Long Day / Long Lenses!

Today was the last day of school before Golden Week. Though I didn't have any classes, it was one of the busiest days I've had in a long long time.

I woke up extra early to join about 100 students in their morning long-distance running training. I haven't ran in ages, but it felt good to jog along with them and to do some quick sprints. In fact, it felt so good that I just continued running around the school, then back home to my apartment for a quick shower before starting the day.

Unfortunately, my knee starting acting up a bit, so I had to cool it down. I should remember to avoid running on pavement and stick to the school dirt ground.

The rest of the day was a mix of socializing with my students, socializing with the teachers, and being anti-social as I continued to set up my Teaching English in Japan blog. Round off the day with a couple hours planning out elementary school visits with my teacher and then a couple more hours playing with the basketball team, topped off with the obligatory eikaiwa class.

It wasn't until I returned home after the eikaiwa class did I get to check out the lenses I had received today.

(In Japan, the delivery companies like to contact you through email or text-mail the morning of the delivery, just to give you a heads-up. And also the option to reschedule if something came up. Too bad I couldn't get back home in time to be there for the delivery, so after a quick phone call and a small note posted on my door, the delivery guy came back a few hours later and dropped off the package inside my apartment. I'm definitely going to miss this level of customer service that is so wonderful here in Japan.)

Anyhoo, it was exciting checking out all the various lenses I now have.



Starting from the left is the Canon EF 50mm f1.8 II, the Canon 18-55mm USM II kit lens (I have the USM version from Japan), the Sigma 28-80mm Aspherical Mini Zoom Macro II, and the Sigma 70-300mm Macro Super II.

I guess it isn't that impressive, but it's really really cool having all these lenses. (Oh, but the regular Sigma zoom is already back in the box waiting patiently to be sold off.)

The three other lenses will be my basic kit, at least for now. The kit lens will continue to serve as my walk-around lens, until I order the Canon 28-135mm IS. The Canon nifty fifty will be useful for low-light shooting, as well as for astrophotography. And the Sigma zoom will be a useful telephoto zoom (a whopping 480mm equivalent), until it stops earning its worth.

Not bad eh? With these three lenses I pretty much cover any type of shot I need to make.

The month of May will offer numerous opportunities to test the ins-and-outs of these lenses, as well as allow me to learn the basics of lens management.

Hopefully, I'll have plenty of nice photos to share!