"Hello, my name is John, and I'm an L-coholic."

Or, perhaps I should say, <span style="color: #ff0000;"]L-coholic. I bought my first <span style="color: #ff0000;"]L-series lens, the EF 100mm f/2.8<span style="color: #ff0000;"]L Macro IS, a little over a year ago. I immediately became addicted to the solidity of the lens, the silky feel of the manual focus ring, the weather-sealing, and most importantly, the excellent image quality. I tried to kick the habit on my own, but I kept falling off the wagon, buying more <span style="color: #ff0000;"]L lenses. I tried looking into an anonymous group help program, but typing "LA" into a Google search window didn't bring up anything relevant.


Here's a visual example, just one of the many manifestations of<span style="color: #ff0000;"]L-coholism:


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer-Components-UserFiles/00-00-00-35-15/L_2D00_Disease.jpg[/img]


For those afflicted as I am, you may recognize the textured finish of theEF 100mm f/2.8<span style="color: #ff0000;"]LMacro IS upon which this lovely <span style="color: #ff0000;"]L is painted. The image itself was taken at 5x magnification with an MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x lens...since that's anon-<span style="color: #ff0000;"]L lens, perhaps there's some hope for me?


Then again, perhaps not. After some assistance and advice (enablement?) from the helpful members here, I've just ordered the EF 35mm f/1.4<span style="color: #ff0000;"]L<span style="color: #000000;"]...and, because I just knew it would end up in my kit eventually, I also ordered theEF 135mm f/2<span style="color: #ff0000;"]L<span style="color: #ff0000;"] <span style="color: #ff0000;"]<span style="color: #000000;"]for good measure<span style="color: #000000;"].<span style="color: #000000;"]Thus, my 'holy trinity' of <span style="color: #ff0000;"]L-primes will soon be complete (sometime next week, I guess). I suppose that in the absence of some form of organized help program, and knowing that I have insufficient willpower to resist the attraction of those lovely red rings, I've decided that if you can't beat it, join it.

<span style="font-size: medium;"]John


<span style="font-size: medium;"]It is sad you did not have a support buddy to call to help you out on this. Unfortunate that we are mostly enablers here. [6]


<span style="font-size: medium;"]There is light at the tunnel. If we look at all the L lenses, deduct those that cover duplicate ranges like the 70-200 series, or the 400mm series etc.....it leaves exactly 24 lenses to have all situations covered.


<span style="font-size: medium;"]John...you are half way to being fully vested with L lenses and cured of wanting any additional lenses. Just think 12 more to go. (well provided there aren't a few upgrades or new ones released soon)


<span style="font-size: medium;"]

Congratulations or condolences?!? I still say "congrats, John!" You won't regret the contrast and color of the 35L. The 135L is my next in line. These days off work is not helping the itch... [:D]

Congrats, John! Wise decision on the 35L! We

John you got it pretty bad. You are one of the reasons I tip-toed around the greatness of the 85L. I didn't want to be responsible for perpetuating your illness.


I use to walk the line of L addiction but then I lost my day job and went full time photographer. From that point (since money was scarce), I decided to own lenses that I could make money with or that would enhance the work I was already doing. So I sold some zooms and since and went with primes. I work mostly for a health care provider/hospital and can control most aspects of shoots I shoot mostly with 85L and 50L with occasional 35L. Occasionally I have to cover events for them so I keep the 24-70 around for that. It is also macro enough for product and food shots for what I do. Every so often I have to shoot interiors and the occasional helicopter flight so the 16-35 comes in handy there. I also keep the 100-400 around to have a nice tele range covered.


The only other lens I plan on adding is the 135L. I'll probably pick that up in the next month or so. If I find the 135 doesn't fill my tele needs I may look into the 200 2.0. But I think the 135 will be long enough.

1. We admitted we were powerless over lens aperture - that our slow lenses had become unmanageable.


2. Came to believe that a lens greater than our consumer-level plastics could restore us to sanity.


3. Made a decision to turn our camera and our wallet over to the care of L lenses as we understood them.


4. Made a searching and fearless inventory of our lens collection.


5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact list of lenses we need.


6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these cheap consumer lenses in favor of L.


7. Humbly asked Him to remove our 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens.


8. Made a list of all photographs we had harmed with cheap lenses, and became willing to re-do them all with L lenses.


9. Made direct post processing edits to such photographs wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.


10. Continued to take personal lens inventory and when we were missing an L lens, promptly admitted it.


11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our photography skill with L lenses as we understood them, praying only for knowledge of lens operation for us and the power to carry it out in photographs.


