Brad Hill: Blog: Photography. Nature. Gadgets. Software. Conservation. Whatever.
Short-winded blatherings on whatever is currently occupying the part of my brain that deals with photography. Updated sorta weekly.
1 February 2010: No New Nikon DSLR Until March?
There seems to be a growing feeling among many Nikon watchers (e.g., Thom Hogan of bythom.com) that we likely WON'T see an announcement about a new Nikon DSLR before or during the PMA tradeshow (which begins on February 21). There ARE a number of Nikon press conferences scheduled for February 3rd, but those in the know (which doesn't include me) feel we'll be hearing about new CoolPix models and some new lenses (reportedly a new 16-35mm f4 VR and a 24mm f1.4).
What about the DSLR(s)? The new rumor is that we'll now hear about them in mid- to late March. On the positive side, it seems that there's a growing consensus that we'll see a D900 then, which is likely to be a "D700-like" body with a sensor similar or identical to that being used in the D3x (24.5 MP). And, it will likely have full 1080 HD video capabilities (which almost all photographers that I regularly interact with don't give a damn about!).
For those who will be sitting on the edge of their seats waiting for the February 3rd announcement - traditionally dpreview.com releases the information in North America first, and it's normally on their website only seconds after midnight eastern standard time on the day before (so, in this case, late Tuesday night). I'm still hoping we'll hear about a new DSLR then, but in real terms waiting until a March announcement will matter little to me (as long as it's shipping shortly thereafter).
We'll know real soon...
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
24 January 2010: SIGN THE PETITION; SAVE THE GRIZZLIES!
Saving ANY endangered species is a challenging and at times daunting task. Saving endangered carnivores is even tougher - they wander over great distances and ignore wildlife "wildlife management unit" boundaries and even international borders, and they're often perceived to be in direct competition with humans for food or living space and are abused accordingly.
British Columbia, Canada is one of the Grizzly Bear's last remaining strongholds in North America. Yet there's strong reason to believe that even here grizzlies are in strong decline and may soon go the way of the Dodo bird if something isn't done, and done fast. Exacerbating the problem is the simple fact that NO ONE really has a good idea of how many bears are left in the province (or how fast they're declining). Ian McAllister of Pacific Wild (an excellent non-profit conservation organization) provides a succinct summary of the history of how the population estimates have been made and the factors confounding the results - interested readers should check out his summary here.
The factors that are ultimately driving down the grizzly population are numerous and complexly interwoven, but can be boiled down to three primary causes:
1. Habitat Loss: Grizzlies need a lot of space and, unlike their cousins the black bear, normally don't coexist well with humans. Stopping habitat loss and human encroachment is an immensely difficult task - it relates to human population growth, human economic growth, and flies in the face of many of the social values western society has come to accept without asking sufficient questions. Unfortunately, suggesting a single definable action that can be taken at the individual level to directly stop the human encroachment on the habitat of the grizzly is virtually impossible and a little beyond the scope of this mini review...so read on for some "actionable" items...
2. Reduction of Food Supply of the Grizzlies: Take away the food for any species and, if no alternate can be found, they die. Simple. You can't find a better example of this than on the coast of British Columbia where the majority of British Columbia's grizzlies reside: one of their most critical seasonal food supplies is salmon - and humans (sub-species canadensis) are finding a way to ensure that lack of political will and short-sightedness guarantees that the salmon are driven to extinction. Fortunately many hard-working folks are doing their utmost to help save the salmon stocks AND evaluate the impact of declining salmon populations on carnivore populations. The Raincoast Conservation Foundation is doing their best to document the salmon-carnivore interaction through their "Salmon Carnivore Project" - helping to support Raincoast AND this project WILL help the bears - check it out on Raincoast's website...
3. Direct Human-caused Mortality: Humans kill grizzlies - both unintentionally (via collisions with trains, cars, etc.) and intentionally through trophy hunting. While we can partially mitigate some of the accidental deaths, it is totally within our power to COMPLETELY STOP THE TROPHY HUNTING! How many bears are killed by trophy hunting in any given year? Well, in 2007, 430 grizzlies were killed in BC, with 363 of them taken by hunters (in many cases by affluent Americans and Europeans). To make matters worse, many estimate that for every bear taken, close to one other is wounded and later succumbs to its wounds and is never recovered. And this is 363 out of a population of 3,000 or 5,000 or 10,000 or 12,000 or...oh, yeah, NO ONE knows! The economic spin-off of those dead bears? Oh, about half of what each bear would be worth left alive (in terms of ecotourism and guided bear-viewing). Skeptical of the facts? Check them out here on the website of Pacific Wild...
