SkvLTD
Senior Member
So who else finds the beauty in the lenses and gear itself besides the shots they can take using us?
If the design looks and feels good. If the way focusing ring spins feels just right. When a lens just screams quality.
Coming from a collector background, I've long learned to appreciate items aesthetics and its definitely spilling over into photography for me. Helps me bond and appreciate certain pieces in my arsenal and dislike some others solely based on the beauty they project.
Obvious example would be the beloved/hated 18-55. Even before I first read up and physically learned how aperture works, that lens irked me to no end with how awkward it was made. Made me sell it and get my old 18-70 because it just looked and felt much better, albeit still pretty weak given its inherit kit lens build.
Once I got my 50/2 everything began to change - this lens felt just right. If I recall correctly, I pretty much abandoned the 18-70 up until I ended up selling it to a friend who got a 5100 as well as his starter body. In turn, despite using the 35/1.8G A LOT, I hated how dinky it felt compared to the good old 50.
When I got my 24/2.8 Sigma, the rubber grip and plastic aperture ring offset me a little, but the very nice case it came with made it a pleasant overall package. Loved what that thing could do, but haven't really revisited it as much as I should have after getting the 45/2.8.
45 only irked me with its plastic aperture ring, like the Sigma, but otherwise this remake was fantastic: tiny, sleek, functional, unique, the hood design alone is ingenious to look at in the ocean of reversible snappers we have today. Though practically cumbersome (short throw MF) and useless (only a 2.8 these days), it is always a pleasure to look at, feel, and pop onto a camera just to look at it ready to roll.
And after using my 70-300VR horse for well over a year, just seeing and feeling 70-200/2.8 re-inspired me quite a bit. The true modern pro feel is like no other. Satisfaction in knowing that these were all made with extra care instead of being stamped out of Thailand or China. Personal reconnection with the excellent vintage feel and full modern function.
When all the visual and physical senses align, it helps me bond with my gear and appreciate owning it. That translates into learning how to squeeze the most out of it and look for then some in cases where there is room for such.
All in all, take this post/thread as a tribute to our well-made pieces of gear that make all this picture taking possible for all of us here.
(And yes, down the road you bet I'll snatch up quite a few Voigtlanders and some Zeiss, hahaha)
If the design looks and feels good. If the way focusing ring spins feels just right. When a lens just screams quality.
Coming from a collector background, I've long learned to appreciate items aesthetics and its definitely spilling over into photography for me. Helps me bond and appreciate certain pieces in my arsenal and dislike some others solely based on the beauty they project.
Obvious example would be the beloved/hated 18-55. Even before I first read up and physically learned how aperture works, that lens irked me to no end with how awkward it was made. Made me sell it and get my old 18-70 because it just looked and felt much better, albeit still pretty weak given its inherit kit lens build.
Once I got my 50/2 everything began to change - this lens felt just right. If I recall correctly, I pretty much abandoned the 18-70 up until I ended up selling it to a friend who got a 5100 as well as his starter body. In turn, despite using the 35/1.8G A LOT, I hated how dinky it felt compared to the good old 50.
When I got my 24/2.8 Sigma, the rubber grip and plastic aperture ring offset me a little, but the very nice case it came with made it a pleasant overall package. Loved what that thing could do, but haven't really revisited it as much as I should have after getting the 45/2.8.
45 only irked me with its plastic aperture ring, like the Sigma, but otherwise this remake was fantastic: tiny, sleek, functional, unique, the hood design alone is ingenious to look at in the ocean of reversible snappers we have today. Though practically cumbersome (short throw MF) and useless (only a 2.8 these days), it is always a pleasure to look at, feel, and pop onto a camera just to look at it ready to roll.
And after using my 70-300VR horse for well over a year, just seeing and feeling 70-200/2.8 re-inspired me quite a bit. The true modern pro feel is like no other. Satisfaction in knowing that these were all made with extra care instead of being stamped out of Thailand or China. Personal reconnection with the excellent vintage feel and full modern function.
When all the visual and physical senses align, it helps me bond with my gear and appreciate owning it. That translates into learning how to squeeze the most out of it and look for then some in cases where there is room for such.
All in all, take this post/thread as a tribute to our well-made pieces of gear that make all this picture taking possible for all of us here.
(And yes, down the road you bet I'll snatch up quite a few Voigtlanders and some Zeiss, hahaha)