12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other photographers, and to practice these principles in all our photographs.

... Amen!

Hello John.


Welcome, no judgements from me. We come from different backgrounds, different countries, but share a common belief.


Asteadfast belief and unquestionable faith in the redemption of the12 step <span style="color: #ff0000;"]Lprogram. (A step for every one of Daniel's points above)


I gather from your story that with the ordering of the 35mm and 135mm you have completed steps 8 and step 9 respectively in the <span style="color: #ff0000;"]L<span style="background-color: #ff0000;"]<span style="background-color: #ffffff;"]-coholics 12 step program.<span style="color: #000000;"]


<span style="background-color: #ff0000;"]<span style="background-color: #ffffff;"]<span style="color: #000000;"]Only 3 steps more to full <span style="color: #ff0000;"]L-<span style="color: #000000;"]lightenment.


<span style="background-color: #ff0000;"]<span style="background-color: #ffffff;"]<span style="color: #000000;"]<span style="color: #ff0000;"]<span style="color: #000000;"]Few have reached the 9th step and you boldlygo forward into uncharted territory.


<span style="background-color: #ff0000;"]<span style="background-color: #ffffff;"]<span style="color: #000000;"]<span style="color: #ff0000;"]<span style="color: #000000;"]I wish you luck, good health and continued prosperity and hope yoiu have a <span style="color: #ff0000;"]L <span style="color: #000000;"]of a time in 2011.


<span style="background-color: #ff0000;"]<span style="background-color: #ffffff;"]<span style="color: #000000;"]<span style="color: #ff0000;"]<span style="color: #000000;"]Steve


<span style="background-color: #ff0000;"]<span style="background-color: #ffffff;"]<span style="color: #000000;"]<span style="color: #ff0000;"]<span style="color: #000000;"]Oh, one more thing, (Columbo moment) how do you justify/hide this addiction with/from those that love you? Being in an older age group, I have tried the <span style="color: #ff0000;"]L<span style="color: #000000;"] glass is cheaper than plastic surgery line and that just bought me a hole heap of heartache.(I didn't think that one through)Seriously John, tell us your secret.

Hi John,

I've been a sufferer for over two years and my condition shows no sign of improving. I even based my TDP profile on yours to save me typing out the long list of my L's, I hope you don't mind.

My most recent attack of the disease was the lovely TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II. I've spent more time admiring the construction of this lens than I have taking pictures with it. Unfortunately, it has just made me want the EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM so that I can justify the investment in 82mm filters. I think that's a logical enough reason, but maybe it's a symptom of my additction.

There's a gap in my holy trinity of L primes that needs to be filled at some stage, so I await your thoughts on the 35L with interest.

I suppose there is some hope for me. I have managed to resist upgrading to the latest versions of my EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM and EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM. Oh, wait, Amazon has a Sale on...

<span style="font-size: small;"]<span style="color: #000000;"]John,


<span style="font-size: small;"]<span style="color: #000000;"]I seem to have caught the bug too! [;)]

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Andy Stringer

My most recent attack of the disease was the lovely TS-E 24mm f/3.5<span style="color: #ff0000;"]L II. I've spent more timeadmiring the construction of this lens than I have taking pictures with it.

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<span style="font-size: small;"]<span style="color: #000000;"]Ditto, Andy.


<span style="color: #000000;"]<span style="font-size: small;"]Only thing is, I did get the <span class="field-item-description"]EF 16-35mm f/2.8LII USM with it, and I have used that little beauty, you really do need it. [:D]


<span class="field-item-description"]<span style="font-size: small;"]<span style="color: #000000;"]Fortunately for me I spent my budget for now, so I should be safe for a while. Or, will I? [6]

Just ordered theCanon EF 85mm f/1.2<span style="color: #ff0000;"] L II. Up next, the Canon EF 35mm f/1.4<span style="color: #ff0000;"] L<span style="color: #000000;"].

Fellow shooters (?), perhaps you can heal me, I

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Originally Posted by neuroanatomist

<span style="COLOR: #ff0000"]<span style="COLOR: #000000"]and, because I just knew it would end up in my kit eventually, I also ordered theEF 135mm f/2<span style="COLOR: #ff0000"]L<span style="color: #ff0000;"] <span style="COLOR: #ff0000"]<span style="color: #000000;"]for good measure

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[:D] Ok....at least it is an entirely different focal length.With all your discussion between the 35L and the 24L II, I thought you were just going to end up ordering both.


