TheByte

Michael

Here are some pictures








I haven't taken any pictures with it yet, but I do have to say the following:

1. The auto focus motor is so silent and it seems to focus slower than usual, but I am not sure if this is in my head.
2. It is not a fast lense either, but it is not that bad.
3. The VR does work! Its amazing how this stuff works


I went through the biggest headache to get this lense. I called my local Best Buy, hoping that I would luck out, and I did...a little. I spoke with a guy in the digital camera department. I have to say that these guys do not know what the hell they are doing nor know the merchandise. I asked him how much the lense was and he said $899.99. Knowing that the lense is not worth this much, and being on a waiting list for the lense elsewhere for $699.99 I attempted to get them to price match. Well they did! However, the lense was not in stock and it was in transit. Knowing how rare this thing was, I didn't believe them nor did I have confidence in their system that it would come in. It was bought on a Thursday, i.e., I put the order and paid in full. I was told that once it arrived I would be called and it would be set aside. The devlivering date at the store was the day after, Friday, or the following Tuesday(yesterday). Since the day I purchased it the battle began. I would call repeatedly the store and get a different answer. "We have it in", "We do not have it yet", "Call back", "Hold on"(never came back), "It will be here tomorrow", "It is in stock but we don't put orders aside" and the list goes on. These guys dont know anything about the lense not even their own policies on how they work. So, today I called and I was told that it was not in yet--by the guy who sold it to me. When I left school I told myself I was not going to put up with this and was positive that I would never get this lense. Think about, if I am #47 on a waiting list elsewhere for the same price, what makes you think I am going to get it at Best Buy. Well, on my way there from school to have my CC refunded, I called and was put on hold. I had to hang up--you know minutes and all-- and call back. To my surprise the guy told me that it was there. Well, I didn't believe him based on what I was being told the preceeding days. I showed up and this one guy began helping me and dissapeared. I was waiting for 45 minutes until I finally say the kid and again he dissapeared. I was about ready to speak to a manager and ask what was going on. I was actually very calm throughout the whole thing. Well, he finally popped out of a corner with a gold box. I know Nikon lenses come in Gold boxes, but I was in disbelief. At first I thought they found an 18-55 or something like that and were certain that it was the 18-200mm. When he finally reached the cash registrar I saw the label: 18-200mm 3.5 etc. I was in schock! I couldn't believe my eyes. However, I quickly jumped to conclusions that this was a returned item--all in my head not verbally-- so I inspected it. It turns out it was new. So, while the main manager was getting me ready to leave(making sure my order was no longer open), he asked me, "Hey, what's up with this thing. Why do so many people call for it? What is it anyway?" Being as panicked as I was I said, "It's a lense. It's new. It's good. I guess people want it."

NevadaJack

Fantastic Michael...now let's see some pics....:-)

dOmInIX

Cool! Can you explain how these lense work, because I don't know, and I'd like to know...

Michael

What are you referring to exactly?

This is eht lense


It comes with a silent motor that could barely be heard and it has Vibration Reduction (VR). I thin it typically helps camera shack about 3 stops, i.e., you can take a picture at a slower shutter speed and still have it come out sharp and not suffer from it being blurry due to your hand and how it shacks.

Alfie

New camera, new lens, 2007 is going to be a fun year for you!

Congrats!

Michael

Oh yeah.

Tomorrow I don't work, so I am going to have fun.

Alfie

I can predict you are!

Michael

I like this lense a lot. I think it is very versatile. We'll see if this is true.

Choleric

I'm jealous, unfortunatley I cannot afford a dslr and a very powerful lens like that, oh well.

Anyways good hunting! Post them up here when you get some photos!

Michael

Will do Jeff. Will do