L glass ? What is that then ?

Sorry

Lot of threads running on this at the moment.

However, I just can't get excited about fancy glass. I couldn't give a monkeys what colour a lens is, what colour the little ring is or even what maker's name is printed on it. I care even less if it has the letter L stamped on it somewhere.

I will buy a lens purely based on whether it meets my particular requirements. I will weigh up the costs/features/benefit​s offered by several makers offerings and then decide based on that. It is a tool, just like the body.

Of the six lenses I have bought in the past 1.5 years, using these simple rules, only one of them is a Canon lens and that isn't stamped with the letter "L".

I still produce good pictures and I still enjoy myself. Hey, and I still have savings in the bank I can use for other things.

Am I wrong ?

Cheers

Ian


(DISCLAIMER - If you are a Pro and you do need to produce the absolute best quality you can to earn money to put food on the table, then I fully understand the reasons to go for L glass. In addition, if you are not a Pro but have loads of cash (or don't mind starving), then by all means, buy L, it is your money).

You're obviously not normal. You need a good psychologist who will
bring you back into the mainstream of healthy, happy American capitalist thought, while charging you $200/hr. for the privilege.

This reminds me of discussions among audiophiles, some of whom are willing to spend wopping $$ to get the ultimate bass and high frequency response speaker or receiver even though they've already lost most of their LF/HF hearing acuity because of age or listening to headphones at high volumes for too long.

If you can afford the luxury (L), it's no big deal to pony up the $$ for what is claimed to be the best. I consider myself less fortunate and more prudent in my choices (2 of my 5 lenses are L, and both of those are f4 and not the more expensive f2.8 versions).

I think everyone here aims to be prudent but nonetheless struggles with . . .

What is the value of joy and self-satisfaction?

Obviously there's nothing wrong with your approach to buying photo gear. It's like anything else. A Honda will get you to the store just the same as a BMW, but which would you rather have if you could have either one?

Some people do get excited about fancy glass. Everyone has something they lust after. For some it's cars, for some it's optics. Different strokes.

iwatkins wrote:
Sorry

Lot of threads running on this at the moment.

However, I just can't get excited about fancy glass. I couldn't give a monkeys what colour a lens is, what colour the little ring is or even what maker's name is printed on it. I care even less if it has the letter L stamped on it somewhere.

I will buy a lens purely based on whether it meets my particular requirements. I will weigh up the costs/features/benefit​s offered by several makers offerings and then decide based on that. It is a tool, just like the body.

Of the six lenses I have bought in the past 1.5 years, using these simple rules, only one of them is a Canon lens and that isn't stamped with the letter "L".

I still produce good pictures and I still enjoy myself. Hey, and I still have savings in the bank I can use for other things.

Am I wrong ?

Cheers

Ian

I, for one, don't think you're wrong. I agree with you 100%. Oops. I take that back. I'll agree with you 99.9%. The part I don't agree with is your statement, "I just can't get excited about fancy glass". You see, I DO get excited about fancy glass. Not because it's an L but because it'll allow me to take the kind of pictures I couldn't with the other lenses I have. So, although I can get excited about some fancy glass, it doesn't necessarily have to be an L lens I get excited about. It's the fact that more picture taking opportunities have opened up for me with the new glass, whether it be an L or a Sigma EX (and that's where I draw the line) that excites me.

Well...this seems to be an emotionally charged discussion. What I don't hear people talk about is the other parts of lenses, focusing motors, build quality, noise (audible) levels.... I do own L series lenses, but the decision wasn't purely based on the optical quality of the glass (other vendors are fairly competetive there). the decisions for me are based on the package of performance features. I have yet to find a lens that matches the ones I have, feature for feature. To me thats where the trade space is (motors speed, noise etc) if you want to buy more economical lenses.

I concur Ian.. in fact;

Lenses I have used that were optically as good as any others.. (including L)

EF 50mm f/1.8
EF 85mm f/1.8
EF 135mm f/2.8
EX 70-200mm f/2.8
EX 50-500mm
EX 500mm f/4.5

...and I know I'll find more as time goes by...

You do bring up a good point - I haven't found a lens yet, except for my 17-40L that matches the precision and smoothness of my 50 mm breech-lock lens on my FT. The focus and aperture adjustments are buttery smooth. Its a well-machined lens assembly - something that is sadly lacking in today's world.

E.D. Sterns wrote in post #152450
Obviously there's nothing wrong with your approach to buying photo gear. It's like anything else. A Honda will get you to the store just the same as a BMW, but which would you rather have if you could have either one?

It depends. If they're both under warranty, I'll take the BMW.

Who's been digging in the archive..?

Kevin - you were a lad of ten when this thread started!

I totally agree with you. You can always spot an amatuer on this website when you see an overemphasis on L lenses. You get goofy questions like.. "how do you clean an L lens"? I think when buying a lens, forget the letter L and get the best glass for the job. Sometimes it will be an L, and many times it won't. I have 12 lenses and 4 are L lenses, and I didn't buy them because they were Ls.

Wow.. a seven year old thread revived!

rick_reno wrote in post #12712335
It depends. If they're both under warranty, I'll take the BMW.

With a BMW, you're more likely to actually use the warranty Of course, Hondas have no pep and sound like farts. I split the difference and go VW

Oh wait, what were we talking about again?

I tripped over some seriously thick cobweb.