Based on the gear you own and your type of photography, you are right, there are two primary choices with two alternates.

The Sony 70-400mm G (I & II) is one of the SHARPEST lenses in the class. EXCELLENT optics. It will serve you extremely well for your plane in flight images and with your "Smart Teleconverter" function an optical T.C. is completely unnecessary.

The Sony Zeiss 24-70mm is another outstanding lens, especially on the A77. It will be very useful for static, ground images of aircraft on the flight line and even medium to low wide angle crowd shots. It too is crystal clear, and has a beautiful rendering of almost ever thing you photograph. I have not tried the II version, but it is supposed to be even better than the original.

The Sony 70-200mm G was a good lens, but it did not perform up to the standards of other lenses in that category. But the new 70-200mm G II actually DOES address all of the shortcomings of the original, and IS one of the best in class. Of course, it is also the most expensive... so I can't give you a recommendation because of that fact. You would be better off with the original G or the Tamron mark II version for much, much less.

Finally, take a look at the Sony Zeiss 85 mm prime. It is the best lens ever tested on your camera... just totally outstanding image quality under ALL photographic conditions. Again, great for static shots and closeups on the flight line.

GOOD LUCK!

Just a couple points: football put me through college. It taught me perseverance, gave me good work ethic and forced me to be accountable to others. Most high schools (if not all high schools) have academic standards that must be met in order to play. All schools that I have been around have training rules such as no smoking, no alcohol, no drugs and no illegal activities. Do they have those have the same standards at the pool hall or the local Quick Mart corner hangout? A high schooler is going to do something. Would you prefer your son spent his time on a football field or on a street corner? If you think that a professional football player works only 5 months a year, you are a fool. It takes a 12 month commitment. When I graduated from college, I read a study that said the average life span of a running back in the NFL (not playing life but real life) was 52 years.

The Italian Man of His House With his Italian wife!

Anthony had just finished reading a new book entitled, "You Can Be The Man of Your House".

He stormed to his wife in the kitchen and announced, "From now on, you need to know that I
am THE MAN of this house and my word is Law. You'll prepare me a gourmet meal tonight, and
when I'm finished eating my meal, you'll serve me a sumptuous dessert."


"After dinner, we're going upstairs and we'll have the kind of sex that I want."


"Afterwards, you're going to draw me a bath so I can relax. You'll wash my back and towel
me dry and bring me my robe. Then, you'll massage my feet and hands. Then tomorrow, guess
who's going to dress me and comb my hair?"


His Sicilian wife Nancy replied, "The frickin' funeral director would be my first guess!"

I took off my wedding band around 8:00 or so last night. I didn't do a FB status update to mark the occasion.

It's been more than 12 hours and there is still an indention and a lighter stripe of skin to remind me where it was.
By this time next week, both should be gone.

I suspected that something was going on. But there is a big difference between suspecting and actually finding out. Last night I had a conversation with the other guy. He confirmed that they are a couple and have been physical. He didn't know that she was married, but didn't seem to terribly concerned to find that she was married.

The wife called me later in a rage. How dare I intrude into her life! She was actually attempt to keep two households--me and the kids in one and her other guy and his daughter in another.

Her family in California was starting to suspect something and she had been hiding. Now it's out and she hates me for telling them.

What a mess.

I read that Thom Hogan decided to scrap FX and go back to DX. Then Ken Rockwell said you can't really tell the difference any more between full frame and crop sensor.

The main reason I bought the FULL FRAME bodies was because I thought the larger sensor would make a considerable difference in larger prints. But they are not very comfortable for my short fingers. . . so was it a waste to go FX? Should I consider reconsidering?

It is what it is. . . but I was wondering if anybody here had anything to add to what Hogan and Rockwell said. (which was not really very much)