Is buying a new lens for a vacation silly?

[KarenAylwood]

I'm going on an unexpected 4 1/2 day trip to London in December. I have a Canon XSi with the kit lens (hardly use), the 18-200mm, Sigma 30mm f/1.4 and Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro. I was going to bring the 30mm and the 18-200mm, and have a Crumpler 5MDH. I know it fits 2 lenses and one on the body but I found it a tight squeeze at Disney in September (I only carried my 30mm and 18-200).

I bought the 30mm partly for the Disney trip, but also because a lot of friends were having babies and I love the look of the pictures, depth of field, etc from this lens.

Now I'm wondering if I should buy the Tokina 11-16mm for my trip to London. Would I get much use out of it? Prior to this I was either planning on buying it sometime next spring, or asking for it for Christmas. Should I just bite the bullet and buy it now? I feel like it's silly to buy it just for vacation but then I tell myself who knows how many years it will be until I get back to Europe. I'm also worried about fitting the 18-200, the 30mm and the 11-16 all in my 5MDH.

I'm just being indecisive. Any advice?

 

[WDWFigment]

If you are planning on asking for it for Christmas, would you really be buying it "just" for vacation? These rare trips and moments are probably the reason most of us non-pros here are into photography, anyway. If you have the funds, I say get it.

 

[EpcotKilterFan]

I'm going on an unexpected 4 1/2 day trip to London in December. I have a Canon XSi with the kit lens (hardly use), the 18-200mm, Sigma 30mm f/1.4 and Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro. I was going to bring the 30mm and the 18-200mm, and have a Crumpler 5MDH. I know it fits 2 lenses and one on the body but I found it a tight squeeze at Disney in September (I only carried my 30mm and 18-200).

I bought the 30mm partly for the Disney trip, but also because a lot of friends were having babies and I love the look of the pictures, depth of field, etc from this lens.

Now I'm wondering if I should buy the Tokina 11-16mm for my trip to London. Would I get much use out of it? Prior to this I was either planning on buying it sometime next spring, or asking for it for Christmas. Should I just bite the bullet and buy it now? I feel like it's silly to buy it just for vacation but then I tell myself who knows how many years it will be until I get back to Europe. I'm also worried about fitting the 18-200, the 30mm and the 11-16 all in my 5MDH.

I'm just being indecisive. Any advice?

Can't help with the lens question, but I can assure you that it will not all fit in the 5MDH. I just got a 6MDH yesterday and will be trying to fit my Canon XTi and 2 lenses in it (70-200 & 10-18 plus the lens on the camera). (Sure hope it does!)

Debbie

 

[Code]

I've bought more than one lens just for vacation, including a UWA. My advice, though, is if you're going to buy it, do it NOW so you can get to know it beforehand. UWA definitely has a learning curve to use effectively.

 

[Frantasmic]

There's no such thing as a "bad" reason to purchase new camera gear, especially if it's for such an event as a vacation (or a trip to the store, or a hang nail, or Johnny getting a 73 on his English paper, etc. )

 

[KarenAylwood]

There's no such thing as a "bad" reason to purchase new camera gear, especially if it's for such an event as a vacation (or a trip to the store, or a hang nail, or Johnny getting a 73 on his English paper, etc. )

hang nail. Love it.

I know, but I feel like I have put limits on when I can buy camera equipment and then never follow them because something "comes up." (so in so's having a baby, Disney is coming up, etc). I guess I could ask for money to go towards my next want for Christmas (the 24-105 f/4.0L... definitely won't be in my stocking this year!!)

I've had my eye on the 11-16 for a little while now. Maybe just an excuse to bite the bullet and get it.

Debbie~ I know! I'm worried about it all fitting! I have another bag that may be able to hold it but it will take some effort. I guess if I buy it now & find out it won't fit, I'll have time to upgrade to a 5th bag?

 

[My2Girls66]

I've never been to London but I have been to Paris, Rome and many other small towns in Europe. I think a trip to London would justify buying an ultra wide a bit early. The 18mm end of your 18-200 would be ok but I think in a city like that an ultra wide would come in handy. Since you plan on getting it anyway you'd probably wish you had it once there.

 

[mabas9395]

It would be an insult to all of us here on the photography board if you had a legitimate excuse to buy new camera gear and did not take advantage of it.

 

[Evad]

I plan vacations just so I then have a reason to buy new gear. What better excuse can you get...... Go for it.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

There's no such thing as a "bad" reason to purchase new camera gear, especially if it's for such an event as a vacation (or a trip to the store, or a hang nail, or Johnny getting a 73 on his English paper, etc. )

Without a doubt!

And if you don't buy it you'll constantly be walking around London with the 18mm and wishing you had something "just a bit wider"!

 

[Steve's Girl]

You can use a Lowepro lens case and attach it to the loops on the Crumpler bag. I've done it many times and it works well. The Lowepro bags attach very securely.

