I could have selected a different crop from another Olympic venue and got a different result. Still, I think it's fair to say that Nikon has made a welcome comeback. Of course, the installed based of Canon lenses probably still outstrips that of Nikon at the average shooter level I suspect. Perhaps the number of Nikon lenses might also be a function of a stronger push by Nikon to provide their equipment to working pros at the Olympics.

And of course, some of those black lenses might be Sony's for all we know (admittedly very few in all likelihood)!

i noticed at least this concentration of Nikon lenses for gymnastics - pretty hard to for Canon to compete with the high ISO capibility of the D3 for indoor sports. hoping this is a wakeup call for Canon

No one would start using an unfamiliar system at the Olympics. Anyone coming with a black lens is shooting Nikon. Plus there just aren't that many loaners compared to the number of shooters at the Olympics.

I have to say, if I were still shooting sports professionally, I'd be one of the 'black horde', without a doubt.

(Sony long glass is white, btw).

- N.

deleted.

On that point, I thought the larger shot (area wise) posted on Rob Galbraith's site was interesting:


However, it doesn't look like the cargo short / safari vest look is facing much competition.

The vests are required to shoot there.

Crop? Here's a panorama:
http://www.karikuukka.com/peking2008/100m/
my guesstimate: 30%-70% black-white

Wow....that panorama is really cool! Thanks for posting the link.

Cheers.....

Todd

Harrington's blog, http://photobusinessforum.blogspot.com/ , has some comments on the photo. He is going overseas to shoot a museum that will not permit the use of lights. He is taking a D3 and D700, while leaving his Canons at home. The economics of maintaining multiple systems is not a problem for pros such as Harrington, but, the average pro can't afford those costs. Canon's next release must stem the Nikon tide, or it might continue to bleed its share of the pro market to those who value high ISO performance.

Now just imagine that chip on 'roids....say about 3x the size, covering 645, at a stunningly clean 36MP.....that could get a lot of people excited.

A jump like that one? Wow. I would think higher ISO performance to be the next logical step. I need to replace my old 1Ds... and waiting to see what the entrace fee will be for that feature -if Canon has an answer.

Hasselblad set to announce full frame 645 at Photokina.

Seems that Nikon has paired up with SI much like the old days of National Geographic, which could explain quite a bit of the black stuff. Hopefully this will wake Canon from it's long slumber.

The ratio of good guys to bad guys (your choice) notwithstanding, I was struck by the fact that those thousands of pros are all getting the same photo, that the 'Decisive Moment' likely has hundreds of recorders. Who gets the scoop, the original?

It is also interesting how many of the guys are not focussed on the action- chimpin', adjustin', bored?

I understand the photographers position- which news or sports photographer, even a dilettante, would not want to be in Beijing but from a cost standpoint is this not a bit redundant?

Nature Lover

As to the timing of the photo, it could have been a quiet moment. As to the number of photographers, assuming they are all working for the same outfit (of course it's just a guess as I may in left field), redundancy is important. How many keepers do you get in 100 takes for an average shoot? Couple that with only a few seconds to make those shots and the odds go way up.