THE CRITICAL POINT: Human caused mortality of grizzly bears via trophy hunting is a significant source of grizzly mortality and STOPPING THE HUNT is the simplest form of direct action we can take to help save the bears!
WHAT CAN YOU DO? Please sign the Petition to Stop the Trophy Hunt!
I sincerely thank you. And please help to fight the good fight by spreading the word about the petition...
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
18 January 2010: For Sale: Nikon D3 DSLR
21 January 2010 UPDATE: My D3 has been sold and is no longer available. What's that saying? Ya snooze, ya looze??
Sad as it is for me, the time has come to part with my beloved Nikon D3 body. Here are the details...
• Condition: Excellent - used but very well looked after!
• Use: 16,400 shutter actuations (rated/tested to 300,000 cycles).
• Includes: Everything in the original box, EXCEPT the box (sorry, I didn't keep it). Strap upgraded to LowePro neoprene quick-release style.
• Included Extras: Free expedited shipping to continental North American destinations.
• Price: $3100.00 CDN (Currency converter); price includes insured expedited shipment to destinations in North America.
• Preferred Payment Method: PayPal.
• Why Am I Selling It? Will be purchasing a new pro body (likely a D3s) in coming days and already own a D700...so I can't justify (even to myself) keeping 3 similar bodies.
• Availability: Immediately.
Enquiries or to Proceed with Purchase: Contact me at photography@naturalart.ca.
18 January 2010: Blind Date with a Cougar!
Okay - let's get things straight right off the bat: the cougar I'm referring to here is the 4-legged variety (and furry, with a long tail and very sharp teeth) - this is not an entry about an episode at a single's bar...
For those who don't already know, I live in a very rural area known as the East Kootenays in southeast British Columbia. How rural? While the nearest paved road is only about 2 km away to the east, you have to travel cross-country (and over several mountain ranges) for over a 100 km to the west before you'll find another paved road. The area we live in is sometimes referred to as the "Serengeti of North America", though I think that's stretching things a bit - I rarely see zebras, wildebeest, or even cheetahs around my cabin! ;-)
Anyway, late last Friday afternoon I was returning home from a nice hike with my dogs (in gawd-awful weather - think gale force winds and horizontal freezing rain) when my two Porties started going hyper. I let them follow their noses and within a few minutes they had found a freshly killed elk on our property (about 150 meters from our cabin). The elk was largely intact and had grass loosely spread over it - a typical cougar kill. And, it was surrounded by cougar tracks! The kill was located in a grassy gully and clearly visible from above on a ridge. There were ample places to sit under/in Douglas Fir trees on the ridge with a clear view at the kill. In other words, it was a near perfect position to sit back with a spotting scope and watch proceedings.
I returned a couple of times (sans dogs) during the daylight hours on Saturday to see if the cat was at the kill, but saw no sign of it. I had guessed this would be the case, as many cougars prefer to feed on a kill only after dark. Fortunately, my half-century birthday gift was a pair of night vision binoculars, so I quickly booked an after-dark "blind" date with the cougar!
At about 9 PM I left our cabin to a clear, star-filled but moonless sky and started trudging through the inky black forest towards the kill (equipped with bear spray, of course). I used a Petzl Myo headlamp to find my way through the forest (love those headlamps!) and managed to make it up the icy trail and to the ridge without breaking my neck. As I approached the crest of the ridge a pair of coyotes started yelping from just ahead - to me it sounded like they were at, or very near, the kill. I cursed under my breath, assuming that if they were there the cougar wouldn't be. I turned off my headlamp before topping the ridge and walked the last 20 meters or so in the dark, all the while listening to the coyotes kicking up an amazing ruckus. Once in position I raised my night vision binocs to the position where I thought the kill was and turned them on, just in time to see the back-ends of two coyotes sprinting away. Nuts. But in seconds I located the kill and was shocked to find the cougar there and happily chowing down on the large protein lump (formerly known as "The EIk"). It was absolutely fascinating...every minute or two the cat would look up and me and its eyes absolutely glowed in the dark (with, of course, the lighting boost supplied by the infra-red beam of my binocs). Although I'm guessing at this, it looks like the coyotes had been very close to the cougar and were doing their level best to chase it off the kill. But the cougar looked completely unfazed to me and the coyotes were the losers this go 'round.
