Am I Evil? How Many Of You Have Done This?

Yesterday I was shooting a local girls basketball game. Saw an old friend with her new Xti she bought at Ritz for Christmas with her 70-300 special she got with the kit lens there. I was shooting with my 40D and 85 1.8, just to see what the camera can do (I just got it for Christmas myself). I told my friend I had a big lens in my bag and if she was interested in seeing the difference. Before she knew it, I had brought my 70-200 2.8 IS out of my bag and she was handing over the Xti to me.

I let her shoot with my lens for about 10 minutes. She couldn't believe the weight at first. Then she asked how she was supposed to hold the thing. After taking a few shots, me putting her setting to Tv and 1/400 of a second to not get blur, she was blown away. She said she loved the camera, but knew she wasn't getting the full benefit of a DSLR, didn't know what to buy, etc., didn't understand the manual. She then said, "So, how much did you pay for that lens?"

I think I am evil. I don't know if it's always wise to expose newbies to the most expensive gear. Learning first, then introduce the pro stuff. What do you think?

yep, you're evil...

When she looks at the photos on her computer, she'll get the credit card out!

I do this all the time with my friends at school. Most of them still have the XT with kit lens only. Real close friends of mine have upgraded and gotten better equipment to work with. This somewhat was due to me. It's like we have our own competitions to see who can do what better lol.

That's a pretty funny story Suzie. Oh, and glad to see your old title back.

Oh, I know. I can't believe I did that to my friend. But I really feel bad for people who go to Ritz and buy the Xti with the two lenses and think they have the best gear. If they were pros or really savvy with the camera, it wouldn't be bad, but they think that $1000 is going to get them something perfect. It doesn't.

I've done it. I don't own any crazy L lenses yet, but I handed over the 85 1.8 to this dude who only had the kit lens, and I said 'try this instead, the AF is pretty sweet'. His mouth was open from the moment he saw how much glass was in that thing.

BUT I've also had it done to me...I was trying to shoot macro at home on my film camera with extension tubes, and my dad hands me his old Nikon SLR with the nikkor 60mm macro attached...

AND once in a photography class, I was shooting with my 400D + 85 1.8, and my prof (with his 5D + 135L said 'hey these basically have the same effective field of view, let's trade for today'. So he hands over his 5D, and for the rest of the class...I shot with that. I am surprised I didn't COVER it with drool.

But the on another occasion, a friend handed his EF-S 10-22 over, and told me to give it a go over my Sigma 10-20, and I wasn't impressed.

Suzie, you are evil but I wouldn't mind having a friend with that kind of gear either. I just need someone to be able to help me convince my wife to let me upgrade some of my lenses too. Not that there's anything wrong with my current lineup but it's always nice to have a wish list.

Not that any of my POTN friends are evil. After all, I met them through the forum. But Jon has a ton of gear, and knows how to use every bit of it. Jim has some sweet lenses (like the 100 macro, which I want sometime). And of course, no one can compete with Mark in the whole EAST COAST. Maybe out West, Tom can give him a run. But he has all the newest stuff. To meet such gear hogs is fun. I don't even pretend I can compete. But for someone who is just starting, it's plain evil.

SuzyView wrote in post #4695031
...they think that $1000 is going to get them something perfect. It doesn't.

That was me three years ago when I first started out. I was happy with that 75-300, oh my goodness. I did take it back to CC within two weeks of buying it and definitely started saving up from there.... Then I got the 50 1.4 and 70-200 f/4. And it just kept going from there. Heck it'll never stop now.

I'm really looking at getting another 50mm soon.

perryge wrote in post #4695059
I handed over the 85 1.8 to this dude who only had the kit lens, and I said 'try this instead, the AF is pretty sweet'. His mouth was open from the moment he saw how much glass was in that thing.

I hope they never see the 85mm f/1.2L then!

Riff Raff wrote in post #4695124
I hope they never see the 85mm f/1.2L then!

I was thinking that exact thing as I was typing my post

Riff Raff wrote in post #4695124
I hope they never see the 85mm f/1.2L then!

No kidding.

I've actually held one in my hand, and boy, what a nice chunk of glass! But I don't need it.

One of my very close friends loves photography and he has the xt and 2 kit lenses. He's already told me that he's claimed my lenses (the few I have) when I die

The thing is; his photography is amazing and I keep on at him to buy some L's. He saw some shots I took of my 24-70 and drooled at the sharpness. He'll break though! I'll make sure of that!

I'm not the only one! I'm so relieved! We can be evil together.