To Buy Or Not To Buy ?

Ever wondered why those second-hand camera shops have almost-mint equipment for sale ? Why on earth did the original owners dump those photographic gears after using them for a few times, at such a great financial loss ? Maybe it is because the equipment didn't live up to their expectations. Or maybe it is because the owners gave up photography. But most probably it is because the original owners bought them at the spur of the moment, and realized that they bought a white elephant which they will not use often, or at all!!

It is human tendency to conjure up uses for equipment they lust after, to justify the purchase they are about to make. "If I buy that lens, I would be able to take those types of images!!". At one time or another, most of us would have been thinking of getting the images by buying more gear, not getting more images with the gear we already own.

After justifying to ourselves that the purchase is going to improve our photography and buying the equipment, most of us try to go out to get the image that equipment is supposed to help you attain. Sometimes we succeed, sometimes we don't. Whatever the outcome, the crucial factor is - will you still use the equipment ? I know of some friends who purchased fish-eye lenses and used them for a few times. They got tired of the effect after a while, and the lenses became food for fungus.

Many of us are guilty of this rational and financially draining practice. We squander the money on gear which we may not use for long. Of course, if you are looking for second-hand bargains, this practice will be good for you. But for the rest of us, unless you have a oil-well in your backyard, there are ways to prevent yourself from buying unnecessary equipment in the heat of the moment.

Do you REALLY need it ?

First step is to ask yourself - "do you REALLY need it ?". If the answer is no, do not stop there. Ask yourself "why not ?", and if you can justify why you do not need it, then you do not really need it. Maybe you are telling yourself, "I am not going to use it frequently" or "It is not worth paying for it".

If you say you really need it, ask yourself "why do I really need it ?". Is it your type of photography ? How often will you be needing it ? If you're interested in portraiture and you're trying to justify buying a 180mm f2.8 lens, you might tell yourself that it is a good portraiture lens and you like the perspective and depth-of-field etc. So you will be using it very often. Acceptable reason. But if you want to purchase a 300mm f2.8 because you are a portrait photographer because you can use it for portraiture and you might like to shoot basketball matches someday, I'd recommend that you visit a psychiatrist. First of all, you are not going to use it often, at least not without an assistant. Second, portraiture and sports photography are quite different genre altogether. It is the rare photographer that does both. Third, you are probably not earning much money from your photography. Is it worth spending twelve thousand dollars for a lens?

Rent, borrow and buying (new or second-hand ?)

Okay, so you decide that you need the equipment. So now what do you do ?

There are a few ways to get the equipment that you want. You can borrow it from your friends, although if you do it too frequently you won't have much friends left ! Or you can rent it from the shops. Just pay the full amount of the equipment, and when you return it to them, they'll deduct a certain sum as rental fees and refund you the rest. Works exactly like a second-hand bookstore.

Finally, if you decide to buy the equipment, you can buy new or second-hand. Many people shun the thought of buying second-hand equipment. Horror stories abound about cameras falling apart, and lens elements being knocked out of alignment. If you buy from overseas, that is possible. But most reputable second-hand shops should offer a one-month money-back guarentee against defective goods. So you're pretty much covered in that aspect. But you'd still need to know some tips and tricks when selecting second-hand equipment. Make sure that you know how to detect flaws in equipment, or at least bring along a friend who does. When you buy second-hand and you decide you don't like what you bought and want to sell it, you avoid losing a lot of money that comes with depreciation when you buy new-equipment. For example, you may buy a new lens at $1000, or a second-hand lens at $800. If you decide to sell the lens, you may find that the second-hand price is only $700. So if you bought it new, you lose $300, and if you bought the second-hand lens, you lose only $100. One point to note is : avoid buying well-used and worn equipment, no matter how cheap. The best buys are usually moderately new equipment at around 80% of their new prices.

If you decided that you want to buy new, well… there's nothing much to say. Shop around for the best prices, and plonk down your money on the table. And maybe enjoy sniffing the minty out-of-the-box smell of silica gel…

Search for alternative brands and methods

A word of caution before you buy anything - look out for alternative methods and brands. You may find that you can achieve the same results with another brand or using another method. For example, you take macro photos, you can buy a micro lens for $900. Or you can buy extension tubes, or close-up filters, or reversing rings, or maybe tele-converters. You could buy a Nikon lens, or a third-party lens. There are plenty of alternatives, so look and think carefully before you buy anything.

If you don't buy it, what else can you buy ?

Fanatic photography buffs tend to think of nothing but photography. Sometimes, this can be a drawback. Some of us think nothing of paying thousands of dollars for a lens, yet try to cheat the bus company by paying a lower fare. You can buy things other than equipment. If you decide not to get the equipment you originally lusted after, what can you do with the money?

Well, for one thing, you can save it for another piece of equipment. Or you can buy other photography items like photography books and magazines, or films and batteries to shoot more photos. They might not be as exciting as a new piece of equipment, but they may improve your photography even more.

Hint: For those with girlfriends and wives, you should spend some money buying flowers or small diamond rings for them. That will keep them happy enough not to grumble the next time you buy a 300mm f/2.8 lens!!

Will it make a difference to your photo ? Or are you collecting gears?

To make this story short, ask yourself if the equipment that you want will make a difference to your photos. Or will it just be another piece in your collection ? Contrary to what most people might think, collecting lenses and cameras are nothing sinful. They will make a great hobby. The only mistake is when you try to use photography as a justification to acquire new pieces of equipment that will only end up never seeing daylight again.