£1000 to spend...what would you do?

AndyBorzi

AndyBorzi

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My dear nan has left me £1000 in her will, gor bless 'er :crying:

I am in several minds what to buy photography wise and I was hoping for a kick or a push or 'what I would do' advice.

I have a 400D with Sigma 17-70 as its kit lens atm. So...

(based roughly on kerso prices and no rebates)

1) 40D leaving approx £350 (24" monitor maybe)
2) 40D & Canon 10-22 (£50 over)
3) Keep 400D and get 70-200L F4 IS & Canon 10-22
4) 40D & 70-200 L F4 non is
5) Save it :thumbsdown:

I have the option of selling the 400D & 18-55 kit lens for approx £200-250 as well

I am hoping the money comes through before end of year to catch the rebates.

Thanks

AB
 
Sorry to hear of your loss Andy.

Option 3 looks good to me. If you have a 400D already, I would say some L-glass is a better longer-term investment, and ultra-wide angles are great fun.
 
Your kit list looks fine to me already, so unless you need the 40D as you are into massive prints which may benefit from more pixies, I'd suggest you simply picked a few places you want to visit and shoot and put the money into travel/B&Bs!

£1,000 could be 4 good weekends away, or 8 cheaper deals somewhere - the fact you're asking the question suggests to me that you 'know' you don't 'need' more gear. I saw a fantastic presentation of A3 prints recently taken on a 6mp camera; one of those slightly better than a point & shoot - so I know your 400D is a good un, buying a 40D won't make your shots any better

I know several togs with loads of gear that go nowhere to take photos - go get yourself about more I'd say
 
Firstly sorry about your Nan, depsite saying on a previous post I that I would sell my Gran for some decent glass I really wouldn't!

I would keep your current camera and invest in a decent lens, I agree with marky h that it is the better long-term investment. Having said that, DiddyDave makes a good point too, try to keep a little aside and treat yourself to a trip somewhere with fabulous photographic opportunities that you don't get at home.

Let us know what you decide.
 
I agree with Dave. It's an excellent suggestion. If you use budget hotels (travelodge etc) you could make it go a long way, and get to see some interesting parts of the country. It's something I would love to do given the time.
 
When my gran died and left me an inheritance I bought a nice watch so everytime I look at it to tell the time it reminds me of her
 
I've seen the light, as it were.

Thanks guys. You brought me back down to earth!

Diddy Dave has made an excellent point and one that myself and the wife agree on. We are planning on going on a 'Photographic Holiday' in the lakes next year and this will fund part of it. Some of it will also go towards a canvas/large print of one of the photos taken on this holiday and this will be in memorium of my nan.

However, I will want a new lens! I will go for the Canon 10-22 or the Sigma 10-20 depending on the prices at the time as I have always wanted an ultra-wide and will probably come in very handy on this holiday.

I had the red mist yesterday when I was looking how to spend the money!! :LOL:
 
Very sensible and a fitting tribute to your nan

I use a 12-24 all the time in landscape stuff as I love the massive DoF and ability to include very close foreground detail too - keep it on or about f8-f11 for best quality and you can't go wrong as everything from about 2ft to infinity will be in focus; closer still if you use the hyperfocal focusing technique

(y)
 
DiddyDave said:
Very sensible and a fitting tribute to your nan

I use a 12-24 all the time in landscape stuff as I love the massive DoF and ability to include very close foreground detail too - keep it on or about f8-f11 for best quality and you can't go wrong as everything from about 2ft to infinity will be in focus; closer still if you use the hyperfocal focusing technique

(y)
Click to expand...

Is that the Tokina?
 
Horrible when grandparents die :(

Invest in an ISA. You're only committing to these purchases because you've come into money. If you didn't you wouldn't even dream of doing any of this. I'd personally save and let the interest buy you what you NEED in the future. It will also give you more time to think about what you want to do rather than it slowly depleting on everyday life (Bills, Food, Petrol etc).
 
400duser said:
12-24 is normally sigma
Click to expand...

Normally Sigma?
You mean apart from all those tens of thousands of Tokinas out there then?
Or those tens of thousands of Nikons?
Or those tens of thousands of Tamrons?
All of whom do a 12-24 :LOL:

What an odd comment :wacky:
 
Stevo said:
Horrible when grandparents die :(

Invest in an ISA. You're only committing to these purchases because you've come into money. If you didn't you wouldn't even dream of doing any of this. I'd personally save and let the interest buy you what you NEED in the future. It will also give you more time to think about what you want to do rather than it slowly depleting on everyday life (Bills, Food, Petrol etc).
Click to expand...

My sensible side agrees with Stevo, but others have good points too. Get something that you would not normally buy and which will last and reminded you of your lost nan.

DO NOT spend it on Bills, Food, Petrol etc
 
pxl8 said:
Indeed - 400D and 40D are both 10mp :wacky: :D
Click to expand...


Ha Ha - nice one :bonk::bonk::bonk:

Shows how much notice I take of Canon cameras eh!

That being the case, it's an even dafter idea to change cameras and I'm glad with the chosen route to taking pics instead
 
careful of selling the 400d for £200 - £250 I sold a 350D a month ago for about £250, so you should be able to get more.
 
This is what I would do. Keep the body and buy:

Sigma 10-20
Canon 35mm F2.0
Tamron 90mm F2.8 Macro
Canon 70-200 f4 L

About 50 quid or so over budget but a great selection of lenses for the money :)
 
If it was me I'd go for the sigma 10-20 so I had a good wide angle lens for the lakes and given that its far cheaper than the canon you will still be able to put £720 towards the holiday.
 
Mohain said:
This is what I would do. Keep the body and buy:

Sigma 10-20
Canon 35mm F2.0
Tamron 90mm F2.8 Macro
Canon 70-200 f4 L

About 50 quid or so over budget but a great selection of lenses for the money :)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestions but I will go for an ultra wide (possibly sigma), a holiday and a nice momento.

I considered a 30 or 35 prime but not sure if I would use it. I already have a nifty and the 17-70 so I am pretty much covered.
 
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