should i go to L ?

I'm dissapointed that previous posts have forgotten the forum's mantra - SPEND MORE, GET BOTH, OF COURSE YOU NEED IT, GET A BACK-UP FOR YOUR BACK-UP.

windoze wrote in post #2131025
Hi Bill (BTW, were practically neighbors ),

Lets talk about investments....
Im mid 40's and have never had a good memory. im one of those peeps that loses everything and often misses what everyone sees. My sole reason for taking images is so that I force myself to see what otherwise I would miss for sure. Since taking photos of my 4 kids i have captured not only the beauty of the present but in the coming days when i look back I will have a chest of hidden treasures to enjoy... Do you know of any other more worthwhile investment?

troy

I agree .. I got into photography when I was 15 (took a highschool course) because I wanted to capture my little brothers (8 years younger). But the point still remains that if you have to ask ... then you aren't really missing anything.

How about this. You have some money now that you could spend on a lens which would probably not get you a shot that you can't already get with your existing bag. You'll have photos you would have had anyway and no money. Or .... you keep taking photos of your kids with your existing lenses. You take $2K and invest it such that you return an annualized 10% until you retire at 65. Assuming you're 45 years old now, that one time investment will leave you (or your kids) with $12,231.82.

Better yet, forget the $2K. Start investing $500 a month. Assuming you're 45 now, you're retiring at 65, and you return an annualized 8% after expenses .... you will have invested $120K of your own money but will have over $274K sitting in your account. If you can manage 10% ... you'll sit back with over $343K. Wouldn't that be something nice to leave to your kids or to help pay for their schooling?

Bill

where are you getting this annual 10% return?

speedracersong wrote in post #2139493
where are you getting this annual 10% return?

Look no further--Canon stock, went up more than double the past 5-yrs.

http://finance.yahoo.c​om/q/bc?s=CAJ&t=5y

If you want ideas to spend money, you are in good company

Why Ls - you can also get tripods, flash, lighting, PSDs, memory cards to spend money.

Or go out and enjoy your gear - it's an impressive kit.

speedracersong wrote in post #2139493
where are you getting this annual 10% return?

If you do your homework .. 10% after expenses is not hard to do. The market averages 7 - 8 percent yearly (in the long run) ... it doesn't take a miracle to beat that. There are many hedge fund managers that are returning annualized 15+% returns after expenses, so it's not impossible. Understand enough about the market and US economic cycles and you can make money on the bulls and the bears pretty easily.

FWIW .. I'm up 17% so far this year (year's not over yet, and I got a big help from a good move into CROX a short time ago) in my non 401K and up 7% in the 401K.

Bill

windoze wrote in post #2130601
i have a 20D (still). I like to shoot birds, soccer, and my kids at their school events. I also like some candids.
I have a ef-s 17-55, a canon 50 f/1.4, a canon 70-200 f/2.8 IS, Sigma 120-300 f/2.8 and a canon 400 f/5.6
Am i missing something important or can i finally start to "save" a few dollars....

windoze

You have a great list of lenses! H O W E V E R, I do see 5D as a great addition to your list!

Bill Ng wrote in post #2130979
No one can answer this question for you but you. From a psychological standpoint, one could say, "If you have to ask ... then you don't" ... because you would know if you were lacking in a certain area.

For those of you that answered .... why? What is this incessant need on these forums that everyone must own the entire focal range available from Canon? The OP owns $3K worth of telephotos ranging from 70 - 400mm .... something tells me that he won't really use a 10-22 all that often. Definitely not often enough to warrant a $500+ purchase.

If you have the money .... spend it on something worth while. Throw it into an index fund like the S&P or Russell, or mabye a spider or ETF. Something that will give you a return on your investment (unlike a car, or lenses, or anything else people will try to steer you too on these forums). All of my recommendations above have extremely low expense ratios, little to no load, and are low in risk.

Bill

I agree
I was going to go for another lens until I asked myself the hard question 'what will improve my photograpy the most?' In the end I bought a Spyder Pro2 monitor calibration unit and my pictures have improved more than any lens addition ever would.

windoze wrote in post #2130601
should i go to L ?

Oh go to L

Tapeman wrote in post #2132064
I'm dissapointed that previous posts have forgotten the forum's mantra - SPEND MORE, GET BOTH, OF COURSE YOU NEED IT, GET A BACK-UP FOR YOUR BACK-UP.

Yes, live dangerously!!