Whatever the UI is going to be, if it's remotely useable I'll probably find use cases when I'm shooting handheld. That said, I doubt such features would have me replace my existing 17mm with a newer model. One of the rumors over the past 2'ish years was about wider TS lens with about 14mm. If that one gets released and crosses my bang/buck ratio I'll buy it.
I lived in London 3 years or so and while I'd love to visit the city like a week a year for restaurants and a bit of sight-seeing, otherwise I don't really like it: the pollution, the crime. I had two bikes stolen from my parking area, which was nearly impossible to get to. (You needed a pass card to get into the B1 parking, then take a car elevator down to B2.) So either it was a tradesman working on-site (and the trades are mostly native Brits) or someone who could afford USD3000-4000/month for rent. In Tokyo, a coworker who had spent a few school years in the UK walked past a restaurant's unmonitored table of maybe 300 bento lunch boxes they'd sell in the lunch rush. "In the UK, you'd steal one of those even if you weren't hungry," he remarked. I had another London parking space I was renting from one posh owner (address was in Knightsbridge!) who sold it and lied to the new person about the rental agreement we had. It wasn't formal: I think I just sent them a check for USD300/month every month or something like that, but after 18 months they sold it and told the new guy they had absolutely no idea who I was and I certainly didn't have permission to use their parking. There's something just morally corrupt in Britain from the posh down to the tradespeople. Frankly I trust the foreigners in London but not the natives. (Luckily it's more than half foreign.)
I've been many times in England, Wales and Scotland. Also using Leicas and big whites, even in cities. Never one single bad or criminal experience. And I met a lot of friendly people.
That's what I didn't understand! Bhphoto seems to still have a model two for M11. It would be interesting to try, but I think for manual focusing on birds in flight natural talent is required. I don't personally think I want 800mm for anything else, but maybe you have something like distant mountains?
Depressing that could happen on such a large city with cameras everywhere, I would think someone could identify that motorcycle rider theif, but I guess it won't happen.
There is a certain advantage in this respect being in our home countries. I do think you wete lucky although I am quite cynical about human nature, there are both virtuous people and other types everywhere. The ratio varies but there must be some luck involved (unless you believe in predestination)
The Visoflex B&H or other retailers sell for the M11 is the electronic one, nothing to do with the original purely mechanical Visoflex. They kept the name, but nothing else. In both cases, yet, the use of long teles is possible.
*Shrug* I've visited London eight times in the last twelve months and have had no bad experiences. I'm not sure it's wise to extrapolate a couple of bad anecdotes to an entire population. (I've no doubt Japan and Switzerland have lower crime rates, but they are global outliers). London has all the problems of any big city. But most places, most of the time, are fine.
I believe Japan is the most trustworthy country. I know people who forgot their laptop somewhere - even on a train and when they came back it was either still there or in the possession of someone with authority at the train station, café or where it was forgotten.
Japanese regular employees typically get a bonus twice a year of about 1-2 months pay each. (maybe 1 month summer, 1.5 month winter). Until the mid-80s, it'd often be cash in an envelope. Bonus day would be a good day to go out drinking, and every year there'd be stories of people who dropped their bonus cash envelope and get it a couple days later at the police koban (tiny neighborhood police station, sometimes as small as about 4 phone booths).
I've seen the police koban and think it's a great idea. Probably if this strategy was used in every country, it would lower crime worldwide. Unfortunately, there will still be crime by groups.
I have a different mindset. If I don't use a lens with at least some regularity, I sell it. IMO, no point in hanging onto something I don't use, even if it's a Roki 14/2.8 that's only worth $100. But I currently have 27 lenses, so I'd say I have a big enough roster to choose from.
Hey, about your Flickr images, which blow me away. I loved your starscapes but noted a couple galaxies I didn't think I usually saw in such shots. It came to me in a dream last night that maybe you were in the southern hemisphere and they were the Magellanic Clouds. Is that the case? (Over on the left in this shot.)It is useful when training in karate but not really conversational
It becomes the common language amongst all Japanese martial arts globally.
I only use mine handheld. The key is focus peaking and rack focusing as you shoot.
Not a peep since. Tomorrow they will announce the new VC lenses, so we'll see what comes next. Just the other day I had a shoot where an autofocus TS lens really would've made a huge difference. This is a rare occasion to be honest, but if Canon really launches a 14mm TS with autofocus, I'll definitively be getting it.
