Top Three Best Photography Purchases

[VVFF]

This thread has absolutely nothing to do with cost and everything to do with how much you value the item for what you spent on it. I'll start it off with my top three:

1. Crumpler Industry Disgrace neckstrap - The Canon branded one is still and cuts into your neck. It's ok for short periods or for lighter cameras but the new strap can be work many ways easily and is always comfortable. Investment - $25

2. Canon 17-55mm - This was a tough one. While I love my 100mm F2.8L IS macro, the 17-55mm can't be denied for its versatility. I use it often, especially when planning on taking pictures indoors. It can resolve so much detail that it really shows off the 50D's resolution. F2.8 and IS are just icing on the cake. Investment - $960

3. Canon 430EX II - I use to hate flash. I planned on never using flash. Then after hearing time and time again that getting a flash will improve your photography I broke down and bought one. Boy is it fun to use. Bouncing the flash can get me really sharp, noise-free and natural looking shots indoors at ISO100-200. I still need to play with it more but it has exceeded my expectations. Investment - $250

Now...it's your turn!

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

1) Sigma 28-70mm f2.8 EX DG
2) Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 EX DG HSM
3) Sigma 100-300 mm f4 EX DG

Total investment $2,347

Because I do a lot of low light sports shooting (especially night auto racing), these three purchases give me 2.8 from 28mm to 200mm and and f4 from 200-300 mm. These lenses will also be used at WDW in June and will give me more options than my previous visit with the Pentax kit lenses.

 

[Master Mason]

1. Cannon 70-200 f/2.8
2. Cannon 24-70 f/2.8
3. Bogen Monopod

The lenses let me shoot at 2.8 though my entire range and the mono lets me hold the heavy lenses for long periods of time think baseball or football game lenght.

 

[annnewjerz]

1. Nikon D90 body ---- approximately $850 (more like $400 after selling my D60 to fund the upgrade). The amount of capabilities and functions this camera has is GREAT. I never knew how much I'd enjoy better high ISO performance, top LCD display for settings, dedicated buttons for ISO, etc. I could have kept on shooting with my D60, but upgrading was a wise move and the best money I've spent yet.

2. Sigma 30mm f/1.4 ---- approximately $375 new. My favorite lens so far, I just love shooting wide open and the nice creamy dreamy background this lens provides is fantastic.

3. Wired shutter release for my camera. The wireless Nikon ML-L3 remote that I had majorly sucked. I don't know if I got a dud, had bad batteries or what, but I am much happier with my wired cable release and even though it was not very expensive (I forget how much exactly, maybe $20) it has much improved my long exposure shots.

 

[Suburbanmom]

1 - Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8
2 - Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8
3 - Extra-long neoprene neck strap. With the weight of the two lenses above, I really love this neck strap. I wear it across my body (messenger bag style) and it takes all the weight off my neck.

 

[WDWFigment]

1 - Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 - of the shots of mine that I consider my "best" more than half have been with this lens. It's really helped me develop my own "style". Although I love it, I'll be leaving it for the Nikkor 14-24 as soon as funds allow.

2 - Nikon D90 - I upgraded to this solely because I wanted better high ISO capability than the D40 delivered. I didn't realize how much I'd love the additional buttons and top LCD screen. I rarely touch a menu on the back LCD screen now (except to adjust how the auto-ISO will function), which I constantly did with the D40. Although I love it, I'll be leaving it for the Nikon D700 as soon as funds allow.

3 - Sigma 30mm f/1.4 - I got this lens solely for dark rides, but I've been expanding its use significantly since then. The bokeh is great; I think it's actually the lens with which I still have the most room to grow/learn.

 

[boBQuincy]

Canon D30 - my first digital SLR, with a smoothness to the images that is still not matched by any of my other dSLRs (D30 has some big pixels).

Canon 70-200 f/4 L - my first L lens, amazingly fast focus and great sharpness, I was spoiled for good.

Ultra-light monopod - I started using these back in the film days, maybe 1999. A big improvement in sharpness and it even helps with IS.

 

[Frantasmic]

1. My Kata backpack. It holds a ton of stuff and two cameras and several lenses.

And I'll quote Mr Quincy for #2:

Canon 70-200 f/4 L - my first L lens, amazingly fast focus and great sharpness, I was spoiled for good.

3. My Manfrotto tripod I got at Ritz camera. It was small and lightweight, but the pistol grip is great for video and camera work.

