye Olde Photographer a Canon EOS 40D with an EF 24-70mm f2.8L USM zoom lens. This lens is admittedly a handful, but should be ideal for the techno-photo-geek projects that pop up here. (February 2008) We have added an EF 24-85mm f3.5-4.5 USM lens for casual travel use. It's about 1/2 the size, 1/3 the weight — and 1/3 the financial risk exposure!

Alas, the camera did suffer an "infant mortality" problem. Random internal diagnostic errors and occasionally after going through the motions, a black frame would be stored. YOP contacted B&H in NYC from whom this was bought and they very efficiently set up a swap and it is now replaced. The new body appears to be doing what one would expect.

Shots of other than the camera gear are examples of its work — the first nine were handheld on a Christmas Eve hike along a nearby segment of the Perkiomen Trail. Near the end are a few with the 24-85, followed by a few with the 17-50.

See a bunch of shots using available light with the 24-70 at this ceramics workshop.

You can see the 24-85 in action in England.

May 2009: YOP spent his Social Security stimulus check on a Tamron XR Di II 17-50mm f/2.8. They seem well-regarded and are half what some others cost. There are a couple of sample shots at the end of this gallery and a bunch, all the color shots, at the ACD Museum gallery. This will probably be the first choice for a "walking around" lens. It's equivalent to about 27 to 80mm on a full 35 mm frame.

September 2011: Purchased a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro lens. Use is intended for low distortion, as well as getting in close (the lens goes in to 1:1). YOP couldn't justify the substantially higher cost of the IS version, as most of his usage will be on a tripod.

June 2017: Purchased a Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM zoom lens. Acquisition was prompted by the prospect of checking out this year's solar eclipse. Especially with IS it may prove useful for earthbound uses. Ye Olde Photographer just can't justify to himself any of the fancier glass which was running three to four times the price. We did indeed get some decent results using this gear at the August 21, 2017 Total Solar Eclipse.