Sigma Strikes Back

So it turns out my nice little $100 mistake is going to cost me more. Sigma was nice enough to repair my 24mm 1.8 but in the process they added the hidden feature of backfocus. So now I'm about 3/4 inch backfocused near the minimum focus range of the lens. This is exactly what I feared sending the lens to them in the first place. I would rather have bad bokeh than backfocus. So off to NY it goes (again).

Wednesday Update

So I got my Sigma EF 500's back from Sigma and they work great. I'll be trying them today at a company function.

Also it cost me $100 to get the 24mm repaired. Haven't it back yet but it should be here soon.

Lastly, I never heard back from the London police regarding my email. A couple folks asked me to post any response I got back but alas they never did.

London Against Photography

I just read this blog post by Thomas Hawk which pointed me to the London Police department's new anti terrorist campaign. In it, they want the general public to report any suspicious photographers.

Seriously? The general public is going to decide what actions are reasonable for photographers. That's like me telling famous French Chefs that vegetables are not reasonable as food.

Plus London has so many surveillance cameras they make Las Vegas look like Reno by comparison. You could play a game to see who the first person is to take a photo in London without a CCTV camera somewhere in the frame.

All this from the country that gave us Fox Talbot, one of the creators of the camera.

Sarcasm aside, I was quite disappointed and concerned about this so I emailed the following the the London police:

Dear London Police,

I'm an American living in the States and just recently read about your Counter Terrorist campaign and I'm quite shocked by your anti photography attitude. I understand this is a small portion of a larger campaign but your message is leading the public to see every photographer as potential terrorist. I am a photographer, not a professional but just a guy who enjoys it as a hobby. I take photos on holiday just like I did 2 years ago in London. I enjoyed your city very much.

Terrorism is a threat to us all and I understand the importance of safety. I was flying out of Heathrow the weekend those terrorists tried to use fake toothpaste to destroy an airplane 2 years ago. I truly thank you for your excellent work keeping my wife & I safe.

Having said that I fear your campaign is going to lead to the harassment of photographers. Worse its going to spread uncertainty & fear every time someone takes a camera out in public. Photographers are artists & they don't always follow the beaten path. They don't always take photos in the direction you want them to or the normal "tourist" stuff. The public at large does not understand a lot about photography as art and could deem any photographer as suspicious. I've seen it happen here in the States and that's without any advertisement encouraging it.

I hope you will reconsider your campaign & your position towards photographers. I did love your city but to be honest I will not be visiting again if the city creates a negative environment for photographers.

Thank you for reading this & considering my opinion.

Random Update

So I've sent my Sigma flashes back to Sigma to be rechipped. I sent them back about a year ago so they would be compatible with the K10D but since then Sigma updated the flash so it can be compatible with wireless PTTL triggering. I've always wanted to try PTTL wireless triggering but I've been too lazy or busy to send them in again. Now I just have to wait. Carrying one body and one flash (without PWs) will be a hoot if anything works as planned.

I also shipped back my Sigma 24mm 1.8 lens. There was a scratch on the rear element of the lens that was affecting my wide open shots. I could see it in the bokeh and it bothered me enough to send back for repair.

Not quite as a replacement but more for travel & other purposes, I picked up a second hand DA 21mm Limited. I was a little disappointed with the condition of the lens for the price but it seems to perform great. Not thrilled with the cap so I may get a 49mm pinch cap for it and shoot without the hood.

I'm going to a photo focus group this week. I was asked to bring my Pentax camera. I'm curious if its a Pentax sponsored event or one from a Pentax competitor. I'll post more after the event.

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