DSLRUsers.com

As a new member I was intrigued to hear about lens lust, as I had not come across that particular expression before. Although I had not heard of it, I think I have a strong dose of it.

OK I will come straight out…my name is Stuart Macdonald and I am a “lensaholic”. I am never happy with the lens I have and always want a better one.

Now that I have admitted it, I need someone to tell me what lenses will make me happy. I need to have the “ideal” lenses (ideal meaning a good mix of quality and affordability).

I currently have the following lenses:

• AF-s 24-85 mm f/3.5-4.5 G (I am in the process of selling this lens)
• AF 70-300 mm f/4-5.6D ED (not overly impressed)

I was thinking of getting a AF-s 12-24 mm f/4G DX ED-IF for some true wide angle shots but don’t know what mid range zoom to get.

Also, should I keep the 70-300 or is there a better option.

Hoping to tap into the vast experience of the members here……..

Stuart Macdonald

smac wrote:I currently have the following lenses:

• AF-s 24-85 mm f/3.5-4.5 G (I am in the process of selling this lens)
• AF 70-300 mm f/4-5.6D ED (not overly impressed)

I was thinking of getting a AF-s 12-24 mm f/4G DX ED-IF for some true wide angle shots but don’t know what mid range zoom to get.

Also, should I keep the 70-300 or is there a better option.

Hoping to tap into the vast experience of the members here……..

Stuart Macdonald

OK, here's the path to the lust:
- Get rid of your 24-85G and find a new home for your 70-300G
Start with 12-24DX and 24-120VR, last one with 70-200VR + TC 1.7.
Then you'll have a full range cover from 12-200 or 12 - 340 with TC.

Did you mean I should get the 24-120VR AND the 70-200VR or should it be one OR the other??? [/quote]

smac wrote:Did you mean I should get the 24-120VR AND the 70-200VR or should it be one OR the other???

[/quote]

smac,
the 24-120VR and the 70-200VR are two difference lens and league.
get both of them.

He means both

Feeding the lust can be dangerous, perhaps I will start with the 12-24 and the 24-120 and hang on to the 70-300 hoping that the desire will subside....

Then when I realise that the lust is a disease that can't be controlled I will splash out for the 70-200VR

Do you think I could live with that?

from another forum, but it fits............

"Lust is a big problem, it doesn't matter if is over the next lens for your camera or
a woman, it is very expensive."

cheers
bp

smac wrote:Feeding the lust can be dangerous, perhaps I will start with the 12-24 and the 24-120 and hang on to the 70-300 hoping that the desire will subside....

Then when I realise that the lust is a disease that can't be controlled I will splash out for the 70-200VR

Do you think I could live with that?

smac,
Start something with light dose first ( 12-24 + 24-120) and if the lust still persist then get the 70200VR for heavy dose treatment

smac wrote:Feeding the lust can be dangerous, perhaps I will start with the 12-24 and the 24-120 and hang on to the 70-300 hoping that the desire will subside....

Then when I realise that the lust is a disease that can't be controlled I will splash out for the 70-200VR

Do you think I could live with that?

For a while, until you see a 200-400VR

Birddog,

Thank you....just what I needed.....you have satisfied my lust....in fact if I was a smoker I would be lying back enjoying a cigarette right now....

There's a 200-400VR !!!!!! Does it ever end, luckily my son is doing psychology at Macquarie....perhaps he will come up with a cure.

And of course you will just HAVE to have a 50mm and/or 85mm 1.4 prime AND of course a 105mm macro AND no kit is complete without a fisheye lens.... Now lets get started on Flash and camera body lust... of course you'll need a good tripod and head, there goes another grand, etc,etc,...

Hehe, it never ends... Just smile and hand over your credit card

There is only one known cure for lens lust.... Poverty

Birddog, you should carry a warning handing out such good, but costly advice

--Wadem

Don't forget the 80-400VR as a cheaper alternative to the 70-200VR + TC...

I bought the 400VR and can only say that you will forget the 70-300 after you have tried this... While I know that the 70-200VR is a mighty fine lens, I think that my optimal collection will be:
12-24mm
24-120 VR
80-400 VR

plus a couple of primes 50mm and the 105mm Micro...

and maybe a 1.7TC on top of that...

If I had all of those, then I could finally sell my kit lens...

Ah... but then there's the tripod... and the ball-head and the Hard Disk unit... and the... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

smac wrote:Feeding the lust can be dangerous, perhaps I will start with the 12-24 and the 24-120 and hang on to the 70-300 hoping that the desire will subside....
?

No it never subsides, it haunts us all in our dreams..
I would recomend the 24-120VR as a great utility lens for every day use, the 12-24 is one I would love to have as well as the 70-200VR.
Just need to win lotto or get a second job, bank loan, sell body parts..

smac,
Pls. take it slowly! it's a long winding road ahead. See the harvest with your labour first and enjoy it.
God! who knows! one day you'll have all the mighty lenses in your hand as your treatment keep going on and never stop.

and it's the attachment to our desires that causes suffering, of course

It is a sad affiliction that is for sure. On top of the 80-400VR I bought from Birddog I have now added the 70-200VR 2.8. Got to stop, got to stop, got to stop....................................................................

rjlhughes wrote:and it's the attachment to our desires that causes suffering, of course

Agreed! but then will exchange the suffering with happiness if you can jusify them

Oneputt wrote:It is a sad affiliction that is for sure. On top of the 80-400VR I bought from Birddog I have now added the 70-200VR 2.8. Got to stop, got to stop, got to stop....................................................................

