I saw a great deal on the inexpensive EF 28-135 IS and had to buy it. My reasoning was the price first ($170 shipped), and acting as a no-fault throwaway if damaged.
Turns out this is a very good copy -- center is super sharp (edges are sad as you would expect). Even wide open the center is usable. f/8 makes the lens pretty nice throughout the entire focal range. The IS archaic, but still, I can shoot 1/60 at 135mm, no problem, and that's something! And the rendition has pretty good contrast and color.
I sold this lens over 5 years ago, after owning since about 2000. Back then I didn't know any better, and this was one of the first lenses I actually scrutinized and tested, along with the 75-300 IS, both found wanting.
Anyhow, I'm glad I got this lens. Shooting on 1D2 showed the soft edges gone compared to full frame -- the lens looks really good! Plus, as I'd hoped, LR4 has cleaned the CA and its lens profile is awesome -- things that really limited the original lens I had, using DPP to PP. So, LR has saved me money, or rather, made a cheap lens into a usable lens.
The only problem -- the lens has now caused me to buy a used 1D3 to improve the IQ of the APS-H format from the 1D2! There goes another $1000! Ha-ha! (I hope Dan doesn't read this, even though I'm buying in a retro gear-head direction!).
I never sell anything so this thread isn't for me I guess...but I do wonder about the economics involved when people are posting they have bought..used...sold...bought another...and done this several times with the same lens.
All I can think of is that trading in lenses is profitable....most of the lenses I own that I bought s/h in the last few years are more valuable now.....all those I bought new are not.....but to be fair they are pretty old now!
Sold and bought the 100-400 several times. This time I'm keeping it.
Had a 400DO a few years ago and sold it, finally bought another one and it's sharp. I Unless I read the exif I can't tell the difference between a bare shot and one with the 1.4X extender. I don't plan on selling this one unless finances dictate that I do.
jcolwell wrote:
I generally break even when selling lenses that were used when I originally bought them. On some, I make a profit while on others I take a loss.
Jim -- I'm a lot like you apparently, just a step or two behind. I flip gear quite a bit, moving up the food chain and satisfying my curiosity. Also like you, I usually break even on the used purchases and resales, after a good period of use. But I seem to always add a bit more cash to move to the newer, nicer model. Ha-ha! Usually when I walk away, it means I'm done with the piece. Otherwise I'd keep it until something better comes along or I find I'm no longer interested.
Thanks to your [previous] 1Ds3, and my reading up on it and the 1D3, I was convinced to get the 1D3. It's a very intriguing generation. Eventually I'll flip that 1D3 for a 1D4, I'm sure. You know the drill better than me!
I guess it would be the 28-200 walk around lens from Canon. I got it because of the extreme focal length but later got on a 2.8 kick and sold off all my non f 2.8 stuff. And the next day I realized what I had done because I hardened on parting eit it or my big sigma 170-300 eighteen as both had there place but I had a lapse of judgement
