Going DSLR: Budget for the Glass
One of the biggest mistakes that people make when getting into the world of a DSLR camera is to spend a majority of their budget on the camera body and then skimp when it comes to lens purchases. I made this mistake myself: when I purchased my Canon Digital Rebel in 2003 I spent about $1000 for the body but then purchased a $200 lens (the Canon EF 75-300mm). I ended up with a good camera body, but a zoom lens that was soft at either end of the range.
I’ll blame it on two factors: I hadn’t done enough research which would’ve warned me away from this lens, and I liked the price. When it comes to lenses, however, you generally get what you pay for, and I got a mediocre lens in exchange for the low price.
When you are considering a DSLR purchase, be sure to budget for some quality lenses. Buying a $1000 camera body that can take great photos isn’t much fun when your results are hampered by poor-quality lenses. My favorite site to read lens reviews is Fred Miranda, so if you’re wondering what to purchase head over there and read what others had to say. Most of the lens manufacturers offer at least a couple lenses at each focal length, sometimes you have three options. You may not need the multi-thousand-dollar pro lens at f/2.8, but you probably don’t want the cheap low-quality lens at f/5.6 either.
Do your research, save your money, and purchase quality glass. It should last many years and you’ll be happy that you spent a few extra dollars to get the most out of your photography equipment.
Comments
Leave a Reply
We have a simple comment policy: contribute to the discussion and refrain from personal attacks. First-time commenters will be moderated as a spam prevention measure.
