esrandall

Sorry for the loss -- that really stinks.  Regarding the 18-55 VRII, you should be able to find that used for less than $150.  Don't let used lenses scare you, just make sure the seller knows what they're talking about.  Tamron or Sigma make a faster version of that kit lens, but they are more expensive.  I'm a flower shooter (about 90% of what I do), and I use a Tamron 90mm macro G2.  Once you use the macro lens, it's tough to go back to a close focus, kit style lens.  I have a Nikon 24-120 F4, and while it focuses reasonably close, the level of detail shot wide open on the macro lens -- smokes the kit lens at any F--stop.  If you are exclusively a tripod shooter, I see a lot of flower shots on the photo sites (500px, etc.) with people using the Nikon 55-200, and a close-up filter.  They get nice detail, and some magnification, too.  I shoot more artsy macro (sharp in the middle, blurring out to the edges) so a macro lens wide-open, to maybe F5.6, is all I ever need.

Good luck!

Not sure if it was your intention (noise) but I like it.  Gives it a nostalgic feel.

Easily my Tamron 90mm VC F017.  Far and away my most used lens.

Great shots and comparison.  Like you said, you can't lose with either.

My whole setup has changed since I originally responded to this topic. I'd have to say now that my one lens would be my 24-70mm f/2.8.

Sounds like he's trying to suggest you're showing him a different lens.  You know that isn't the case, so starting to go the BS route IMO.  give him that time, and then go straight to dispute if he starts dragging things out, asking ridiculous questions, or demanding pictures, etc.

No reply from the seller yet. How long does one wait before opening a dispute?

The curious side of me is wondering how the hell it got broken in the first place. I don't think it's from shipping because the box it came in, original Tamron box wrapped in brown paper, looks fine other than a couple corners squished very slightly. There are no marks anywhere on the lens hood, or part of the lens barrel where you attach the hood, on the filter threads and the side of the lens cap with the Tamron name on it. It seems like the cap slipped while the owner was placing it on the lens but it would take some amount of force to create that much damage, especially to plastic, unless the plastic is cheap to begin with. Odd..

That's a lot of money, and everyone gets email on their phone/is near a PC, so I give them 24 hours to respond.  No response = starting a ticket.  The longer you wait, the longer it takes to get the process going.  24 hours is fair.  After that, it becomes a matter of how long you want to wait.  I wouldn't wait.

I've been super happy with both of my Tamron 90's (currently use the latest version).  I had a Sigma 150mm, and while it was excellent, was too much lens for the artsy macro that I like to do.  If you're not shooting a lot of bugs, the 90-105 range is great, especially on DX.  The deal that Ron listed is pretty awesome, and would be a BUY BUTTON for me if I was a DX shooter

Agreed on some of the cameras being thrashed on at BB.  I like that you can at least put it in your hands and feel it, see if it even feels "right".  I eliminated all Sony cameras doing that, as well as a Canon 70D.  Cameras that felt super fantastic were my old Pentax K-3, and the first time I picked up a D750 (especially the grip depth).  Sure enough, I saved money and went with the D610, and while I have zero complaints about that camera (other than maybe slow to lock focus when it's dim; I knew what I was getting into, but figured it was fine) as soon as took the D750 out of the box a couple nights ago, that same smile crept onto my face when I hooked my fingers into that grip

Definitely get your hands on a few.  People are more inclined to use something that's comfortable, has buttons and dials in places that feel easy to access, etc.  I know most of the bodies look very similar, but once you get them in your hands and start playing with the controls, you'll understand what I mean.  I was able to shoot with Sony, Pentax, Nikon, and Canon before I made my first purchase.  There were differences in all of them, and even just holding them helped root out some of those differences right away.  I ended up going with Pentax, and was extremely happy with four of their camera bodies.  I ended up migrating to Nikon because of lens selection, and wanting to try FF.  I'll still say that my old Pentax K-3 was the most comfortable camera I've ever shot with, and also had the best control layout, but I'm really happy with my D610, and will be even happier with my D750 (coming in the mail soon).  So I would say that comfort/controls in the hand is a great place to start.  Then think about things like lens selection, weather proofing, stuff like that.  There are a few extremely knowledgeable folks in this forum, and as mentioned -- a ton of knowledge in our sister forum.  So lots of resources at your fingertips

Great luck!

Lots of great viewpoints here.

Personally, I lasted about a week trying to be a "get it right in the camera" guy.  I would make lots of exposure mistakes, learned how to "fix" them in LR, and in turn let that translate into better shooting technique.  I didn't have the background that a lot of you have, so my learning to shoot ran right alongside my learning how to use post applications.  I do a lot better with exposure now, and will always use LR for cropping (because I love experimenting with different angles, widths, etc.), and honestly, I probably try a vignette or blur on 75% of what I shoot.  I'm not out to impress anyone but myself, so I play with an image until it looks good to me, and then I move on.  I have a couple of Topaz plugins (Adjust and B&W Effects II), as well as the NIC plugins.  I'll make a few tweaks on an image, and something will "tell" me to see what a B&W conversion looks like.  Sometimes I keep it, sometimes I don't.  I'm probably 70/30 photographer/artsy guy.

Pentax K-3 + HD DA 15mm F4

My daughter doing what little girls do best at the beach -- rush those seagulls!  LOL

Just got back from Kauai, and had a blast...even though I lost my wedding ring while snorkeling in an area I shouldn't have been in...and also tearing my lower-right biceps tendon on a rope swing (surgery is on Wednesday...lol).  Never been in a helicopter before, and it was a blast.  We did a doors off tour through the Waimea canyon, and along the Na Pali coast.  Doors off meant one lens on my D610, so I went with the 16-35mm F4 that I had rented.  I locked the shutter at 1/1000, aperture at F8, and ISO on auto, left the VR on, and did the best that I could.  Pretty happy overall with the results.  Just posting a shot of our copter (because the JPEGS are large, and then a link to a Flickr folder

https://www.flickr.c...157669667753983

Well I sold the SIgma 150 OS Macro, so only three primes in my bag now.  I really liked the 150, but for the hand held "macro" work I do, it was just too much lens.  Bug and heavy, and I wasn't really seeing the results that made me want to go to it over my Tamron 90.  So I sold it for a fair piece more than I what I paid for it, also sold my Tamron 90, and picked up the newest Tamron 90 (F0017).  Metal body, good weather sealing, and optically every bit as good as the previous 90 I had.  No reason to buy it other than an itch I wanted to scratch.  I used the cash from the sale of the 150 and older 90 to buy the new 90, and the Tamron 45.  I am loving the 45.  Great colors, and that little extra width makes it even more useful for me.  So I'm running with a 45, 85 1.8G, and the 90 macro.  I've been thinking about a wide prime, but I want to see how much I enjoy the 16-35 F4 when we go to Kauai next week.  My buddy shoots a Sony 16-35 F4, and gets great results with it. 

C for me.Too entrenched in my current line of work to ever make time to be anything more.  I've picked up a couple of corporate events at work over the past few months, and while it was a lot of fun, and great learning, was also a ton of work in post.  Very different when you're just shooting/processing for enjoyment, without deadlines and commitments to deliver.  I did it all for free experience, but if the opportunity presents itself again, there will be money involved.  I work a lot, and have a young daughter, so my time is valuable.