Gear: Where Do You Draw The Line?

[ddbowdoin]

I'm a pretty avid photographer, but I've done so under a pretty tight budget. I'm 25 and I grew up in a family where everything outside of daily life was considered a waste of money... wake up, go to work, come home, eat dinner, shower, bed... do it all over again. My parents, and my entire family for that matter, had zero hobbies, period.

I went to school, worked hard... am gainfully employed but am certainly handicapped by significant undergrad debt.

I feel that I have done some amazing work with what little I actually have. I am extremely pleased with my Nikon D80 body but my lenses don't make the cut. I have a 50mm 1.8 Nikon lens which I think is one of the best bangs for your buck in the photo world. I'm looking for a versatile, fast, crisp and sharp wide-zoom lens but where do I draw the line? The lenses are EXPENSIVE! Where do you draw the line? Especially if you are simply a hobbyist or amateur photographer?

 

[NedFlanders]

I'm looking for a versatile, fast, crisp and sharp wide-zoom lens but where do I draw the line? The lenses are EXPENSIVE! Where do you draw the line? Especially if you are simply a hobbyist or amateur photographer?

Well... the sad fact is you can't get fast, sharp and wide zoom lenses that aren't expensive... You will likely have to make some decisions on what you can live with. I might start with the suggesting you look at how much money you have to throw away on your hobby. I know throw away doesn't sound nice, but when you are doing something as a hobby that is really what you are doing. I throw away money on musical instruments, I know I'm not going to be a professional or even resell them for a profit, so I just accept that whatever I spend on them is like throwing the money away... that's the first step.

Next step is see what you can get with that money... you know you wont be able to get a fast, sharp and wide zoom so look at what your budget will get you... Maybe you look at used lenses... that will get you more options... then you say which of those things can I live without... "fast" is a nice thing to have but how often do you shot low-light wide angle shots? I don't, for me wide angle is usually used outside where "fast" isn't a must have... so you can then look at slower lenses and again your options increase.... Next think about whether you need auto-focus and does it have to be a zoom.... you might find that a used wide lens could give you options you don't currently have and might be within your budget....

Or if none of those things work, put your money in a envelope and wait another 6 months where you save up a little more... then take another look, you might find you no longer want the lens or you want something else at that time.... But I wouldn't lose a lot of sleep over a hobby, life is too short... A hobby is supposed to give you some pleasure in life and if it starts making you worry about what you are missing then it might be time to step back and ask yourself why you are even involved in it and is it possible that there is another hobby you might focus on that would give you less stress and more fun.

 

[ddbowdoin]

Well... the sad fact is you can't get fast, sharp and wide zoom lenses that aren't expensive... You will likely have to make some decisions on what you can live with. I might start with the suggesting you look at how much money you have to throw away on your hobby. I know throw away doesn't sound nice, but when you are doing something as a hobby that is really what you are doing. I throw away money on musical instruments, I know I'm not going to be a professional or even resell them for a profit, so I just accept that whatever I spend on them is like throwing the money away... that's the first step.

Next step is see what you can get with that money... you know you wont be able to get a fast, sharp and wide zoom so look at what your budget will get you... Maybe you look at used lenses... that will get you more options... then you say which of those things can I live without... "fast" is a nice thing to have but how often do you shot low-light wide angle shots? I don't, for me wide angle is usually used outside where "fast" isn't a must have... so you can then look at slower lenses and again your options increase.... Next think about whether you need auto-focus and does it have to be a zoom.... you might find that a used wide lens could give you options you don't currently have and might be within your budget....

Or if none of those things work, put your money in a envelope and wait another 6 months where you save up a little more... then take another look, you might find you no longer want the lens or you want something else at that time.... But I wouldn't lose a lot of sleep over a hobby, life is too short... A hobby is supposed to give you some pleasure in life and if it starts making you worry about what you are missing then it might be time to step back and ask yourself why you are even involved in it and is it possible that there is another hobby you might focus on that would give you less stress and more fun.

wise, very wise


reality sucks though!

 

[WDWFigment]

Check out the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8.

 

[ddbowdoin]

99.9% sure I am buying this lens tonight

 

[RonAnnArbor]

The Tokina is a super lens....

It has terrific IQ....

You don't need a huge budget to cover the entire focal distance with a few lenses.

The Tokina will cover your wide angle (575) or older Sigma 10-20 (475)
The 50mm will cover most of your walk around shooting needs (90 bucks)
And something like the 55-200 will cover everything else at a very reasonable price (175 bucks)

 

[ddbowdoin]

Finally just pulled the trigger on the Tokina 11-16mm

threw in a nice filter for the lens as well, figured it was a nice addition

 

[DVC Mike]

Finally just pulled the trigger on the Tokina 11-16mm

threw in a nice filter for the lens as well, figured it was a nice addition

I almost pulled the trigger on the Tokina 11-16mm, but I preferred the additional range of the Nikon 10-24mm, so I went with that.

I hear great things about the Tokina - enjoy it!

 

[ddbowdoin]

I almost pulled the trigger on the Tokina 11-16mm, but I preferred the additional range of the Nikon 10-24mm, so I went with that.

I hear great things about the Tokina - enjoy it!

The 10-24mm was really on my map as well, but price came into it as well. Just figured, is the extra focal range worth an additional 200 dollars...