Oneputt,
There's another 200-400VR waiting within your desire in the near future, then a D2x or D90 or D200 or D3x will flow smoothly in your life without any notice of the suffering.

Birddog I don't need any encouragement from you thanks

Oneputt wrote:Birddog I don't need any encouragement from you thanks

The sad part is Birddogs prices are so cheap, that you would be silly not to buy it

Oneputt,
One bullet or ten bullets won't make difference to life isn't it?
If you can handle one bullet right to the heart so another 9 will flow in easy.

Birddog, that is just sick...sick sick sick and greatly disturbing

PiroStitch wrote:Birddog, that is just sick...sick sick sick and greatly disturbing

Wayne,
Yes, I know and am sorry, but our life is that way!
Or with a full glass of water, if you have or try to top it up with few more drops into it, nothing will change isn't it?

I agree Birddog, live is too short to stress about the little things. Now where did I put my cheque book..............................

I have just sold my 24-85 AF-s so what am I to do........???? Gotta get a fix real soon............

As they say ......tis better to have loved and lust than to never have lust at all.

Stuart

smac wrote:I have just sold my 24-85 AF-s so what am I to do........???? Gotta get a fix real soon............

As they say ......tis better to have loved and lust than to never have lust at all.

Stuart

smac,
As said, 12-24 & 24-120VR

Hi Stuart, I'd have to give my vote for the 24-120 VR as well. Its the lens that is most attached to my camera as it has a very useful focal length, and VR is just awesome (1 sec hand held with minimal (to no) camera/lens shake)!

Thanks for all of your replies, it is unanimous........a 12-24 and 24-120VR will soon be satisfying my lust........

smac wrote:Thanks for all of your replies, it is unanimous........a 12-24 and 24-120VR will soon be satisfying my lust........

Stuart

You've made absolutely the right decision. Now all you nned to do is decide on whether the 12-24 is the Sigma or the Nikon. I'd urge the Nikon since that's what I've got, but it costs about 30% more than the Sigma. The SIgma can't take filters on the front and is heavier. The SIgma has less barrell distortion (so I'm told). Of course if I attached Sigma glass to my quality Nikon camer the camera would probably stop working. BTW - I started with 18-70 and 70-300G. My first purchase was 12-24 DX. A while later I got the 24-120 VR and retired the 18-70. Later I robbed a bank and replaced the 70-300 with the 70-200 + 1.7 TC. I then later still got the 50/1.4 prime. I'm pretty happy lens wise now.

Of course now I have SB800 lust and tripod lust to deal with!

Very Good Phillip

phillipb wrote:There is only one known cure for lens lust.... Poverty

I can only lust.....and get a bit green with envy......

Deb

There is only one way to cure this (well actually several, but this is the least dangerous).

1. Find a big hammer (how about a DX2?)
2. Hit yourself on the forehead with it. Repeatedly.
3. While exercising step 2, chant the mantra 'I do not want it, I do not need it'

If this fails, the more drastic option is...

1. Print out Birdy's pricelist.
2. Circle all the lenses you just HAVE to have to make you a better photographer, or that you are convinced will help you get the shot that you couldnt have any other way.
3. Subtotal the required expenditure in big red bold numbers at the bottom
4. (OPTIONAL) Consider packing bags for your departure out the door
5. Show the completed form to the significant other...

Or use the following simple and no cost treatment which our ancestor did many years ago.

Print out the lens lust list in our bargain section, pray at it then burn it.
Get the ashes from that list, mix with a big glass of red and empty it in one go.
Repeat the above steps few times until the "LUST DISEASE" is cured.

Birddog114 wrote:Or use the following simple and no cost treatment which our ancestor did many years ago.

Print out the lens lust list in our bargain section, pray at it then burn it.
Get the ashes from that list, mix with a big glass of red and empty it in one go.
Repeat the above steps few times until the "LUST DISEASE" is cured.

Sounds similar to a method I tried for giving up smoking. That didnt work either

This is not a healthy thread for those that suffer from the lust I'm going to the Otways in a couple of weeks for a waterfall work-shop, and all I can think of now is 12-24DX, 12-24DX, etc..... Sigh...

mudder wrote:This is not a healthy thread for those that suffer from the lust I'm going to the Otways in a couple of weeks for a waterfall work-shop, and all I can think of now is 12-24DX, 12-24DX, etc..... Sigh...

mudder,
I can hear you from here

Birddog114 wrote:

mudder wrote:This is not a healthy thread for those that suffer from the lust I'm going to the Otways in a couple of weeks for a waterfall work-shop, and all I can think of now is 12-24DX, 12-24DX, etc..... Sigh...

mudder,
I can hear you from here

Ahhhh, the candy man!!! Oh lens lust lord out there, how do I lust the 12-24DX... (Out of couriosity only I laughingly tell myself), does thou have stock of thy 12-24DX for another lensaholic?? Hic...

mudder wrote:

Birddog114 wrote:

mudder wrote:This is not a healthy thread for those that suffer from the lust I'm going to the Otways in a couple of weeks for a waterfall work-shop, and all I can think of now is 12-24DX, 12-24DX, etc..... Sigh...

mudder,
I can hear you from here

Ahhhh, the candy man!!! Oh lens lust lord out there, how do I lust the 12-24DX... (Out of couriosity only I laughingly tell myself), does thou have stock of thy 12-24DX for another lensaholic?? Hic...

You've got PM.