My new 17-40L USM! Thanks guys!

[psk4363]

:D

Just got back (literally 3 hours ago and jet-lagged to the eye-balls)from my very first trip to the US (Stunning country! Nice people! Great food!).

Came back with the 17-40L and the 50/1.8 bought from Canoga Cameras in Los Angeles whilst over there.

What a cracking lens the 17-40L really is! I must admit to previously being somewhat sceptical about some of the comments re the difference between 'L' and 'non-L' glass - but wow this is tack sharp and contrasty. I hardly took it off during the whole two weeks.

Many thanks to all forum members who provided such invaluable advice re camera dealers and locations to visit - your assistance was/is very much appreciated. As a point of interest we managed to get to: -

1. Zion National Park
2. Red Rock Canyon
3. Mohave National Reserve
4. Valley of Fire
5. Mount Charleston
6. Palm Springs - the park at the top of the aerial tramway (can't remember the name)
7. Hoover Dam
8. Crystal Cove

plus the 'usual' tourist haunts around L.A, Vegas and San Fran. Unfortunately we missed out on our flight over and into the Grand Canyon due to snow showers last Monday. We also missed out on going to Yosemite due to heavy snow - this was particularly heartbreaking :cry:

But overall it was a fantastic two weeks with clear blue skies every day :D . Now where's my bed?

Cheers,
Barry

[defordphoto]

Hey! Hey! You can go to bed yet! We need some photos to look at! :)

Glad to hear you had a good time and congrats on the new stuff. Now you're hooked for life as you've crossed over to the L side.

Welcome back! And looking forward to some photos after your much needed rest.

[petiot]

Huh?? US / good food??? is that compatible? I had problems finding fresh vegetables there!!

I am going to get bitten if i keep critisizing US. although i you must have had a cracking time back there with your new gears and some of the most beautifull places in the world (that, i have to admit).

by the way how much did you pay for your lens, and do you have some photos to show us!!

thanks

Dan

[defordphoto]

Trouble finding fresh veggies? What state? Maybe I'm spoiled on the West Coast here but fresh veggies has never, ever been an issue in the 50 years I've lived in the USA.

And no good food? What are you used to eating? ;) You musta been stuck in some hodunk town with no stores and one greasy-spoon restaurant. I don't want to trach PSK's thread here, but the curiosity is killing me.

[petiot]

:D I was expecting some reaction, but i didn t mean to ofend anyone. It is just that i am a fan of cooking, and french living mostly in france as well. Back there we still have good old fashion food markets with all those old farmers who come to sell their naturally grown products: fresh salads still covered with bit of the ground they have grown in, big juicy tomatoes with a good thick skin, fresh aromatic herbs, home made charcuterie, and also this fantastic whole bread still warm from the oven. but maybe the most important, big chunk of good smelly cheese :wink: and the local wine which deep red color still reflects the sun of south of france!! I missed that in LA.

by the way the photo on your site are excellent. Nice paning skills (how can i post a photo on this forum?) and what lens do you use, is that a canon L glass?

Dan

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[defordphoto]

Oh I am not offended in the least. I have no less than half a dozen markets within a mile where I can buy just about any fresh veggie I could think of, and heck, they even have watermelon and cantaloupe.

Also where I live, we have many local farmer's markets (as we coin them) where the growers sell their crops. In the growing season, we also have two weekend markets with literally hundreds of marketers selling their fresh picked goods.

I'm sure they exist in L.A., but probably harder to find since it's a sea of asphalt. Please don't judge our entire country on what you observed in Los Angeles. That would like be judging the country of France on Paris alone or England on London.

Anyway...oh yeah. Photography! ;) the lens used in most of the photos I have been posting is the 100-400L. But I also use the 70-200L f2.8. To post a photo, the photo has to reside on an accessible server and then you can use the IMG tags to link directly to the photo.

[timmyquest]

Just got back (literally 3 hours ago and jet-lagged to the eye-balls)from my very first trip to the US (Stunning country! Nice people! Great food!).

Very glad you enjoyed your visit...as for the good food, if you want it it can be found here in america.

Italian
French
German
Sweedish
Mexican
Chinese
Japanse
and of course good 'ol american pie.

I live in a town of 30,000 and i can get all but french within an hours drive

:-D

[Belmondo]

Many thanks to all forum members who provided such invaluable advice re camera dealers and locations to visit - your assistance was/is very much appreciated. As a point of interest we managed to get to: -

6. Palm Springs - the park at the top of the aerial tramway (can't remember the name)

Cheers,
Barry

Barry:
That's the Mount San Jacinto State Park and Wilderness. It's actually one of my favorite places to visit (on clear days). I live about a half-hour drive from the tram, and hold an annual pass to ride it whenever the urge strikes me (which is fairly often). In fact, you can almost see where I live from the upper observation platform (we're to the south and east of there). The view from there cuts off about a mile north of us. I hope you got an opportunity to look around our desert area a little---we're very proud of it.

You did well to make your way to Canoga Camera. They're knowledgeable, reasonably friendly, and have generally competitive prices.

I'm sure you're rejoicing over the return to the sanctuary of your home , and to the comfort of your own bed. Let's see some of your pictures when you recover.

Tom

[scsmith10D]

I, too, just got a 17-40 L. I really love it. I posted a few example pics on my web page:

http://homepage.mac.com/scsmith/PhotoAlbum40.html

RFM has already seen them, I think.

I look forward to seeing your travel photos when you get them up. Welcome to the "L" feLlowship.

:)

[defordphoto]

All thse new 17-40's floating around and that spot in my bag is empty! :cry: Well, if the 1D replacement is too pricey then the 17-40 or 16-35 will have a home soo. I'm missing wide seeing all these shots.

[psk4363]

Hi Tom,

Yes, that's it - Mount Jacinto! The day we went up there was crystal clear (as was all the other 13 days - lucky or what?) and we went on one of the short trails and rattled off about 35 shots which I then edited down to about 23/24. It's a wonderful spot.

You are indeed very fortunate to live in such a lovely part of the world. We were amazed at the shear diversity of landscape - desert, mountains, snow - bloody marvellous!

Can't sleep yet (been home 8 hours now) but hopeffuul................................

[psk4363]

Hi Dan,

The lens (hood and bag) cost $412 inc :D .

Sorry but not in a position to upload any pictures yet :oops:

Barry

[tracyh]

$412?! Where did you get it for that? I'm seeing it run for around $700! I'll drive to California from Iowa to get *that* price!

[scsmith10D]

Yes. $700...and my local shop wanted $775 rock bottom. (They paid more than $700 for it, according to them.

[Vegas Poboy]

Great, sounds like you had fun & that's what counts. Alot of people don't realize Las Vegas has much to offer besides casinos.

[psk4363]

:oops:

Oops, sorry Steve and Tracy! I did say that I was jet-lagged to the eye-balls - the $412 should have been £412 - slip of the finger!

Vegas Poboy - you are absolutely spot on! The areas around the 'Strip' are fantastic.

Cheers,
:oops: Barry