just bought a nikon 10.5mm...

[jamesw]

and im excited!!!!

10.5mms at reasonable prices have been few and far between lately, i just found one on BH photo for 520. new price is only 570, but they havent been in stock for a good few months... so i figured i want the lens now rather than getting a new one... plus i trust that if theyre selling its in good nick...

also got four, yes four, sunpak 555s delivered to my door today. got them at a steal. before you ask why i want sunpak 555s... i shoot with pocketwizards, which means no ttl, which means manual only flash operation... 555s have a GN of 150ft which is pretty decent... and they are reasonably priced... but are discontinued. got 4 for $300.

so right now im pretty happy!

after this, i think the only piece of glass i really would need (read: want) to add to my kit is a 30mm 1.4... and that 17-55 looks nice...

but the stuff ive got now is good enough, for now....

hahha lens lust!

[skyva]

Sounds great. I have a 30mm 1.4 and love it. It works well as a party/low light people lens on a 1.5 (or 1.6) crop factor.
Do you have a wide angle zoom as well, one of the 12-24~ish lenses? I have the tokina and like it but wondered whether I would get use out of the 10.5 as well.

[Old Bob]

Lens lust just never goes away, and there doesn't seem to be a cure. The less you have, the more you want. I will be waiting to see some result from your new purchase.

Bob

[Kyle]

I believe the saying is: less bragging, more pics

Grats mate!

[jamesw]

yes yes, once i get the lens i'll hook you guys up with a few shots. I've already shot a few photos on my friends camera with a 10.5 attached... it certainly changes your perspective on lots of shots!

currently my bag contains a 20mm f2.8 and 50mm f1.8 in addition to the kit lens. i also have a 28mm f2.8 but don't take it with me, its better as a paperweight!

i'm not really interested in any of the 12-24s as they are all to slow for my intended uses. well, actually, i will correct myself. i would find it useful, i am sure, but it is too expensive to justify me spending the $$$, when other (more flexible) lenses are availible for similar cash. i suspect that if i bought a 12-24, it would replace my 20 f2.8 in my bag most of the time.

the zoom i am most interested in is a nik 17-55 or tamron (i think) 17-50mm.

... and the 30mm 1.4 is oh so tempting. if it was in stock at bh I surely would have got that too!

[vikin70]

that is one elusive lens, back order WORLDWIDE, heck if mr Poon cant find one i dont think anyone can...

[methd]

great choice... i love my 10.5

[Alpha_7]

James how many PW do you have ? and are the the aussie ones or the US ones ? Nice deal on the Sunpaks, was it a 1 off deal ?

[jamesw]

vikin70: sure is elusive!

it appears as if its on back order at nikons end. you can still find NEW ones popping up, if you are prepared to pay a premium price. i believe there are retailers within australia that stock them, but catalog price is ridiculous. (generally above $1200).

overseas, expect to pay $700US if you can find one. the cheap stores that turnover lots of gear (adorama, bh) have been sold out for months and months and months.

there are some ebay items within aus for sale, going for around $8-900 but with high shipping prices. i expect that these ebay sellers would have them in stock... otherwise its pretty dodgy! american ebay sellers are selling for the same price as the shops that still have them in stock (bout US$700), which seemed strange at first... but i reckon that they bought them from the cheap stores (bh, adorama) and are selling them for the price that the brick and mortar shops sell for, plus they catch people out with high shipping & handling prices.

d-dphoto still say they have them in stock, at least on the website. their price is pretty fair, considering the warentee & speedy service you get. I think they are stickered at $980 odd.

i did my research before buyinnggg.... trust me!

alpha: re pws.

i have 3 pws, all pocketwizard plus IIs. i obviously have one on camera and most often shoot with two flashes; one on each pw. i will be purchasing one more shortly, possibly two. depends how i feel at the time.

i feel that 3 flashes is ample for my use, although it would be nice to be able to run two bodies at the same time -- say at a competition, having two lenses mounted (10.5 and a zoom) and being able to use both bodies to fire flashes. a forth flash may be needed in some shoots, too.

they are the US spec, much cheaper ($180US). also a lot easier to pick up 2nd hand ones, there are always the US spec going for sale on forums like wheelsandwax.com. i am aware of the legal issues, though. every other pro/semipro bmx&skate photog i know shoots using the US models, never run into any issues...

[jamesw]

jus posted up a shot i took with the 10.5 last week, its in the img reviw/crit area...

[Alpha_7]

Thanks for answering my questions Re the US PWs

[jamesw]

Thanks for answering my questions Re the US PWs

no sweat, when i bought my pws i didnt really know anyone who used them... i'm happy to share the (limited) knowledge i have of them!

they are awesome though, worth EVERY penny!