I hung around about 15 minutes watching the cat and then decided to leave it be. I walked back to the cabin absolutely elated to have witnessed such a real world drama. And, feeling very fortunate to live in a place where such a spectacle was a really just a "backyard scene"!
I returned a couple more times on Sunday (during daylight hours) and even spent a couple of hours mid-afternoon sitting back with a spotting scope and watching to see what might come and go at the kill. It was an almost zen-like experience - you know, the typical "day in the life of a dead elk" sort of thing! Turns out that basically nothing visited the kill over the afternoon, but it was a fun way to kill a couple of hours on a mid-winter Sunday...
By this morning the ravens had found the kill. In a day or two the ravens, winter songbirds, and possibly an eagle or two - and a number of coyotes - will reduce the carcass to little more than a pile of bones. And, the cougar will move on, in search of another meal. But I'll be left with an ever-lasting memory...but this time with no photos to mark the event. Which is OK by me...this time.
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
14 January 2010: The Persistent Rumour: New Nikon DSLR Coming Soon...
While I never hesitate to report on rumours of coming Nikon product releases, I rarely go so far as to make actual predictions. But, this time I will - and here it is: By February 14 (and possibly a few days earlier) we will see a new high-end Nikon DSLR body. Why February 14? Simply because this is one week before the annual Photographic Marketing Association (or PMA) tradeshow begins, and historically anyone about to show a new product at the show goes public with it about a week to 10 days before the show starts. And, because a new high-end DSLR from Nikon is a little overdue. But that's where my prediction ends...beyond that everything is pure guess-work. And here's the state of the union on the guesses:
1. Product Name: While I'm tempted to simply say "who cares?", the naming thing has been the source of a lot of speculation on the web. And, with Nikon, the name usually says a lot about the camera's specs. The current "leading" candidate seems to be the D900, though I'm still hearing and reading some call the new body a D700s (which, if past Nikon history on naming conventions means anything, should be just a tweak of the D700), others refer to it as a D700x (which should be a high res version - presumably 24.5 MP - of the D700).
2. Product Specifications: But what if it's actually called the D900 - what would that camera likely be (in terms of product specs)? Well, your guess is as good as mine, but I'm hearing that it could be:
• Option 1: A higher resolution (15 to 18 MP) DX body - like a real pro version of the D300 or...
• Option 2: A higher resolution (15 to 18 MP) smaller FX body - think a "super D700" or...
• Option 3: An even higher resolution (24.5 MP) FX body - which is pretty much everyone has been calling a D700x.
Of these 3 options I think Option 1 (the 15 to 18 MP DX body) is highly unlikely. If it were well-built and had even decent low-light/high ISO performance I might want one myself though! Not only is the naming wrong (it would be more likely to be called a D400 or D500), but this camera would kill the sales of the newly introduced D300s. And, I don't think Nikon is looking in this direction right now (or possibly ever).
What about Option 2 (the 15 to 18 MP FX body)? I don't think so...if you look at the big picture introducing a full-frame body in this resolution range is pretty old hat - after all, that's pretty much what Canon did several years ago. Sure it would be nice to have that kind of resolution AND the high ISO performance of say a D700 (which would make it a little different than the "old" Canons), it seems illogical to me that Nikon would introduce a new image sensor right now...
Which leaves us with Option 3 (the 24.5 MP FX body). To me, this makes the most sense. Nikon has always shown a predisposition to use the same sensor in multiple bodies, and to date the D3x sensor is being used in that camera alone. Odds are that Nikon still hasn't paid off the R&D costs of the D3x sensor yet and would love to do so. And, I know a LOT of shooters (including myself) chomping at the bit to get a 20+ MP body at a price lower than that of the D3x. The counter-argument I've heard to this simply that Nikon may not be able to source enough of the D3x-style sensor to meet the sales demand that a lower priced D900/D700x would create. Could be a valid argument...
