CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

How many times do you have to be buy the 'best lens' for a given focal length, once? maybe twice in a lifetime? How often do you have to buy the 'best' camera? If you follow UHH closely, it's about every year or model release, whichever comes sooner.

Consider a few of Canon's 'best' lenses of the EOS period, all are still the current versions:

EF100mm f/2.8 Macro USM - Mar-2000
EF70-200mm f/4L USM - Sep-1999
MP-E65mm f/2.8 1-5X Macro Photo - Sep-1999
EF300mm f/4L IS USM - Mar-1997
EF135mm f/2L USM - Apr-1996
EF180mm f/3.5L Macro USM - Apr-1996
EF200mm f/2.8L II USM - Mar-1996
EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM - Mar-1995
EF50mm f/1.4 USM - Jun-1993
EF400mm f/5.6L USM - May 1993
EF85mm f/1.8 USM - Jul-1992
EF100mm f/2 USM - Oct-1991
TS-E90mm f/2.8 - Apr-1991
TS-E45mm f/2.8 - Apr-1991

A few collector items are highly sought after today, 30+ years later:

EF50mm f/1.0L USM - Sep-1989
EF200mm f/1.8L USM - Nov-1988
EF50mm f/1.8 - Mar-1987

gouldopfl

Glass is the most important thing and you should buy what you can afford. Many new lenses are over 2k apiece and purists would say necessary for the best. If your not a professional then get the best you can afford.

One thing that I find in some new cameras is the dual AF and it does make a difference. I have been a long time Canon shooter, however I have rented Sony and Nikon mirrorless as I was trying to decide which system to use. I found all mirrorless can be uncomfortable in the hand after using for a time. I stuck with Canon because of the menu system, articulating screen and because Canon made a great adapter so my investment in EF glass wasn't wasted.

I think before you buy a camera you should rent the ones you are looking at for a couple of weeks to see for yourself what is comfortable. You can then invest in the glass

DeanS Loc: Capital City area of North Carolina

If cost is a major delimiter, best choice is cheaper body paired with higher qual (usually determined by price) lens.

smussler Loc: Land O Lakes, FL - Formerly Miller Place, NY

With regards to the sensor, Sony is making half of those used in todays camera's and 70% of those in phones.

Sony Sensor Dominance

Gifted One Loc: S. E. Idaho

Thanks for my shop-list!

Gifted One Loc: S. E. Idaho

I have always thought glass as the most important. I have never been a, "touchy feely kind of guy," in that I have never have held any camera that i own before the purchase or acquirement of that body. I cut my teeth on a Canon Ftb in the old film days. I had 28, 50 Canon FD lenses and a Vivitar 70-210 macro, I know not really a macro. Had eye problems (Retinal Detachment) and stop shooting. Fast forward at a slow pace, A bubby gifted me a Canon Xti and a, and a, as he clumb the Canon tree. I currently carry a 60D that was gifted, and I purchase Full Frame 6D when they first came out. I have L glass, as well as third party premium glass Tamron G2, Tokina, Sigma, Sport and Art series. I have added a Sony cropped for weight carry and use Sigs prime art.

Many have faulted the 6D in many ways. But that's OK. The main weakness may be the focusing system. But if you use a single point on the point you want in focus it's perfect.

A illustration is warranted. A guy I like is a great illustration What does he mate with his 6D. One of the ultimate's that Paul has on my shop list the ‘Eye of Sauron,’ 200 f1.8. Then he really has gas, 7, yes seven copies of the, "Really Big White.' He paid 5k each. See article.

https://petapixel.com/2017/05/20/canon-200mm-f1-8-legendary-lens-known-eye-sauron/

True he is a Working-Pro with a very narrow work focus but does show my thinking. I have acquired a very desired kit by buying used or refurbished high discount. I am thankful to my friend who gifted me at first and encouraged me to pick up again.

J. R.

ronpier Loc: Poland Ohio

In the past six months I have acquired a half dozen AF and AF D Nikkor lenses, all used and none with VR. Some are quite old and others not so old by comparison. All are amazingly SHARP, focus quite fast and produce excellent image quality. Nothing wrong with high quality new glass but these oldies can give the new ones a good run on all of my cameras which run from 6mp to 24mp. IMO It’s all about the glass.

tenny52 Loc: San Francisco

Nikon is a good choice if your are on a budget and don't mind buying used lenses (on Ebay)

ronpier Loc: Poland Ohio

Totally agree.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Sadly today we are saddled with more than glass as far as deciding on a camera.
Formerly a TLb or a F-1 took the same quality photo with an 80-200mm f4 L lens because the film (Sensor) was identical. The F-1 had more features but image was identical.
I would still go the best glass in a decision as it outlasts the camera technology which goes obsolete on about a 6-10 month cycle now it appears.
Also current sensors do very well with 32.5mp APSC sensors on crop cameras now producing IQ beyond what most users would ever use which is nearly double the resolution of my 18mp sensor camera.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Camera body:

Ergonomics, menu clarity
Weight, size, balance
Video and audio flexibility
Autofocus system
Features suited for the work I do
In-body image stabilization
Sensor technology
JPEG and video processor capabilities
Firmware history

Lenses:

Balance, weight, ergonomics
Sharpness, field flatness, freedom from flaws like chromatic aberration, distortion, and coma
Zoom range (if zoom)
In-lens image stabilization
Maximum aperture
Firmware history

...But beyond all that, and more important than any of that, is my willingness to learn to use it, and the photography knowledge, experience, viewpoints, attitudes, and foresights I bring to the gear.

SteveLoker Loc: Fort Worth, TX

Burkphoto, spot on.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

Burkphoto is correct that it takes equipment to take a photo and it takes a knowledgeable photographer to put creation into that photo. I many times use my mind to see the photo I would take and how I would take it even though I have no camera with me (sometimes I do not even carry my smartphone with me). The mental exercise is just as important as having the physical equipment. It will make you wish you had your camera with you more often, but you will be better prepared for when you do have a camera with you.

LWW Loc: Banana Republic of America

My biggest issue with new glass isn't the glass, its the construction.

New stuff is almost always plastic and using tin solder. Both limit the useful lifespan of the product.

Older NIKKOR lenses, again no offense to other brands but these I am most familiar with, AF AFD and MF lenses can withstand amazing amounts of use and abuse.

If they don't have fungus or delimitation they will usually outlive the owner.

They also have a contact and color rendition, even in their lower level slower glass, that is seldom matched in modern lenses.

One of the best sports and wildlife primes ever made by anybody, IMHO the best, is the NIKKOR 180mm AF-D f2.8.

At twenty seven ounces and under 6 inches in length it is 63 ounces lighter and with a 52mm smaller diameter ... as well as being much shorter ... than a 300mm AFS-II f2.8, even though when mounted on an APS-C it offers an extremely close FOV as the 300 on a FF body.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Old lenses fail as well.
All AF lenses fail with all the extra parts, and those parts are NOT all metal.
I have 40 year old "Plastic" lenses that work just fine.