There is still hope for you.........

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Originally Posted by Kayaker72

Quote:

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Originally Posted by neuroanatomist

<span style="color: #ff0000;"]<span style="color: #000000;"]and, because I just knew it would end up in my kit eventually, I also ordered theEF 135mm f/2<span style="color: #ff0000;"]L<span style="color: #ff0000;"] <span style="color: #ff0000;"]<span style="color: #000000;"]for good measure

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[img]/emoticons/emotion-2.gif[/img] Ok....at least it is an entirely different focal length.With all your discussion between the 35L and the 24L II, I thought you were just going to end up ordering both.


There is still hope for you.........
<div style="clear: both;"]</div>

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kayaker72

Quote:

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Originally Posted by neuroanatomist

<span style="color: #ff0000;"]<span style="color: #000000;"]and, because I just knew it would end up in my kit eventually, I also ordered theEF 135mm f/2<span style="color: #ff0000;"]L<span style="color: #ff0000;"] <span style="color: #ff0000;"]<span style="color: #000000;"]for good measure

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[img]/emoticons/emotion-2.gif[/img] Ok....at least it is an entirely different focal length.With all your discussion between the 35L and the 24L II, I thought you were just going to end up ordering both.


There is still hope for you.........
<div style="clear: both;"]</div>

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If he wanted to omit the 24-105mm f/4 and add the 24mm L iI to his already 135mm L he could do so,and also help a struggling "<span style="color: #993300;"]<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #993300;"]L"addict by ebaying it, furthermore if he added the 14mm L iI he could most likely help another unfortunate sufferer while covering many focal lengths! do i sense total primes John, or are my senses in need of dire sharpening? :)

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Originally Posted by ddt0725

Congrats, John! Wise decision on the 35L! We'll be able to compare micro-adjustments on the 135L!


When you run out of L lenses to buy ...you can always buy me one to continue feeding your addiction, I won't mind!


Denise
<div style="clear: both;"]</div>

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[B] Here,here, I second that motion madame has moved forward!

<span class="field-item-description"] "I've just ordered the EF 35mm f/1.4<span style="color: #ff0000;"]L<span style="color: #000000;"] This is terrific now I can learn from you, and Denise on how to use this fantastic lens! I hope you intend to use hand held a lot, since that is the method I use mostly!

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Originally Posted by Steve U

<span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ff0000"]<span style="background-color: #ffffff;"]<span style="COLOR: #000000"]<span style="color: #ff0000;"]<span style="COLOR: #000000"]Oh, one more thing, (Columbo moment) how do you justify/hide this addiction with/from those that love you? Being in an older age group, I have tried the <span style="color: #ff0000;"]L<span style="COLOR: #000000"] glass is cheaper than plastic surgery line and that just bought me a hole heap of heartache.(I didn't think that one through)Seriously John, tell us your secret.

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Well, It seems to be perfectly acceptable,to many spouses, friends and family, for a middle agedperson to go out and drop $30K on a Harley Davidson, Yet none of them understand whywe would wantto spend large sums of money on a camera or lens so, I just tell them----"Cameras aremy Harley Davidson"---at that point, they seem to understand. I also tell them that when I reach $30k in valueit will be time to trade up---That's when they start frowning.


And to borrow a phrase from our Harley enthusiests: "If I have to explain it to you, you wouldn't undertstand anyway"


So, just keep stroken those checks.


Bob

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Originally Posted by Bob Williams

I also tell them that when I reach $30k in valueit will be time to trade up

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Bob, what do we upgrade to? Hasselblad Medium Format? Is $30K the moment we have a moment of clarity and see the next level?

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Originally Posted by HDNitehawk

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Originally Posted by Bob Williams

I also tell them that when I reach $30k in valueit will be time to trade up

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Bob, what do we upgrade to? Hasselblad Medium Format? Is $30K the moment we have a moment of clarity and see the next level?
<div style="CLEAR: both"]</div>

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Nah, But there will always be another body, another lens, more lighting equipment etc.---Or perhaps the funding to go somewhere to take pictures.

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Originally Posted by Bob Williams

Or perhaps the funding to go somewhere to take pictures.
<div style="clear: both;"]</div>

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I like that option.

This is what I come to this forum for. Bob you are a genius. I had never thought to try the Harley angle. Tranference, is that what it

I refuse to give in to this horrible disorder.


I