Nikon D700 + Nikkor 300mm f/2 — ¹/2500 sec, f/2, ISO 360 — map & image data — nearby photos
Hamming It Up for the Camera
near the end of the 2012 Kyoto City Marathon
2012 京都マラソン

There's something about the physical size of the Nikkor 300mm f/2 lens (also seen here) that draws smiles and attention wherever it goes. I had it out a couple of years ago for the 2012 Kyoto City Marathon, and with the 2014 race coming up this weekend, I was reminded of a post from 2012 that I've been meaning to write.

Because I've seen many fun reactions to the big lens (such as seen here and here), it didn't surprise me when folks hammed it up a bit for it when I positioned myself at the last turn of the marathon, perhaps 20 seconds from the finish line. People seemed to notice it from quite a distance away, even though I was in a scrum of folks with cameras. It's a big lens.

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 300mm f/2 — ¹/2500 sec, f/2, ISO 280 — map & image data — nearby photos
Some Folks Just Look

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 300mm f/2 — ¹/2500 sec, f/2, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Some Wave

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 300mm f/2 — ¹/2500 sec, f/2, ISO 400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Fist Pump

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 300mm f/2 — ¹/2500 sec, f/2, ISO 320 — map & image data — nearby photos
Victory

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 300mm f/2 — ¹/2500 sec, f/2, ISO 320 — map & image data — nearby photos
Peace

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 300mm f/2 — ¹/2500 sec, f/2, ISO 450 — map & image data — nearby photos
As Macho
as having just run 26 miles can leave someone

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 300mm f/2 — ¹/2500 sec, f/2, ISO 400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Too Tired

I was happy people were reacting to the lens, but the number of folks having the energy to do that after having run 26 miles seemed oddly high to me, so it make complete sense when I stepped away from the throng of folks at the turn and noticed that I'd been right beside a big “SMILE” sign!

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — ¹/1000 sec, f/4, ISO 220 — map & image data — nearby photos
Smile
for an official race photographer

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — ¹/250 sec, f/22, ISO 3600 — map & image data — nearby photos
Official Photographer
photographed by a runner

Of course, I felt really silly having thought that everyone was smiling just at my lens. Luckily, no one else knew my self-centered secret. 🙂

I moved around the corner to aim at the finish...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — ¹/2000 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Heading Around the Corner

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 300mm f/2 — ¹/1000 sec, f/2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Final Stretch

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 300mm f/2 — ¹/800 sec, f/2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Not Very Satisfying
photographically speaking

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 300mm f/2 — ¹/3200 sec, f/2, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Slightly to the Side was Better
but still not great

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 300mm f/2 — ¹/3200 sec, f/2, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
That Guy Had a Good View
he was not standing on anything; he's the tallest person I've seen in real life

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 300mm f/2 — ¹/3200 sec, f/2, ISO 900 — map & image data — nearby photos
Finish

The 2014 Kyoto City Marathon is this weekend and the finish line is right by my place, so I may pop out again to see whether I can't do something more photographically worthy...