Sigh... I broke down and bought a 105 Micro-Nikkor from KEH, a lens I need as badly as the 70-200. Consequently, I don't have the $$ for the VR right now, and, of course, when I got home from work yesterday, there was a message from KEH saying that a computer glitch was responsible for my being told the lens was out of stock when it was actually in stock, and I could re-new my order and they'd waive the difference between 2nd day and next day air shipping!
AAARGH!!!!
Well hopefully it'll be there next friday when I get paid; assuming that none of you good folks beat me to it ( I know the thought would never cross your minds)--
Well, I have lots of product work for local artists lined up for the winter, so I think I'll be putting the 105 to good use. You may remember that I almost bought one a while back, and I loved shooting with it--that one was a beater, and the guy wanted too much for it. As you note, it's a great little lens for hiking.
I just got an order for three 10 X 40ish panos, and another for a bunch of prints from the last wedding I shot, so I may just end up with both!
(Man, I hate changing the 2200 over to roll paper! I end up frustrated as all hell every time! I managed to ruin the first foot or so of the roll this time.)
I've had the opportunity to use the 70-200 with the 500D, and you're right, it's a killer combo! But sometimes the ability of a macro lens to focus to infinty without removing anything is essential... I recall shooting some butterflies in a canyon a couple of years ago, using extention tubes and a 80-200, when a Golden Eagle came up over the rim of the canyon and hung on the wind ten feet from me--I dropped the x-tubes in my rush, but still missed the shot.
