The best advice I learned from Popular Photography a few decades ago was not to buy photo gear to fulfill an anticipated need. Buy only after you have established a real need. Buying in anticipation is a good way to stock your closet with dust collectors.
I have also learned that it's very difficult to predict one's own path in photography. During a 12 month period, not so long ago, I purchased a 60D, an old 35 f2.0, a 70-200 II, a 7D, and a 17-55. These were upgrades to an XT and I thought that I was set for many years to come. The 7D was a dream to use and I could not image needing another body. For a year, this gear got heavy use.
The 5D3 was introduced at the end of this buying spree and there wasn't a FF body short of the newly introduced $7,000 1Dx that could offer the focus tracking that I needed from the 7D. Plus, it's very hard to fully appreciate the benefits of FF until you use one. I was convinced that I would never need to go that expensive route. (Candidly, I didn't want to entertain the possibility that FF was in my future because of the related costs.)
Then, I discovered that I was pushing these crop sensors to their limits with high ISO use and I craved cleaner images with less post processing. Other's started discovering my images and I was motivated to step up my game. That's when I took the plunge with the first 5D3 and it's kit 24-105 f4 lens. Then came the second 5D3, then the 24-70 II and the new 35 f2.0 IS. Of the gear that I bought during the first spending spree, only the 70-200 sees regular use.
I don't regret purchasing the crop bodies, the old 35, and the 17-55 -- all filled a need that I had at the time and all contributed to thousands of images in my collection. Without this gear, I never would have pushed my own envelope in photography to the point where FF became an valued asset.
If my kids were not so active in their sports, I might still be happy with those crop bodies. I don't use that old gear quite so much any more, but I've kept it for my wife and kids.
I have also learned that it's very difficult to predict one's own path in photography. During a 12 month period, not so long ago, I purchased a 60D, an old 35 f2.0, a 70-200 II, a 7D, and a 17-55. These were upgrades to an XT and I thought that I was set for many years to come. The 7D was a dream to use and I could not image needing another body. For a year, this gear got heavy use.
The 5D3 was introduced at the end of this buying spree and there wasn't a FF body short of the newly introduced $7,000 1Dx that could offer the focus tracking that I needed from the 7D. Plus, it's very hard to fully appreciate the benefits of FF until you use one. I was convinced that I would never need to go that expensive route. (Candidly, I didn't want to entertain the possibility that FF was in my future because of the related costs.)
Then, I discovered that I was pushing these crop sensors to their limits with high ISO use and I craved cleaner images with less post processing. Other's started discovering my images and I was motivated to step up my game. That's when I took the plunge with the first 5D3 and it's kit 24-105 f4 lens. Then came the second 5D3, then the 24-70 II and the new 35 f2.0 IS. Of the gear that I bought during the first spending spree, only the 70-200 sees regular use.
I don't regret purchasing the crop bodies, the old 35, and the 17-55 -- all filled a need that I had at the time and all contributed to thousands of images in my collection. Without this gear, I never would have pushed my own envelope in photography to the point where FF became an valued asset.
If my kids were not so active in their sports, I might still be happy with those crop bodies. I don't use that old gear quite so much any more, but I've kept it for my wife and kids.
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