Although I usually try to get a lie-in on a Saturday, the front door buzzer woke me - the postman had a parcel to deliver.
Rewind: Yesterday, I ordered some new kit for my camera from Warehouse Express - a small Lastolite reflector for flower photography, a Canon RS-60E3 remote switch, a Canon EF50mm f/1.8 II lens, and a hood and filter for the lens. About half an hour after clicking submit on the order, I had a call from Warehouse Express explaining that the lens and filter were out of stock - did I still want to go ahead with the order and they would send on the items in about a week when they were due in? I said OK, since the postage costs were not going to change. I understood that there was an extra charge for Saturday delivery, but I didn't pay for that since I figured that I could wait an extra few days.
The upshot is that I was expecting a reflector and remote switch on Monday, and the lens and other bits a week or so later. So I was pretty happy when it all turned up in one package this morning! I also appear to have a Hoya Super HMC Pro filter, which I didn't think was the quality that I'd ordered (I thought I was getting a basic filter). Kudos to Warehouse Express - I'll be using them again.
I'd been looking at getting a lot of this stuff on ebay. The EF50mm can be found for around £60 on ebay, but usually shipped from Hong Kong with another £15-£20 postage and a 7-10 day shipping time - so not much different from the price I paid, and it would take longer to arrive. In the end, I'm happier with the service I got from a UK-based company.
I've not had a chance to give the kit a proper workout yet, but I'm looking forward to going out later to get some shots. I'd read some reviews of the lens, so knew roughly what to expect. My first impressions of the EF50mm f/1.8 are that it is small; much nosier focus than either my existing EFS18-55mm (the kit lens that came with the EOS 350D) or the EF55-200mm; but early results of inanimate household objects suggest that it is very sharp. It is my first prime lens so I guess it will take some getting used to.
Time to change my kit bag. I've been carrying the 350D around in a medium Crumpler Ben's Pizza bag, large enough for the camera body with lens attached, and the second lens. With three lenses and sundry other accessories I may have to move up to the rucksack I bought last year, which I've not had to use yet; or make a tough choice before going out as to which two lenses to take with me.
2 comments:
Oops. It's really expensive to buy lens in UK (or Europe in general?). A brand new EF 50mm f/1.8 II here is like HKD650 (less than USD80). Think about it, you should come to HK someday to shop for lens!
P.S. I found your blog in your flickr profile.
Thanks for your comment. The EF 50mm f/1.8 II can be found for about £50 on ebay.co.uk, with postage of about £15 from HK - so actually it would work out a bit cheaper than I paid for it here. The price in the UK ranges from about £70 to £95 (the price that my local Canon dealer quoted me!). But I got mine very quickly without having to wait for shipping. Many of the other Canon EF lenses are very expensive so I might well go for the Hong Kong option next time.
I'd love to visit! I think I might end up buying quite a lot of stuff while I was there though, so would have to prepare for an expensive holiday :-)
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