Dos regalos para mi

What's in the box, Mom?  Cookies?

Nope.   It's a present.  For me!  This is the Tamron 18-270 (!) lens.  Ooh, ahh.

Just look at the zoom on this baby!

Lens hood, included.

I can't wait to test drive it.

I spent the morning on-line checking out a couple of gorgeous girly camera bags because I knew that my new lens wouldn't fit into my old bag.  I didn't really like it anyway, so I didn't much care, but I didn't want another regular camera bag.  Found these by a relatively new company called  Epiphan!e   Started up by a female photographer who wanted a camera bag that looked like a purse and didn't scream CAMERA.  She couldn't find anything, so she made her own.  Word got out, orders started pouring in and boom! she was in business!  I couldn't decide which of these I love the most. This turquoise beauty is called Belle

Love that green interior

 and this is Lola, in red

and she has a pretty lavender interior.

A moot point really, because at 165.00 USD plus 50.00 for shipping, I can't afford either one of them, but as soon as I win the lottery....

Or, maybe not.  As I was leaving the camera store with my shiny new lens, I noticed that the Boutique of Leathers, right across the corridor, had a giant SALE sign on their handbag table so I wandered over to check them out.   Look what I found for 39.00!!  Super soft leather, 6 (!) outside pockets for batteries, cards and stuff, regular handles and a shoulder strap.  And in my favourite colour to boot!!!

 My camera, even with the big honkin' lens attached, fits quite nicely. 

I think with a bit of padding added for protection, this will be perfect!   I'm not quite sure how to go about that yet, but I'm thinking some cardboard, some foam, some nice bright fabric and some velcro oughta do it.  It won't be as professionally finished as the beautiful Belle, perhaps, but it's considerably cheaper!

Later: 

Taz & I went over to the the local park to play with my new toy.  Just to give you an idea of the range of this new lens - these shots were taken from the park bench.

This is at 18mm  (same as the kit lens that I've been using)

 This is at 55mm.  As good as it got with my old lens.

 And THIS is at the top of the range - 270mm!!  I love it!

Later still:

Wow!  What a sunset tonight!  It started out fantastic...

...and it just kept getting better...

...and better!!!