Attn: Mac

Mac,

As you know, part of the service I provide to our Canadian cousins is to alert them to opportunities that should not be missed.

One such presents itself now.

Many and oft have been the times when discussion has turned to what distinguishes a professional photographer from a lowly snapper. Recently, Mr Ofutter has declared that nothing less than a full-plate Gandolfi, with gilded brass knobs, polished West African mahogany, and Moroccan leather bellows will do, as far as he is concerned. **

But there is another way to impress even someone so hard to please, and the bonus is that you don't have to lay down your beloved Spotmatic to do it.

Roll of drums! Peal of trumpets!

http://tinyurl.com/eqyxl

This is the sine qua non of 35mm kit. Unsurpassed quality. Superb condition. Its own coffin. The price is a snip. Guaranteed to make Mr Ofutter bow low and say: "Hail master, doyen of professionals!".

I'll tell you what. If it would help, have it shipped to me in London, and I'll check it over for you. Gratis. Then I'll drop it in next time I'm over your way. No, don't thank me; it's the least I could do.

And don't neglect to post some piccies!

G (sticking grimly to the lens diet)

** Or words to that effect.

George,

Thank's so much for thinking of me! And I'm sure there is no hidden agenda in your kind offer.

It's simply amazing what withdrawl will do to an otherwise fine gentleman.

Take our George for example:

- He's sworn off BUYING lenses.

- But he keeps looking.

- When he finds something he can't possibly resist, he entices some rube an ocean away into buying it with promises that he'll now be viewed as a true prosessional.

- Being a caring mentor to said rube (who we'll call Mac), he offers to check out said merchandise free of charge and drop it off the next time he's in Mac's neighbourhood. I believe that's when pigs fly under a blue moon on the Twelth of Never.


Sounds good to me!

Where do I send the cheque?

Cheers!

A Future Professional

Mac,

I find your sarcasm very wounding. Your misinterpretation of my motives betrays a suspicious and venal nature.

And for your information, I'm a regular visitor to the land of the maple. Admittedly the last time was 1984, but I can feel another trip coming up soon. I'll pay a visit to Don, where I'm sure I'll get a warm welcome. He's an open-hearted sort of fellow, who trusts his fellow man.

G

George,

Sure! Great! I have to spend about 2 Grand Canadian to get you over here, and Don gets a free visit!?!?

He's ALREADY a PROFESSIONAL!!

Oh, I get it.. you two are in cahoots aren't you?

I bet you're going to fly directly to Winterpeg with my lens and you're both gonna play with it and then you'll drop it off in Montreal on the way home. By then it'll have cooties and fingerprints and Manitoba skeeter parts all over it and you'll tell be it ain't worth a damn but you'll adopt it and give it a good home in Jolly Ol' London where you've built a new shelf called the Mac Memorial Shelf that I can visit any time.

Pant, pant, gasp...

Think I was born yesterday? Think I just fell off a turnip truck? I'm on to you boyo!

So, what's that scotch you like? Bow something? Three bottles enough?

(Don will try to ply you with that triangular bottle swill - Valley of the Deer - blech!)

See you soon?

Mac, I shake my head sadly at your ingratitude.

And as for your disparaging remarks about your compatriot's taste in whisky, I bet if he puts a bottle of this on the table, you'll come a'running:

http://www.royalmilewhiskies.com/product.asp?pf_id=0010000015553

Don, I'm sorry your good name has been dragged into this.

G

Just trying to get in a final shot before Don spots this or John deletes the whole string as he has every right to do.

George,

When you bring my lens, can you bring a case of the 50yr old as well? I'd like to save on the shipping and customs if possible - you know - gotta watch the old budget etc.

Now, make sure you stop in Montreal FIRST! I don't want to hear that a few bottles "broke" in Winnipeg due to those sloppy baggage handlers, and then see a piece on the evening news about the famed Light Expressions guy and some bloke from over the pond getting arrested playing squirrel golf paparazzi with something that looked suspiciously like a rocket launcher. We're getting sensitive to anything resembling ordinance.

Seriously, (and sorry John - this still has absolutely nothing to do with Pentax Cameras), as a thankyou for building a fellow a mahogony kayak this past winter, he presented me with a bottle of Bowmore Dusk from Islay. I immediately thought of you. Was this the nectar we discussed a while back? Related to your picture of the limited lens?

Your suitably chastised and humble student photographer and gear-head,

Mac,

When I cross the pond, I'll stop in Montreal (first) with a bottle of Bowmore Dusk. It's reckoned to be pretty good, and at a price that's affordable for special occasions without breaking the bank. It costs about twice as much as the standard Bowmore that I tend to drink, and is probably worth it.

G

wish I had that lens handy the other day...
but if there's drinking and besmirching to be done, i say lets both hook up at Mac's place....I'm trying to find a photo seminar or conference in Montreal or further east so I can write off the whole trip. ok George? Mac?


oh yeah details:
*ist ds2 pentax 28-200 @ 200, 5.6 1/20 sec iso 800 jpeg
photoshop work:
noise reduction
smoothing in sky
high pass sharpening on land
unsharp mask to moon
contrast (moderate)
saturation (moderate)
logo

Don,

Thanks for bailing out the thread with a photo - and a beauty at that! I really wonder if you'd have been able to capture any wildlife (who are rather impatient) while setting up a 1000mm bazooka on a suitable tripod.

I'll certainly keep my eyes open for an event in Eastern Canada which might meet your requirements, and I'll let you know ASAP. If it's a go, we'll invite Goerge and the rest of the gang.

Nice work!

thank you for that compliment Mac....
these daze I'm bored with squirrell golf.
I find that if fed a strict diet of hydrogen peroxide and silver wire, the squirrells become the ordinance. Just like Rocky (and Bullwinkle), but with wicked heartburn.

Sorry to bud-in people.

I bought that lens and you can view it here in Windsor where the Isky is plenty with Canadian Club right here in town.

I'm still waiting for the delivery but wonder if, as said above, pigs will fly...afore it gets here.

By all means - butt in! It's all about YOUR lens - at least it was before I derailed the whole thing!

Wow! That's a monster of a piece.

What do you plan to hang off it, and on what are you going to support it?

I wonder if Thule makes a roof-top carrier just for that case?

Do you have other super long glass?

You'll have to tell us all about it.

And, as George mentioned earlier - you'll be seen as a professional by many. Are you? For real?

Congratulations, because you certainly are a Pentax fan!

Cheers,

Mac

Hi all,

as a medium length prime, I'm sure it has it's place, but if you want a longer zoom lens, then this is the one..

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/650-1300mm-Tele-Lens-for-Pentax-AF-ist-ZX-L-ZX-60-ZX-7_W0Q...



Cheers

Liam

I'm not a Pro and sometimes I wonder what I am and YES I AM A PENTAX DEVOTEE.

BUT, my post was a joke - I was trying to join in the ribbing. Am I on your Black-list now.

there's no black list here..only the threat of a bunch of tanked-up on good wiskey, squirrell hating, golf club toting, pentaxians arriving at your door, to laugh and joke and besmirch other camera brands.....
we might get you thrown outa' yer house, but never blacklisted....
that do appear to be a nice lens though...would've made the difference between having a nice landscape shot with a deer in it, vs a nice deer shot against a full moon backdrop.....for the shot I posted above.