Do you buy the best? Or Do you work with what you have?

SMP_Homer wrote in post #10808308
bad gear builds character

..... ...

Karl Johnston wrote in post #10552566
I've always saved up to buy the best gear I could ever want to have. I never bothered with inferior or lesser gear, I found that I would regret it later on because there's a glass-ceiling effect that happens once you use it to the best possible case you can. Just me though, anybody else like that too?

Do you save and wait?

Or do you buy what you can when you can and do you best with it ? Ever get regrets?

What is the best?

Photography, as a hobby, is more rewarding and satisfying by working your way up, both in technique and equipment. A hobby is no fun at all if money is no object, because you don't have to constantly trying to figure out what's the best given a limited budget.

For a professional photographer, you do need best possible gear you can afford, but you can still maximize the cost and return by spending less on lenses you rarely use.

The best 200mm lens for my Canon is a hand made lens made by Zeiss, they will take your personal camera and build the lens to it for perfect matching. it will cost over £8000 to buy, are we supposed to rush out and buy it as its the best.

Rob

i would buy the best.. well for me are all the suitable primes. Save up. And i always believe in the best equipment.

Save up. And at least u know u hv the best gear and u will never ever blame the gear for any crap pics taken instead it is the person who is behind the camera.

Karl Johnston wrote in post #10552566
I've always saved up to buy the best gear I could ever want to have. I never bothered with inferior or lesser gear, I found that I would regret it later on because there's a glass-ceiling effect that happens once you use it to the best possible case you can. Just me though, anybody else like that too?

Do you save and wait?

Or do you buy what you can when you can and do you best with it ? Ever get regrets?

Hmm, with the 400D I started with the kit lens and a cheap 70-300 Sigma lens...

Now on the 5D MK II I only have the 24-70 and the nifty fifty from my 400D - my aim is to only get what I'll keep - so I won't be getting another lens until I can either get a 70-200 2.8 II or a 16-35 - i.e. I would now like to try to ge the best I can and then keep it.

Basically it depends:
If you have time and want things to last - get the best you can - if you need a lens now you might as well get a cheaper one and sell it later on - just I haven't ever sold anything - and possibly won't. Either I keep it or it goes into the bin.

Andrushka wrote in post #10805528
...
Also - one thing that seems a bit ironic is that most of you "only buy the best" folks are shooting Canon when technically there is "better" photo equipment to be had for portraits and landscapes and whatnot (Hassleblad, PhaseOne, Zeiss etc...)

Well, I for one don't shoot "portraits and landscapes and whatnot", I shoot birds and sports and have no need whatsoever for technically inferior, slow bodies and manual lenses. I think I have bought the best for what I do.

Andrushka wrote in post #10805528
Also - one thing that seems a bit ironic is that most of you "only buy the best" folks are shooting Canon when technically there is "better" photo equipment to be had for portraits and landscapes and whatnot (Hassleblad, PhaseOne, Zeiss etc...)

Hassleblad costs a lot more - way, way more - not something I would afford anytime soon - not sure if ever.
Of course there is the Leica S2 - again, about 10 times as expensive as my 5D MK II.

On Zeiss - not all people are good at manual focus - I can't even decide which dioptre setting is right for my eyes - I'm near sigthed, I have a -2 glass on it - but still can't quite make up my mind on the best setting - how should I focus manually? Besides the point that I am dead slow - so manual focussing would cost me ages...

I work with what I have. If I find that I need something, versus, wanting it, I save up until I can afford it.

I buy the best, then I work with what I have.

working with what you got can make it the best, skill is a lengthy purchase

Maybe somebody shares this philosophy as well. And since quality gear is expensive, here are my buying strategies:

1. Buy the best quality you can afford

2. Learn how to squeeze every ounce of quality from the gear you buy

3. Since quality camera gear is expensive, employ the 'buy once, cry once' philosophy.

4. It costs more to buy cheap, sell cheaper and upgrade. Might as well buy the best quality you can afford every step of the way.

dave

^ well said

My Dad taught me a long time ago -- buy the best once rather than going cheap and having to replace it soon after w/ the one you wanted originally.

I buy the best I can afford.

I am not a professional and therefore only bought what I needed. However over time I have upgraded. Went from Canon XT to 5D and now 5D II. Kit lens to 24-105, Canon 28-80 2.8. I also have upgraded from 70-200 f4 to the 70-200 2.8 IS. My advice to get fast glass. It is more expensive but produces better bokeh and freezes action better and would have saved me from buying the 24-105 and 70-200 f4