Camera Labs

Or we could call them DDAOH Lenses (drop dead after one hour) . Carrying that Sigma lenses would be nearly impossible for a whole day, you'd better get yourself a truck and drive it around on a tripod all the time.
I agree with Joey that even though an 18-250mm is great for a walkaround lens, it's not the best option when quality is concerned. You might want to consider a walkaround lens later on, when you already have high-quality optics. I'd like the 18-250mm one day, for places where I wouldn't want to be changing lenses all the time (beach for example). However, I'd rather have high quality first, and even though the 18-250mm is a good lens, it just can't be as good as the Zeiss lenses.
So just wait till Sony launches that 80-400mm or whatever it is!

BTW: Just finished my video review of the HVL-F42AM flash gun, I'll upload it on YouTube tomorrow (it's too late now, gotta go to work tomorrow so I'd better get some sleep). Expect to see it at 20:00h (GMT +1).

- Bjorn -

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Street and documentary photographer | Google+ | Twitter | Blog | Tumblr

Leica M9-P (my article on Camera Labs) | Leica D-Lux 5 | 50mm Summilux

A new distraction just appeared on the radar! I've just seen a used Olympus E510 with the Zuiko 70-300 ED lens. Up to 600mm FF equivalent, or 400mm on APS-C... Bundle cost well under the cost of the 70-300G new. As I've been also considering a 2nd body, this is tempting. I'll probably never take the 300mm off it if I got it, keep it as my 'long' setup making use of the 2x crop factor of the sensor for that bit more reach.

Edit: Wow, from this thread, Jessops have reasonable pricing! With a discount code easily found on google you can get the 18-250 down to £360... tempting... XD

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Popo, don't give to those temptations. Go back and look at the images I posted. Wouldn't you rather have that? Of course you would!
A second body is great, I'd love to get a new first body (meaning: A900) and keep the A700 as a second. Both Alpha camera's, so both compatible with my future lens line-up. Olympus camera's are not. There's been some talk already on a second, different brand, body, and it seems weird to my why you'd want different brands... The 2x cropfactor is good for telephotos, but you could also have high quality Zeiss optics at 400mm (600mm equivalent), and crop the image to make it 700 or even 800mm. The Oly combination can't beat that, right?

I guess you really need a good announcement from Sony, perhaps that will keep away the temptation of buying other gear...

- Bjorn -

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Street and documentary photographer | Google+ | Twitter | Blog | Tumblr

Leica M9-P (my article on Camera Labs) | Leica D-Lux 5 | 50mm Summilux

patients is key!

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Tobywuk personal website || My Flickr
Gear: Sony a700! || CZ 16-80mm! || Sony 75-300 || bag: Crumpler PB xxxl / Lowepro slingshot 200

With "patients" I guess you meant "patience"?
You're right. That's the key part. If I didn't have patience at this moment, I'd run straigt to the camerastore to get myself the Zeiss 85mm f/1.4 (can't afford the 24-70mm just yet, nor the actual project: 70-200). However, I won't do that, because it's the 70-200mm I want, nothing else (that not true, I want lots of other things, just won't buy them though).

- Bjorn -

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Street and documentary photographer | Google+ | Twitter | Blog | Tumblr

Leica M9-P (my article on Camera Labs) | Leica D-Lux 5 | 50mm Summilux

At the moment I'm very likely to go ahead with the Olympus bundle. Got some sample macro like pics at 300mm which look great, awaiting some more distant ones to make sure.

And this is not an either-or decision. I can still get the -400 later. At worst spending money now just delays that buying a month or so. Given it might only be announced in the next month, it will likely be a while before general availability and price stabilisation.

Yes, I know two bodies from different manufacturers means I'm limited in exchanging components between them, BUT the Oly bundle has everything I need for a support camera. I will dedicate it to telephoto duty only. Even the Bigma with HSM is available for it should I have a future upgrade urge. Imagine 1000mm effective! The Sony I'll keep for macro and wide angle.

Also, the price I can get it at is very tempting. Even in worst case I later decide not to keep it, I'm quite confident I can resell easily for similar money.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

........just wait for photokina....... I definitely can't wait

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Gear:Sony Alpha a350, Sony H9, Nikon FM-10
Gear:CZ85mm F/1.4 Planar, CZ24-70mm F/2.8 T* ssm, Sony 70-200mm G F/2.8 ssm, Sony 50mm F/2.8 macro, Nikkor 35-70mm

what is the actual date when all the new sony stuff and plans will be revealed?

