7.24.2009

This Lens Costs More Than My House

While "researching things" at work today, I came across this lens in the B+H Used Department. I love the fun their copywriter clearly had with this description.

Features:

The Canon 1200/5.6L USM, the longest fixed telephoto lens ever built by Canon, contains 13 elements (2 Fluorite) in 10 groups and focus' down to 49.5'. With an angle-of- view of about 2° on a full-frame 35 mm camera, calling this lens a 'tele' is like calling King Kong a monkey.

Built-to-order by Canon from 1993 to 2005, each lens was hand-crafted at the rate of about 2-per-year and a delivery time of about 18 months. Only a dozen-or-so were ever made. Who bought them? National Geographic magazine and Sports Illustrated are known to own a couple, the Feds probably have a few squirreled away somewhere, and a few well-heeled photo enthusiasts.

This particular lens is extremely clean inside and out. Included with this lens is a leather slip-on 'lens cap', the original fitted aluminum trunk case, a custom trunk case with wheels that holds the original trunk case, and a prodigious measure of ego satisfaction. Weighing in at over 36lbs and an overall length of 33 inches, a sturdy tripod and pan/tilt head is highly recommended.

Pack mule not included.

Geek spec sheet:

Construction
Metal Alloy
Angle of View
Minimum Aperture
f/32
Closest Focusing Distance
49.5'
Filter Size
48 mm Drop-in
Lens Hood
Built-in
Length
32.9"
Weight
36.2 lb
Oh yeah, and the asking price? $120,000.00.

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