 

[AndrewWG]

Nah, don't buy it. Rent it. Then spend the money you would have spent on the lens while on vacation.

 

[boBQuincy]

>Is buying a new lens for a vacation silly?

If it is then call me silly! Hmm, I haven't just bought a new lens for a vacation, I also bought a new camera. More than once!

Don't look here for someone to say "no, don't buy it...".

 

[WDWFigment]

Nah, don't buy it. Rent it. Then spend the money you would have spent on the lens while on vacation.

I have never understood the obsession with renting lenses around here. Maybe you all have a lot more money than me, but renting lenses is not really a sound use of money. I can understand it with exotic stuff, but with a $500 lens that you plan on buying anyway? Not a pragmatic move.

 

[AndrewWG]

I have never understood the obsession with renting lenses around here. Maybe you all have a lot more money than me, but renting lenses is not really a sound use of money. I can understand it with exotic stuff, but with a $500 lens that you plan on buying anyway? Not a pragmatic move.

Well to me a $100 rental over a $500 purchase makes more sense. Just my personal financial situation at this time.

 

[jann1033]

gotta say i agree with Andy on this, unless you really want it and will use it after vacation why not save the cash and rent it if it's a lens you will rarely/never use otherwise.( or can't afford to buy right now) you still have the photos you took with it no matter if you bought or rented it.

it sounds like the op will use it or thinks she will at least so imo that isn't really buying it for just one trip/vacation but just buying it earlier . if you can swing it financially get it, if not seek another option like borrowing it or renting it.

however, i have bought a few lenses that if i had rented them first I may not have ever bought them so ended up losing money in the long run( ie one i could have rented twice for the $200 i lost selling it , one i have sitting here with basically no chance of selling but basically never use so lost pretty much $400+ on that one, or 4 rental.....

given the number of companies that rent lenses i don't think the majority of their business comes from the dis

 

[WDWFigment]

Well to me a $100 rental over a $500 purchase makes more sense. Just my personal financial situation at this time.

However, at the end of the rental period, what do you have to show for the $100 you paid for the rental? Conversely, if you purchase the lens and do not like it, you can re-sell it and recoup your money. With things such as Bing.com's cashback, it is now very easy to purchase a lens, especially with a little due diligence to get a better price, and re-sell it for the same amount or more than you paid for it.

In the past year, I have purchased three lenses to "try out", and in total, even after transaction costs (excluding the cost of my time), I have profited $340 on those lenses. Obviously lens rental companies get business from people outside of Disboards. Just because a business is prospering doesn't mean it's good for the consumer. Heck, Rent-a-Centers are all over the place, but that doesn't mean they're a good idea, either.

All my propositions do require a little due diligence. If you're extremely wealthy or you place an exceedingly high value on your time, you probably are better off renting.

 

[WDWFigment]

however, i have bought a few lenses that if i had rented them first I may not have ever bought them so ended up losing money in the long run( ie one i could have rented twice for the $200 i lost selling it , one i have sitting here with basically no chance of selling but basically never use so lost pretty much $400+ on that one, or 4 rental.....

Again, this all depends upon how you do things. If you're paying full price from Ritz or buying from the local camera shop (or even Best Buy), of course you will lose money when you sell it.

However, if you develop an eye for the average price of completed listings on eBay, watch the new listed buy-it-now items, and quickly pounce (with Bing.com cashback - currently at 8%) when you see something 15%+ below the average price, you won't lose money when you resell. I try to resell lenses on Craigslist to eliminate eBay and Paypal fees (and any likelihood of a transaction dispute), but even if you resell on eBay, you should still pull in a slight profit.

It may all sound complicated, but it really isn't bad. Especially when learning the 'system' is the difference between a new toy and nothing.

 

[Code]

Have to agree with Tom. If you make a smartly priced purchase, you can easily resell and lose much less than the rental fee, or even turn a profit. If I rent, I still have to put a big deposit down, I just consider the purchase my deposit.

Just don't forget, whether you rent or buy to resell, to add insurance. You can put a Scheduled Personal Property endorsement on your homeowners or renters insurance for pretty cheap.

 

[KarenAylwood]

>
Don't look here for someone to say "no, don't buy it...".

I thought about that yesterday. Maybe I was just looking for a push over the edge?

This is a lens I had already decided on buying, just not so soon. Either ask for it for Christmas or buy it sometime early spring. I guess this is just buying it early- it's still going to be the same $600 now as then I guess.

I have considered renting before- I'm going to sometime later when I try to choose between the 24-70 f/2.8L and the 24-105 f/4L. I guess I had promised myself after the last spur of the moment decision to buy the Sigma 30mm, that I wouldn't buy anymore equipment until next year. I won't be going back to Europe for a long time and I feel like I'd regret not having one. I was so happy I had decided to buy the Sigma 30mm before my Disney trip- I am hoping I'll think the same thing after this trip!