 

[spinetnglr]

It goes without saying that the best money I spent was the upgrade to the Nikon D300 body from the D40. Otherwise my top three are:

1. Nikkor 17-55mm f2.8 - Purchased used from someone upgrading to FF its the lens that spends the most time on my camera. Cost $900.00

2. Kata DR-467 Backpack - Very comfortable to carry around for extended periods even when fully loaded. Cost $90.00

3. Promaster Wireless shutter release. I bought this on a recommendation from Suburbanmom and so far I really like it. I haven't used it alot but the times that I have it has worked very well. I think its going to be money well spent. $90.00

 

[MarkBarbieri]

1. Canon D60 - My first DSLR. I loved the ability to take virtually unlimited shots and to do my own post-processing.

2. Canon 70-200 f/2.8 IS lens - I've had it for about 6 years and it is has been my favorite lens since the day I got it. I have not used the f/4 version, so I can't say whether it is worth the extra weight and cost.

3. Lightroom - I'm several times more productive post processing pictures than I was with just Photoshop.

Those are the three biggies that stand out as major game changers in my shooting life. Other stuff that made a big difference, but in a much lower league include:

4. 1D Mark II - It was so much faster at everything - focusing, fps, changing settings, etc. I could suddenly get lots of shots that I missed in the past. The difference between it and other cameras out at the time was astronomical.

5. Acrotech Ultimate Ball Head - It was my first ball head. It's a really good head, but the biggest improvement was going from no ball head to a ball head. Getting a really good one was just lagniappe.

6. BlackRapid Strap - Going from the OEM strap to a neoprene Op/Tech strap was nice, but going to the BR was a game changer. The only problem is that it sucks when you are shooting some shots on and some shots off a tripod.

7. L-Bracket - It seems like a little thing but it made using a tripod so much nicer.

Some stuff that I thought would make a big difference that didn't live up to my expectations include:

1. Expodisc - It does what it claims, I just don't find accurate white balance to be that important. It's actually proven to be very useful for video, but for photography, meh.

2. Just about every pack I've ever bought. I always have high hopes, but I guess there's no really great way to lug around a zillion pounds of camera gear gracefully. I really do like my current bag (Kiboko), but it's still far from perfect. I don't think that's the fault of the bag. I think I want something that isn't possible.

3. Fast memory cards - I've never really noticed a difference.

4. 100mm Macro Lens - The lens is fine, I just don't get into macro that much.

 

[KarenAylwood]

Alright I'll bite...

1. Sigma 30mm f/1.4 ($326 on ebay). Great lens, awesome color, depth of field, etc. Can't say enough good things about it.

2. Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8. I say this now because I am still not very far removed from my December trip to London. It was amazing to use there. I hope to make some good use of it at Disney in September this year.

3. Crumpler 5MDH. I carried it for 8 days at Disney and 5 in London and didn't have any issues. Fits camera w/ lens attached and two other lenses but it's tight.

I hope to add to that list this year... my Canon 24-105 f/4L arrives tomorrow and I hope to buy a good manfrotto tripod with a ballhead before the end of the year!!

Close calls are:

4. Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro lens. I love macro and find that even though I don't use the lens all that much, when I do I get consistently awesome shots, and I wish I made myself use it more.

5. My wireless remote. It's not exciting or glamorous, but essential for tripod shooting!

 

[Gdad]

I agree with Mark- the #1 thing I thought of when I read that was my first DSLR which was a D70 kit with an 18-70 lens because it immediately sparked my interest and got me back into photography after many years away. (I picked up a Nikon because it was the one on sale at Circuit City that day by the way.)

#2 would be my 28mm f/1.4 which I have had for about a year now and is still far and away my favorite lens. It's overpriced because Nikon makes very few fast wide primes but it suits my shooting style perfectly and I have never regretted any other concessions I made in my kit to get one. (Like selling the 24-70mm f/2.8)

#3 would be my Film Leader Retriever - for developing your own film that is the most handy $5 gadget ever invented.

 

[IndyShutterbug]

#1 - 5dMark2 - going full frame was going to be great, I heard. When I edited my first batch, it was amazing the difference from the 50D or 20D. I love the high iso performance as well. The only downside is that my 300L is only 300 now!

#2 - Canon 70-200 2.8 IS - I originally purchased the non-IS and returned it the same day to get the IS version. The quality of this lens is amazing and I like it even more now on full frame.

#3 - Canon 24-70 2.8 - Love it! What more is there to say....oh, I wish it had IS.