Originally posted by fevbusch
Nice series of pictures from both you guys. I'd love to know what lenses were used.
Mine were taken with a 15 year old Pentax FA 28-80mm/3.5-4.7. The photos were probably (maybe?) shot with the lens priority program line.
For the really critical photographers out there, the lens probably falls in the "mediocre" category. But, I have done very well with it in the last 15 years, where it has taken part in military airborne drops stuffed inside my combat shirt or stuffed in my ruck somewhere(ahem... AIRBORNE!), whitewater kayaking trips thumping around in a dry bag, and assorted other outdoors endeavors. I try to look after my kit as best as possible, but...
Up until now I have always been reluctant to spend a lot of money on premium lenses and high end bodies. The reality is that when camera equipment goes on military taskings or similar other high energy trips, it does NOT get preferential treatment. So it isn't exactly unknown to drown a camera, for somebody to throw a crate of mortor rounds on top of it in the dark, etc. As a result, you don't buy more than you want to cry tears over - unless photography is your profession and the equipment is the price of making a living AND a tax deduction...
So my lens collection sits in the middle of the "drug store lines", I guess. But I'm pretty sure the quality of the lenses still outstrips my abilities as a photographer, so I don't lose any sleep over it.
However... I have this brand new Sigma 17-70 sitting right here that I just pulled out of the box... can't wait for a break from work to get out in the boonies and check it out.
I wonder what the chances of finding that bug are again...