I took an old friend for a walk around the Zoo today.

The "old friend" in question is actually a Nikon 300mm lens that has been sitting unused in a cabinet since mid-2007 when I switched from shooting film to digital. For various reasons I decided then to go with a different brand of dSLR, but kept my Nikon film gear "just in case". I finally got around to buying a Nikon digital SLR today, and as soon as the battery was charged I dug out the old lens and ran down to the San Diego Zoo. The lens is big and heavy (almost 3 lbs., not counting the camera body) and walking around the Zoo with it is actually a bit of workout. I still haven't figured out all of the controls on the new camera, but here are a few from my first hour or so with it, this afternoon at the San Diego Zoo. I didn't get there until 4PM, so the light was getting low in the canyons, but really nice up on the mesas. 

This next one is cropped a bit, the others are all straight from the camera.

Anyone planning a trip to the San Diego Zoo this time of year should really try to be at the meerkat enclosure right before the sun drops down and shades the enclosure in the late afternoon.

I'm looking forward to spending a lot more time with my "old friend" at the Zoo and Wild Animal Park. 


Click here for a few more images from this afternoon at the San Diego Zoo.