And...to avoid answering a lot of email asking the same question about what I'm going to do (or purchase), here's my answer in advance: Wait and see! I need some critical bits of information before I make a move. First, while I'm hearing anecdotal descriptions that the D3s is a stop or more better than the D3, no one has been saying if they're referring to noise or dynamic range. Since the D3 (and soon after the D700) was introduced many nature photographers have discovered that dynamic range decreases with increasing ISO are more limiting when shooting in the field than are digital noise increases. If the D3s shows an improvement or a stop or better in the inverse relationship of ISO vs. dynamic range, then that's where my new camera budget money may go. But, if the D3s isn't much better than the D3 (in that dynamic range/ISO relationship) than I may consider purchasing either Option 1 or Option 3 above. But I think I would likely pass if the D900 ends up be Option 2. What if the D3s IS better that much better than the D3 AND Nikon introduces Option 1 or Option 3? Well...I could be buying two cameras in 2010 (D3s and D900)! So depending on how things play out, I could end up buying 2 cameras in 2010, one camera in 2010, or buying nothing! And, being realistic, having to spend the year shooting with a D3 AND a D700 isn't too much of a hardship!
So...by February 14 you'll have a new Nikon DSLR of unknown specs. You heard it hear first (or second, or third...).
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
14 January 2010: New Wolf, Fox, and Coyote Images...
Right on schedule - I've updated my permanent "Wolves & Kin" gallery with the addition of 8 new images of wolves, foxes, and coyotes. The new images are located in various places in the gallery, but begin right at the "front door" with this image of a fully wild wolf laying in wildflowers. My favourite additions include this gentle-looking wolf standing on a forest trail and My favourite additions include this very well-camouflaged Arctic Fox. LIke always, there's a story (or helpful hint) behind every image, so don't forget to click on the tabs ("In the Field", "Behind the Camera", etc.) immediately below each image to learn more a little more about each of them.
Enjoy!
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca.
11 January 2010: Website Update Continues - New Images in Scenics Gallery...
If you think I ONLY shoot wildlife images, then this news may surprise you a little. I've been continuing to update the image galleries and I've just added 6 new images to my permanent Scenics Gallery. The newest images are a mix of shots from the East Kootenays of southeast BC and from the Great Bear Rainforest of our northern coast. They're sprinkled throughout the scenics gallery, but begin here with one of my favourite "backyard" shots (this image shot under 500 metres - as the crow flies - from my house). As always, I include all the gory details behind every image - so don't forget to click on the tabs (e.g., "In the Field") below the images for all the details. Enjoy!
Next up - several new images for the "Wolves & Kin" gallery...check back soon!
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca.
07 January 2010: Welcome Firmware Updates for the Nikon D3 and D700
Just yesterday Nikon announced firmware updates for 4 of their digital SLRs - the D300s, D700, D3, and D3x. Most online photo news sites (such as dpreview.com and robgalbraith.com) list support for 64 GB CompactFlash cards as the "headline" change. BUT, dig a little deeper and there's a change to something in both the D700 and D3 that certain types of shooters will jump for joy over (including me). The change I'm referring to? You can now fine tune the Auto ISO function on both the D700 and D3 much more precisely: in the past you could set the maximum ISO portion of this function in only full stops, but now you can adjust it in increments as small as 1/3 of a stop.
Huh? Who could care less? Serious field shooters, that's who. Since the release of the D3 Nikon shooters have enjoyed amazing high ISO performance and even very discriminating photographers have found that under certain circumstances (think low contrast scenes) they can produce gallery-quality images at ISO's up to ISO 2500 and even higher. Many of these same shooters also discovered that the Auto ISO function of both the D3 and D700 was so well-executed that it gave them unprecedented freedom to shoot under incredibly demanding conditions - think very low light (such as in an dimly lit gymnasium or, perhaps, in the overcast sky of the Great Bear Rainforest) and while hand-holding a longish lens (think of a sports photographer hand-holding a 300 f2.8 VR in that same dim gym or me dangling a 600 f4 VR lens off a Zodiac after sunset in that same Great Bear Rainforest). The ONLY thing that irritated me about the Auto ISO function was that for some unknown reason you could only adjust the maximum permissible ISO you'd permit the camera to creep up to in full stop increments. So if you needed a little more sensitivity than ISO 800 would offer you had no option other than bumping up the maximum ISO to 1600. BUT, often times I would have preferred capping it at ISO 1000 or ISO 1250 (largely due to diminishing dynamic range issues). NOW, Nikon has addressed this issue with this very much appreciated firmware update. Thank you, Nikon!