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Tobywuk personal website || My Flickr
Gear: Sony a700! || CZ 16-80mm! || Sony 75-300 || bag: Crumpler PB xxxl / Lowepro slingshot 200

Best guess from the rumours is major news at their special event of ~10th Sept (A900?) and other items may or may not be announced then or at Photokina.

They don't pre-announce their announcements. But then people would want them to announce they're announcing the announcement. And where will it end?

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

The date will be the 9th, 10th and 11th, depending on the timezones/locations. Toronto, I believe, is the first place to see the camera (as far as I've read). Along with the A900, we will likely see some glass.
And also some big news: there's more info about the A800. That will be introduced before or during the Photokina. It's a mini full frame, with pop-up flash, lower resolution (for better noise performance) and priced sub-2000 euro's.
However, only 1 week away from the 9th, I think we have some interesting weeks coming up.

- Bjorn -

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Street and documentary photographer | Google+ | Twitter | Blog | Tumblr

Leica M9-P (my article on Camera Labs) | Leica D-Lux 5 | 50mm Summilux

That new Alpha Lens looks pretty cimilar to a Canon EF 300mm f/4.0 L IS.
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-300mm-f-4.0-L-IS-USM-Lens-Review.aspx

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Canon EOS 7D | BG-E7 | EOS 40D | BG-E2N | EF 17-40mm f/4.0 L USM | EF 24-105mm f/4.0 L IS USM | EF 35mm f/1.4 L USM
EF 85mm f/1.2 L II USM | EF 135mm f/2.0 L USM | EF 200mm f/2.0 L IS USM | Speedlite 580EX II X 3 | OC-E3
Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2

oh NO!!!!!
Anyone .....Bjorn Popo Stop me from getting a Tamron 70-200mm F/2.8 D!!!!!!!
Oh dear ....what tempted me into this is the price point!
Help...convince me to get a sony!!!

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Gear:Sony Alpha a350, Sony H9, Nikon FM-10
Gear:CZ85mm F/1.4 Planar, CZ24-70mm F/2.8 T* ssm, Sony 70-200mm G F/2.8 ssm, Sony 50mm F/2.8 macro, Nikkor 35-70mm

Thanks for the reply! I hoped it might be a 300mm f/4. Especially because the 200mm on my future 70-200mm is a little short, and I'd like to shoot witout a tele-converter, a *cheaper* 300mm f/4 would be great. I'd buy the 1.4x TC with it, to get a not all that bad 420mm f/5.6.

- Bjorn -

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Street and documentary photographer | Google+ | Twitter | Blog | Tumblr

Leica M9-P (my article on Camera Labs) | Leica D-Lux 5 | 50mm Summilux

Joey, I thought you might need a seperate post. Why would you get the Tamron lens? It's short, much shorter than the 80-400. And why do you think it's priced that much lower than Sony G/Zeiss lenses? Because of the quality. Sure they ain't bad, but they just don't come near to the higher quality of the Sony G and Carl Zeiss optics. So after a few years, when photography becomes more and more of an interest, you'll want to upgrade to the Sony 70-200mm anyway. If you buy the 80-400mm once it's available, you'll have to spend more money, but it will offer you very good quality from the start, and it's still useable after a few years, even when you already have a Sony 70-200mm (the 200-400mm range is still superb!). So don't get your hands on one of those Tamron lenses just yet. Wait and see what Sony has to show, you can always make up your mind after that, not so easily if you've already bought the Tamron.

- Bjorn -

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Street and documentary photographer | Google+ | Twitter | Blog | Tumblr

Leica M9-P (my article on Camera Labs) | Leica D-Lux 5 | 50mm Summilux

Thanks Bjorn...now i'm opting for quality lenses

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Gear:Sony Alpha a350, Sony H9, Nikon FM-10
Gear:CZ85mm F/1.4 Planar, CZ24-70mm F/2.8 T* ssm, Sony 70-200mm G F/2.8 ssm, Sony 50mm F/2.8 macro, Nikkor 35-70mm