2010

I really enjoyed shooting with the Nikon 14-24mm AF-S f/2.8G ED lens which was released as part of Nikon’s foray into full-frame cameras along with the D3. It takes incredible images and was a pleasure to use. But for most of us it has several drawbacks which make it a difficult acquisition. First is price. At $1800 for the US version it is a large investment for a lens that typically gets used a lot less than a mid-range zoom. Second, it is large and heavy. If you lug your gear with you the 2.2 lb. weight and 4”x5” size create quite an impact on your photo pack. Finally the “domed” front makes it difficult and expensive to use filters with it (an expensive add-on adapter is needed).

If you’ve become worried about our food after watching Food, Inc. or reading Michael Pollan, or our planet after watching An Inconvenient Truth or the natural disaster du jour on the evening news, then like me you might have thought you had your biohazard bases covered. After accounting for these looming issues I was happy to relegate the risks of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to the dusty corner where I pile up my back issues of National Geographic and Scientific American…

Intervention: Confronting the Real Risks of Genetic Engineering and Life on a Biotech Planet