I have no idea what this thing is supposed to do. I'm guessing that it's a radar reflector, letting ships out in the Georgia Strait know that, despite the way it looks, there really is land nearby.

On a more tragic note, I'm not sure that the 18-200 is the swell lens it's supposed to be. I suppose I should have known, really. Zoom lenses suck. Sure it's sharp. And, yes, the vibration reduction is swell. But the distortion is cutting very close to unbearable. Back when I used to sell cameras, I knew this. Prime lenses were always, always, always better. I had a 24/2.8 that I'd kill to have in digital (except that it'd be a 16/2.8). At 18mm the 18-200 has enough pincushion distortion that you're afraid the subject is about to explode. At 200mm it's the other way - implosion! But, this seems to be the way of the digital age - zooms dominate, even though they're crap ('Cause they're convenient. And, well, let's face it, the 18-200 is, in a weird way, cheap. I'm pretty sure the 80-200/2.8 - which is definitely not cheap - is just fine). And they're sooooooooooo slow!

Full photographic happiness is so elusive.

Oh, well. I'm sure I'll come to love it................eventually. And (phew!), I can always fall back on my 60/2.8. Now that's a beautiful lens.