Can you justify buying the 24-70 even if you are an amateur?

belmondo wrote in post #2269232
Some people spend their money on stylish clothes that are out of fashion in a year.
Some people spend their money on fast cars and never exceed the speed limit.
Some people spend their money on really expensive camera equipment and can't take a decent photo to save their soul. (That would be me.)

Me too, at times (many times). But good camera equipment never goes out of style.

Yep. In terms of financial expenditure vs. enjoyment, it sure beats boating.

He who dieds with the most toys wins!!!

belmondo wrote in post #2269232
Some people spend their money on stylish clothes that are out of fashion in a year.
Some people spend their money on fast cars and never exceed the speed limit.
Some people spend their money on really expensive camera equipment and can't take a decent photo to save their soul. (That would be me.)

It's purely a matter of desire, financial capacity, priorities, and rationalization. Only you can really answer this question for you. We can only answer it for ourselves.

AMEN!

It is only money. If you cannot have fun with it why have it? I know I love my 24-70L.

I know that this is tops on my list come tax season. But knowing my luck, they'll discontinue this lens in March and have a IS version out soon after I buy my lens. Ah well, I will be buying this workhorse new though.

Tom W wrote in post #2269323
Yep. In terms of financial expenditure vs. enjoyment, it sure beats boating.

You got that straight. I could get a cheap-ish L for the cost of a day trip on my boat.

"L" has yet to fail me.

Oh definately, I wouldn't even consider myself an amateur, but I bought it... I started off with the Sigma 18-200... And when I got a little grasp on photograpy, I found myself working that lens in the small sweet spot stopped down to f8 just to get nice images. With that said, I have more workability with my 24-70 than my 18-200.. The thing about these nice lenses is this:

if you lose interest, or don't find your purchase wothwhile, L lenses hold thier resale on the market very well. If all else fails, you can sell it for 75% retail easy..

You can justify most any expense if you try hard enough. It really boils down to wants vs. needs vs. budget. If all the factors add up in your favor....get the lens...if they don't...wait until they do.

I went from a 350D + kit lens in 6 weeks to a 5D, 24-70 L and 70-200 L. Has it improved my pictures? *I* think so. It isn't that mad so long as you can afford it and will use it. I shoot with my 24-70 most of the time.

Woolburr wrote in post #2270586
You can justify most any expense if you try hard enough. It really boils down to wants vs. needs vs. budget. If all the factors add up in your favor....get the lens...if they don't...wait until they do.

Yeah but if you wait until the needs justify, then you probably wasted money.. If your thinking about it it, your gonna buy it anyway, might as well get it now..

You know it will get the best possible quality image for you...why settle for less?

I'm retired (never been a pro photog.), however I do not wish to compromise on image quality...

I spent some younger years slaving over very expensive medical microscopes for a purpose, and will forever appreciate quality glass... anything less is very frustrating to me...the only issue now is cash flow and usage priorities...

Only you can answer this, if you have the money, its worth it.

Just buy it! You will love yourself more

Yes you can and you can learn to use it.

But let me warn that from personal experience I found out that buying a "L" lens will not improve your photography skills one iota!

I bought the 24-70 L about six months after I returned to SLR photography, slapped it the dRebel XT, and went out to capture magic photos. Guess what...it didn't happen

Now, two years later, lots of experience later, I take decent photos, and an occasional great one (as judged by my wife and daughters).

There is no substitute for practice and study. Quite frankly the first year of SLR shooting I got better results from my 28-105MM Mark II than my 24-70MM L.

So my advice is to buy affordable lenses, don't bust your budget, and study every photo you take good or bad to learn from the experience.

At some point in time upgrade to better glass when you feel you have mastered your current kit