I'm suffering from a GAS flare up!

For the better part of a decade my only camera has been a 5D mark II. When the Mark III was released, the IQ was virtually the same as the II, so I skipped it. With all of Nikon's issues with the D800 and D750, I was happy to just stick with my 5D2. I think getting over GAS really helped me grow as a photographer; but part of that growth was realizing that Canon doesn't make a good version of my favorite lens, a fast 28mm prime. If I buy a D850 and 28mm f/1.4, though, that's the same price as a Leica Q2. So why shouldn't I just buy a Leica Q2 as my 28mm "lens"? Have I completely lost my mind?

LostArk wrote in post #18840908
For the better part of a decade my only camera has been a 5D mark II. When the Mark III was released, the IQ was virtually the same as the II, so I skipped it. With all of Nikon's issues with the D800 and D750, I was happy to just stick with my 5D2. I think getting over GAS really helped me grow as a photographer; but part of that growth was realizing that Canon doesn't make a good version of my favorite lens, a fast 28mm prime. If I buy a D850 and 28mm f/1.4, though, that's the same price as a Leica Q2. So why shouldn't I just buy a Leica Q2 as my 28mm "lens"? Have I completely lost my mind?

Yes, you've completely lost your mind.

So, here's where you begin.

Rent the Leica Q2 when it becomes available. LensRentals (I have no financial interest in them) has it available starting on May 28, 2019 for 7 days for $257.

https://www.lensrental​s.com/rent/leica-q2

I'm sure you can also easily put together a rental package for the D850 and the 28mm f/1.4.

Let's say that by the time you've rented the two kits from somewhere you've spent $700. Yeah that's probably overstating a bit, but it's probably a realistic sum of what you'll spend.

Shoot a subject/topic with your current kit, the 5DMkII and I assume the 28mm f/1.8. Then shoot the same with the respective Leica and Nikon kits.

Now spend some time planning photography related travel to the tune of $5,000, the B&H retail price of the Leica. Where would you go? What would you shoot? Would you do this over one trip or many? Would you include travel for photography courses/workshops?

Evaluate.

How do your Leica and Nikon images compare with your Canon images, allowing of course for expertise differences? How much better are your Leica or Nikon images over your Canon images? Are those differences worth $5K? Would your money be better spent on travel to other locations to create some great photos?

GAS isn't rational. The logical thing would be to ask, "What do you want to make for photos that you cannot achieve with your current gear?" The GAS thing is, "I want that!" Ultimately it is your money. What do you want to do with your money?

Hope this helps!

@mathogre
WHAT A GREAT POST!

5DIV and a fast 24mm, which I assume you already have, would give you much better IQ than your MkII even after being cropped to 28mm equivalent.

I've seen them going for as low as 1500-1700 bucks, and with the continued development of the R, there will be more and more at that price point.

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LostArk wrote in post #18840908
For the better part of a decade my only camera has been a 5D mark II. ..... realizing that Canon doesn't make a good version of my favorite lens, a fast 28mm prime.

If you have only used a 5D Mark 2 for the last decade, and you say Canon doesn't make your favorite lens, then, well ..... how do you know it is your favorite lens if you haven't used one for over 10 years? . Did you used to use a 28mm f1.4 years ago, way back before you got your 5D2 ?

Actually, Canon does make a 28mm prime that I would consider to be relatively fast:
https://www.bhphotovid​eo.com …3_Wide_Angle_EF​_28mm.html

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LostArk wrote in post #18840908
If I buy a D850 and 28mm f/1.4, though, that's the same price as a Leica Q2. So why shouldn't I just buy a Leica Q2 as my 28mm "lens"? Have I completely lost my mind?

Well, Canon makes a 28mm f1.8, but you seem to really want a 28mm f1.4 instead. . It looks like the options you're considering are in the $5,000 range.

You could get a Canon 28mm f1.8 for $500, and a nice used Canon 5D Mark 4 for about $1,800 ...... for a total of around $2,300.

So, that setup with a 28mm f1.8 lens would be $2,300, compared to $5,000 for a setup with a 28mm f1.4 lens.

Is the jump from f1.8 to f1.4 really worth spending an extra $2,700 ? . That is the decision that you have to make.

If I were making that decision, I would take an objective view of the images I create and the images that I want to create, and think about whether the difference between f1.8 and f1.4 would really be that helpful in creating those images. . If you had a 28mm f1.4, would you really be shooting it wide open that much?

Because the modern cameras that you are considering are so good at higher ISO performance, the extra shutter speed that f1.4 allows isn't really important, because these days you can just increase the ISO to get that shutter speed. . So it really comes down to depth of field - that is really the only practical difference between the $2,300 setup and the $5,000 setup. . I don't think the difference in DOF between f1.8 and f1.4 is very significant at a focal length of 28mm. . But that is your choice to make, as only you know exactly what images you want to make and what you want them to look like.

I clicked on the 500px link in your signature to see what kind of images you make, so that I could offer some insight into your gear decisions ..... unfortunately, when I click on the link to view your photos, all I get is an error message saying that that page doesn't exist.

Could you please update your signature link, so that we can see your work? . It's really hard to offer suggestions and insights to someone about what gear to use if we don't know exactly what kinds of imagery you create.


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Tom Reichner wrote in post #18841127
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If you have only used a 5D Mark 2 for the last decade, and you say Canon doesn't make your favorite lens, then, well ..... how do you know it is your favorite lens if you haven't used one for over 10 years?
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I've updated my signature with the correct URL. In addition to portraits, I also like street photography Here's an example shot with the 24L II @ f/1.4. I know I prefer 28mm because of all the time I've spend with the 24L (it's too wide), which is also why I know I prefer f/1.4. I've also owned the 28mm f/1.8, which gives potato IQ at anything other than f/8.

After making this post I realized Sigma recently released a 28mm 1.4 "Art" that's weather sealed. Looks like the sane thing to do would be to go that route and pick up a 5D IV on clearance once the 5D V starts shipping...

LostArk wrote in post #18841306
I've updated my signature with the correct URL. In addition to portraits, I also like street photography Here's an example shot with the 24L II @ f/1.4. I know I prefer 28mm because of all the time I've spend with the 24L (it's too wide), which is also why I know I prefer f/1.4. I've also owned the 28mm f/1.8, which gives potato IQ at anything other than f/8.

So .... your favorite lens is a lens that you have not even used? . I'm not saying that to be insulting, it's just something that I find unusual.

I think that most people, if they've never owned it, instead of calling it their "favorite lens", would probably say that they would like to move to a 28mm f1.4 in the near future. . It's just that the term "my favorite ......" is usually reserved for things that people have extensive personal experience with, not for things that they have only thought about using.
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LostArk wrote in post #18841306
After making this post I realized Sigma recently released a 28mm 1.4 "Art" that's weather sealed. Looks like the sane thing to do would be to go that route and pick up a 5D IV on clearance once the 5D V starts shipping...

Well that seems perfect, then! . Guess it doesn't matter if Canon makes a 28mm f1.4 or not. . If you can get a good one that comes in an EF mount, then that is just as good - maybe even better, than a Canon would be.

I'm glad for you that a perfect lens/body combination is available to you at a much more affordable price than the alternatives you mentioned.

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