A few final words on Auto ISO as implemented by Nikon. First, if you're a field shooter who often works in low-light situations AND you shoot with a Nikon D3, D3s, or D700 AND you haven't tried out the Auto ISO function on these cameras - do it! I'm totally against MOST "auto" functions on today's SLR's, but the Auto ISO function on these cameras is so good that it enables you to get the most out of the amazing high ISO performance of these cameras. Second - and I know this point will result in some angry email in my inbin - if you're camera has only marginal high ISO performance (like, in my opinion, the D300 or D300s), then the Auto ISO function is both MUCH less useful and much less valuable. Shooters using the D300/D300s aren't sacrificing much by ignoring the Auto ISO function.
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca.
07 January 2010: And ANOTHER Dozen New Bear Images...
Nope, I haven't been sitting around doing nothing since the New Year - I've been busy updating several sections of this website. I've just added another 12 new images to my permanent Bear Gallery. Add these new images to the additions in late December and you'll find there's now 24 new images in the Bear Gallery. The newest images are primarily of polar bears and grizzlies and are sprinkled throughout the gallery, but begin here with one of my favourite grizzly images shot in 2009! Of course, there's a story (or little lesson I learned) behind every image - so don't forget to click on the "In the Field" tab below the image for all the gory details. Enjoy!
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca.
21 December 2009: The ULTIMATE Gift for the Nature Photographer Who Has Everything?
Still looking for that perfect gift for the nature photographer in your life? Or...looking for a treat for yourself because that D3x didn't show up under the tree? Well, gadgets are great - but they come and go pretty fast. But...a once-in-a-lifetime trip on one of my fantastic Photo Tours will produce memories (and images) that will last forever. And, just coincidentally, I just posted detailed information about, and started accepting bookings for, my 2011 photo tours. Here's where to go for more information:
• A full listing of ALL my 2011 Photo Tours are down this aisle ;-)
• If you're interested in my "Grizzlies of the Khutzeymateen Instructional Photo Tour" Download THIS BROCHURE (PDF: 476 KB)
• Looking for a shorter (and more economical) trip with less instruction? Then my "Grizzlies of the Khutzeymateen - Just the Photo Op, Please!" tour may be perfect for you. Download THIS BROCHURE (PDF: 434 KB) for more information.
• If covering more terrain or having a wider variety of wildlife to photograph is for you, then my "Spirit Bears and the Great Bear Rainforest Instructional Photo Tour" may fill the bill better! Download THIS BROCHURE (PDF: 535 KB) for all the details.
For more info, or to reserve your spot on one (or more) of these photo tours, email me at: seminars@naturalart.ca.
19 December 2009: A Dozen New Bear Images...
I've just added 12 new images to my permanent Bear Gallery, with about a dozen more to come in the next week or so. The new images include Spirit Bears, Black Bears, and (of course) grizzlies and are sprinkled throughout the gallery, but begin right here at the front door to the gallery. The new images include some of my all-time favourites, such as this very, very black Black Bear and this adult grizzly enjoying his evening Night Cap! As always, there's a story behind every image - so don't forget to click on the "In the Field" tab below the image for all the gory details. Check 'em out!
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca.
13 December 2009: 2011 Photo Tours - Grizzlies, Spirit Bears, Black Bears, Orcas and More!
I posted ALL the details of my 2011 Photo Tours late last night on my Seminars and Workshops page. And, as expected, the very limited number of spots are already starting to disappear. So, if you have an interest in attending any of these spectacular photo tours, I'd advise "shaking a leg"! Here's the specific spots to go for the details:
• For a listing of ALL 2011 Photo Tours START HERE.
• For the 2011 "Grizzlies of the Khutzeymateen Instructional Photo Tour" GO HERE.
• For the new (offered in 2011 for the first time) "Grizzlies of the Khutzeymateen - Just the Photo Op, Please!" tour TAKE THIS EXIT.
