OHHHH!!!! A New Lens! I REALLY NEED A new one!
Now, I know that each and every single one of us have seen the new lens that Tamron and Sigma are talking about and that are hitting the market currently and we are all drooling over them. I am sure that there are several of us out there that have already emptied our pockets to get our hands on some of these lens. I know that if I was able to I would in a heart beat. However as luck would have it..... the pocketbook is currently empty and I cannot just run out and purchase any lens that I wish.
I have learned that with the inability to purchase lens whenever I feel the need to do so that I must really question myself before I do it. I have to be able to prove to myself that the lens is going to do more then make me feel good, or be more then a bragging piece in my bag of gear. It has to be something that is going to be essential and that I am going to use on the regular and that it is going to earn its keep once I have purchased it. So there are 10 questions that I ask myself before I purchase a lens and if I can answer properly to all 10 then the lens will end up coming home!
1. Is this lens something I want or something that I actually need?
When I first started out I had a kit lens and I wanted every lens known to man. So it was there on my wish list and I was trying to find a way to get all of them. However as I have grown over time certain lens I have learned are slow, or redundant, or are not going to help me. I have learned to research my lens now and I realize not all of them are not for me and therefore I do not need every single piece of glass that every single pro recommends.
2. How often am I really going to use this lens?
I do not want to spend $1,000 or more on something that is going to do nothing more then sit and collect dust in my bag, or on my shelf at home. That is a pointless endeavor. I am not trying to purchase a paperweight. I need lens that are going to help me grow and help me become better. Therefore if the lens is not going to do that, there is no reason for the purchase.
3. Do I have another lens currently that can accomplish the same thing already?
This question tends to be when it comes to upgrading a lens. For example Sigma has the new 24-70 F 2.8 Art that is rumored to be releasing this year according to Petapixel. I already have a Sigma 24-70 F 2.8. Do I need a new one because it is an Art lens? I really don't think so. At this point from what I can see the speed of the lens holds out to be the same, and even though it is an Art lens I just can not justify a possible $1,700 on a lens that I basically already own.
4. Is the lens really worth the price?
In most cases this can be a hard question to answer. I guess this is something that is going to be of a personal choice for you. A month ago I had to send my Sigma 70-200mm in for repair, however before I did I took to Facebook asking for suggestions on quick fixes with an issue I was having. I did not want to be without one of my favorite lens if I didn't have too. In one of the groups a gentleman informed me that the problem I was having was the reason that he switched to only purchasing brand name lens like Canon and Nikor, he was tired of the compatibility issues and a few other things that he mentioned. So to him the higher price for the name brand was now worth it.
5. Is the lens durable?
I need a lens that is durable. I am not saying one that I can throw on the ground and stomp on, but one that is not going to break at the first sign of abuse.
6. How heavy is the lens?
I want a great lens as much as the next photographer, however I also want to save my back. If a lens is heavy it is going to be one that I am not going to want to carry on a regular basis this could cause it to become a rather expensive paper weight.
7. Is the lens weather sealed?
This may or may not be a question that you ask yourself. I shoot outdoors a lot and there are a number of times that I have been caught out in the rain. I want to know that even if I am caught in the rain that my gear is going to be ok. So I need to know that the lens has some sort of weather sealing to it. Now, if you plan on shooting indoors all the time, then this may be something that you do not need to consider.
8, Do I really NEED this lens?
This is a question I think I struggle the most with. Do I really need the lens to make my life easier, and make better images, or is this another item, another want, that maybe I just really don't NEED to have. Another way to look at this is can I live without it?
9. Should this be a now purchase or a later purchase?
There are times that a lens has to be a now purchase based upon what is going on in your business. At other times this is something that can wait. I also like to look at this is a sort of cooling off period. It gives you a chance to re evaluate your answers to all of these questions, make sure that you are not manipulating yourself for new gear, and gives you the chance to ensure that this is going to be a solid purchase for you and your business.
10. Does this lens offer everything that I need?
Seems odd to have to think about this, but believe it or not you should. You don't want to buy a lens and then realize that it does not have everything that you need. Do you need things like auto focus and image stabilization? If so you need to make sure that the lens that you are looking at has these features. If it doesn't then there is no reason for you to even consider the purchase any further.
What questions do you ask yourself before you purchase a lens, or any equipment for that matter? What questions would you add to this list? What would you take out of this list? Leave your comments below. I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic!
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