Unboxing Nikon 70-200/2.8 VR II

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After many years of renting and borrowing… I’ve finally picked up a 70-200/2.8. In this particular case Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II. I used to have the Canon version  of this lens back when I was shooting for local newspapers in college. During that time I’d bust out that baby for events, sports, and weddings (I don’t do weddings.) When I wasn’t shooting those particular subject matters the telephoto lens would sit on my desk collecting dust …lots of dust. It became a very expensive dusty paperweight that occasionally saw the light of day. When I started focusing on portraits and editorials I sold lens because everything that I wanted to capture I could do with my 85/1.4. So what brings me back to the 70-200? One word: compression. I always loved the way a person photographs at 200mm. All the space and environment gets compressed and flattens so nicely. –Of course there’s also the added bonus that I can now snipe a photo while hiding in a tree without people noticing!

Let’s get to the unboxing shall we?

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Everything is pretty standard inside. You have your lens bag, lens, and manual.

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A common question I usually get while shooting is “why is my gear covered in little dots?” or “why does my gear look so ghetto?” No, my equipment does not have smallpox nor was constructed from materials found in a nearby trashcan. Those brightly colored stickers are for me to easily find and distinguish my gear from crew member’s equipment. I don’t have to think twice when looking for things.

“Hmm where did I put my camera?” Turns and sees obnoxiously speckled camera “Found it!” 

The gaffers tape is partially out of habit and partially out of insurance. When I first started shooting sports in college the gym would require us to mask off all white markings on our cameras whenever we were photographing from the backboard during basketball. See photo below:

 

The gym was pretty strict on this rule so a few of us from the school paper just got into a habit of masking off everything. This habit was later reenforced by one of my professors at the time. He’d shared stories of when he was a budding photographer and would gaff up his camera so that his fellow classmates wouldn’t know that he had the latest model. I figured I’d do the same thing. I rather my equipment not draw attention to itself. Does anyone else notice how the branding on both Canon and Nikon’s camera straps scream “steal me now!”

And now to test my new lens I shall harass my napping dog!

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