Hello from Virginia Beach

[ruthless]

I am a long time Minolta user switched from film to digital in 2003. Bought a Minolta 5D and simply loved it. I used it to take photos for my fishing articles in the Cheaspeake Angler and on my recently published kayak fishing book.

I just purchased an A700 and am now learning the basics. I am keepimg the 5D as backup. I currently have four lenses 1.) the minolta DT 18-200 2. ) Minolta DT 18-70 3.) Sigma 28- 105 (blacks out when I use a flash), and a Quantaray 70-300 ( chincy, but was a gift).

I plan on writing and photographing more fishing subjects. Any sugestions as to what lens I should get next?

Thanks,

Ruthless

[Dr. Harout]

Though I'm not fund of fishing, but eating them is a totally different subject.
As for the options for lenses, I can't say much, but may recommend the Sony-Zeiss 16-80.
And last but not least welcome to Photoclubalpha (I love this site, people here are great)

[David Kilpatrick]

If you are going out on a boat, the 11-18mm is an absolute must for fishing. 18mm will just about get you there but you need the extreme wide angle to capture action from on board, of other people on board, and the rod/line. On shore, angling shots are better taken with a long lens as this increases the apparent scale/size of the rod beyond the figure of the fisher. We are based 300 yards from the River Tweed, which is one of the world's best and most expensive salmon rivers (it costs about $2000 per day for a rod, with ghillie and boat, just upstream of our house and offices).

If you bump into Bill McIntosh, Virginia Beach photographer and one of the oldest working photographers in the country, give him my regards. Bill calls me about once a month, sends me articles and images for one of our professsional magazines here in the UK.

David

[ruthless]

Thanks, I just pulled the trigger on the 11-18 (Best Buy was discontinuing it), WOW it shoots some killer shots!

I do not know Mr.McIntosh, but I am related to Dan Routh (http://www.danrouth.com) from North Carolina.

Thanks for putting together this site, cant wait to lear more from you guys!

[David Kilpatrick]

I corrected your URL for Dan Routh - nice gritty sort of style!

David