• For the other new 2011 Photo Tour - "Orcas, Humpbacks and More: Aquatic Mammals of the Central Pacific Coast" - FOLLOW THIS LINK.
• And for the fabulous "Spirit Bears and the Great Bear Rainforest" Photo Tours - TAKE THIS DOOR.
The remaining available spots on these tours will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
For more info, or to reserve your spot on one (or more) of these photo tours, email me at: seminars@naturalart.ca.
08 December 2009: 2011 Photo Tour Information is Imminent...
I've been receiving an increasing number of emails asking me about my Photo Tour offerings for 2011. Here's the big picture: for 2011 I'll be offering an increased number of Instructional Photo Tours (and one pseudo-instructional photo tour) into the Great Bear Rainforest. So there will be TWO "Grizzlies of the Khutzeymateen" photo tours (one full instructional tour and one "pseudo-instructional" tour) and TWO "Spirit Bears and the Great Bear Rainforest" instructional photo tours. Plus for 2011 I'll be adding an 8-day "Orcas, Humpbacks and More: Aquatic Mammals of the Central Pacific Coast" photo tour focused on the inhabitants of the nutrient and biologically rich waters off the northern tip of Vancouver Island.
Full details will be available no later than Saturday, December 12 (and possibly earlier). My Khutzeymateen and Spirit Bear trips have a history of selling out VERY quickly (often in a matter of days), so if you're interested in attending one of these "once in a lifetime" (I know, sounds corny - but it's TRUE!) trips, stay tuned. Full details will be found on my Seminars and Workshops page (with links from this page, of course).
For more info email: seminars@naturalart.ca.
06 December 2009: Up for Grabs: AFS-Nikkor 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6 IF ED VR G Zoom Lens
07 December UPDATE: Sorry - this lens has already sold (I told you it would go away fast!).
With my recent acquisition of the new 70-200mm VRII lens my virtually new 70-300mm VR zoom is now up for sale. I purchased the 70-300mm VR to "hold me over" until the 70-200mm VRII was available so I no longer need this lens.
All the gory details (price, included extras, payment method, etc.) are on my Gear for Sale page...
If you're interested you better act fast - I price my used (or should I say "fully pleasure-tested"?) gear to go away fast! And just in time for Christmas!
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca.
04 December 2009: First Impressions: Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II
I have spent the bulk of my "free" time this week shooting with (and evaluating images shot with) the new 70-200mm VRII lens. After about 1500 shots and way too much time in front of the computer I can say this: If there was ever a single "must-have" lens for the Nikon-using nature photographer, this lens is it! Really. My "Executive Summary" on the lens is immediately below. A more detailed account of my findings (including selected images from my testing) can be found here in my Camera Gear Section.
The Executive Summary: This lens is a very, very solid performer that I will be using a LOT! It is VERY sharp at all normally-used apertures (which means f2.8 thru f11 for me) though not quite as sharp when shot wide open. The bokeh (quality of the out-of-focus zones) is superb and at f2.8 rivals that of the venerable (and amazing) Nikon AFS 200mm f2 VR. The autofocus is blazingly fast. The VR works as advertised (which means very, very well!). Teleconverter performance (with the 1.4x TC-14EII) exceeded my expectations dramatically. BUT, the lens is NOT completely perfect - edge-to-edge sharpness is not stellar at 200 mm at larger apertures, though this limitation can be overcome by stopping down to only "reasonably small" apertures. Plus, some users will find the reduction in focal length when focusing the lens on very close subjects troublesome. But, in my opinion there are enough subtle improvements (and some not-so-subtle improvements) in this lens that combine to make the "whole package" markedly better than its precursor. For me, and I suspect many FX body owners, this lens is as close to a "must-have" lens as any on the market. DX body owners who don't already own the previous iteration of this lens will love it (and I highly recommend it for them). For DX body owners who already own the previous version - you know, that "old" (but nearly legendary) lens works so well on DX bodies already that I couldn't really recommend swapping your current lens for this one (unless, of course, you have money to burn).
UPDATE (5 December): I have updated my "mini-review" of this lens (and the executive summary above) to include a brief discussion about the "Mysterious Shrinking Focal Length" (when focusing at close subjects) issue...
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca.