Primed and Loaded, All Set To Go
'Added to my collection over the past two weeks - a Sigma Zoom-Gamma 21-35mm F3.5~4.2 lens, a Canon EOS 700QD, and an AF Nikkor 35-105mm F3.5~4.5 D'My collection of vintage lenses and 35mm film SLRs grew over the last two weeks with the addition of an EF-mount Sigma Zoom-Gamma 21-35mm F3.5~4.2 zoom, a Canon EOS 700QD the lens will be mounted on, and an AF Nikkor 35-105mm F3.5~4.5 D, which I wanted to test mounted on the Nikon F601, an earlier acquisition.
The Sigma Zoom-Gamma 21-35mm F3.5-4.2, the second in my collection after the initial Sigma Zoom-Gamma 21-35mm F3.5-4, the world's first-wide angle zoom lens, was introduced in 1985 to meet the demands of AF SLR cameras which started with the introduction of the Minolta Maxxum series.
Just as well, the Canon EOS 700QD, released in 1990 by Canon, was an upgrade of the EOS750/EOS850. Canons initial development of the EOS series stated with the introduction of the EOS 650 in 1987. The EOS 700QD is basically frame-and-shoot 35mm film SLR that comes with a range of programmed scene settings and an option of using the camera as a shutter-priority SLR.
The AF Nikkor 35-105mm F3.5~4.5 D, developed from an Ai-S version of the same, is a kit zoom lens packaged with Nikon F cameras. The lens is said to be a gem often overlooked by photographers and reviewers during the days of Nikon AF film SLRs. It is a push-pull zoom with a decent zoom range, very well made, a bit bulky by today's standards, but comes with image qualities are highly respected. The lens was accoladed by Ken Rockwell in his review here.
The Nikon F601 (N6006 in the US), an earlier acquisition, is a tough bakelite body from the era of the professional Nikon F4 and semi-professional F90x. Introduced in 1991, a couple of years after the F801, the Nikon mid-range came with an improved second-generation autofocus system, motor drive for automatic film advance, a built-in pop-up electronic flash, top shutter speed of 1/2000 of a second, and a new 'Matrix' evaluative multi-zone metering program.
The camera and lens is a seamless fit, it has one of the brightest viewfinders I have ever come across, and looks all set to be one of my preferred camera lens combinations.
And as they say it in the movies, the Canon EOS setup is 'primed and loaded' with battery and film and is all set to go while the Nikon AF setup will be in the queue a wee bit longer.
