So i realized today I am addicted to L lenses..it started with the 100-400 L IS, than came the 24-105L IS than came the 16-35L,

I ebay L daily in search of good deals and always watch the Fred Miranda fourms for the next L

I dream of the day I will own a 400 2.8 L and a 600 f4 L, I even consider driving my current humble car until it fails and refuses to travel another inch just to avoid a car payment so I can make...a Lens payment

Today I sold my motorcycle, so I can clear up some money to get yet another lens, you see, yesterday I won a 200 1.8 L in mint condition on ebay to add to the collection and I am now in the painful process of waiting for two days for air-shipping the thought of 5-7 days ground shipping was beyond agony to me. I eye other objects in the room of monetary value to clear the way to get a 85L, a guitar case hides in horror behind my bed.

My bank account fears me, my family thinks I am crazy.

What is happening to me!

lol

Oh you're screwed, I only have two non L lens. That's 20%. And I have one maybe two more on my list.

You are definitely a lens maniac. I really try very hard to prevent that.

Well, the good news is that there are a finite number of L lenses.
The you'll have to start on your Leica or Zeiss collection.

I agree with your choice of lenses over cars. The lenses hold their value better!

Nathan Hobbs wrote:
So i realized today I am addicted to L lenses..it started with the 100-400 L IS, than came the 24-105L IS than came the 16-35L,

I ebay L daily in search of good deals and always watch the Fred Miranda fourms for the next L

I dream of the day I will own a 400 2.8 L and a 600 f4 L, I even consider driving my current humble car until it fails and refuses to travel another inch just to avoid a car payment so I can make...a Lens payment

Today I sold my motorcycle, so I can clear up some money to get yet another lens, you see, yesterday I won a 200 1.8 L in mint condition on ebay to add to the collection and I am now in the painful process of waiting for two days for air-shipping the thought of 5-7 days ground shipping was beyond agony to me. I eye other objects in the room of monetary value to clear the way to get a 85L, a guitar case hides in horror behind my bed.

My bank account fears me, my family thinks I am crazy.

What is happening to me!



Man, I really like camera gear too, but just be patient. It is really not worth it to spend so far beyond your means. If you are realistic and buy one thing a year or someting, you will eventually amass quite a collection, and find out wat you really shoot wit the most. I have 5 lenses, and am fine with this amount. i have a 35L, 85 1.8, 16-35 mk 1, 70-200 2.8 IS and a sigma 50 macro. I figure I can do just about anything with this setup, with the sole exception of possibly distant birding. It as taken years to get them, but the patience in buying them has made me appreciate and understand each lens all the much more, rather than having a bunch of lenses so quickly I never really learn how to use them. And i am done buying lenses until I am completely out of debt and making more money taking pictures than i have good use for. Are you a professional photographer? If not, your family is rigt, there are more important things in life than camera lenses.

No gear is worth giving up your motorcycle and guitar! Snap out of it man!

Ha ha very true I am going to miss the bike , my hope is that I can get this equipment to return my investment and make it possible to get a even better bike than what I sold...making money in photography is a hard climb though albeit a rewarding one..

Trust me I know, I sold my bike to go back to school. My guitar is sitting in the corner covered in dust since I have no time due to studies. Hopefully it pays off someday.

I love eying gear that is way beyond my means too, which is mostly various L lenses.

But I'm a student so I've worked hard for my 24-70L and 70-200L but monetary concerns like food and tuition stop me from buying anything else. I'll admit that I get really bad lens envy every so often--the 16-15L mostly--but I just try and remind myself that more glass will not necessarily make me a better photographer. Only going out and shooting more will. If I can't make good images with what I have then no amount of glass L or otherwise will do it.

Just my thoughts.

For me it all started with a 17-40. I'll now refer to it as a gateway lens. I thought, oh just the one, it's a bargain.

Before I knew it, I was purchasing a 24-70, and a 70-200 2.8 non IS.

Then I thought, well, a prime would be great. 135 2, here I come.

I shot more basketball, so I knew I needed a 300. I bought a non-IS. I loved it to death. I sold it to a good friend, to get the IS model. I sold him the 70-200 as well since I'd recently picked up an IS model.

Football season on the way, I knew I needed a 400 2.8 IS. I picked one up. I realized perhaps I should now be insured. Best decision I ever made.

One day I saw a 16-35 on FM for cheep (like the budgie). I knew I had to have it so I picked it up.

I thought, ok there's nothing more I really need. Really. I've got it all covered. Then someone put up a 200 1.8 for a price I can't fathom. Within seconds, I was on the phone with them begging them to take my money.

And so, 8 L lenses later, ranges from 16 to 400. I can honestly say I'm an L junkie.

The first step is admitting you have an addiction.

Of course, I'm sure I'll relapse. The 600 4 calls to me sometimes. I keep hoping she'll go away. I keep trying to fight the urges. But I know, one day, I'll just end up back in L rehab, fresh from a relapse, saying what I always do.

And before I can dismiss the idea of the 600 due to cost, I realize that an 85 1.2 II and/or 50 1/2 are well within my price range. I also wonder why I never picked up a 35 1.4 (and there's one on sale on a diff forum).

"I won't buy any more glass. I'm good, I swear. I don't need anything else"

If anyone wants to start a support group, let me know. I think I'd have a house right now if I'd only picked a cheaper vice, like coke or something.



Max

Nathan Hobbs wrote:
... a guitar case hides in horror behind my bed.



I assume it's empty.

Too late for you, my friend. All you can do now is sell lots of photos to help pay for the gear. Oh, did you forget to mention you wanted a 1DsIII to go with that 600/4?

don't forget about taking pics in the meanwhile...

"L's" are like crack for the eyes...instant gratification/highly addictive. I've stumbled onto
a cure of sorts...collecting Nikon primes.

lol - awesome thread, I only have 2 at the moment but I know there will be more.

I think you have come to the wrong place for help! But if you find some, let me know! On second thought, I don't think I want to be cured

Just paint a nice red stripe around that guitar case! Problem solved.

I don't have any at the moment. A few hold interest to me. 24-105, 70-200. mainly the 70-200 because I've already got non L lenses in the 17-85 range (17-85, 24, 50). I know what you mean about being addicted. I sold tons of cards for a game I play in (MTG) to buy my camera gear. I don't even have my guitar stuff in the same room, that way the thought doesn't come to mind...though I could probably buy all I'll ever need if I dumped off my guitar gear.

Psssst.... hey, buddy.... how'd ya like to try a 135? just a few snaps, won't hurt a bit... that's it, just ease the lens on... a little turn to the right....

Nathan Hobbs wrote:

What is happening to me!


This forum may not be the healthiest place in which to spend your spare time, Hobbs. That's like an alcoholic working in a wine bottling plant.

seeking help here ? You are crzay...

but you do need some shorter FL fast primes though...lol.....

Admitting you have a problem is the first step to a cure.

One day I, too, hope to take that same first step.

Mullet

The only best cure is to have them all !!!

I have to put some of my lenses in the light to prevent fungus as when you donīt use them and keep them in total darkness you may get them, funny ehh .

But having lenses I donīt use everyday/week/ month makes me happy (isnīt it enough, happiness !!!)

Jaime
www.jmraso.com

trenchmonkey wrote:
a cure of sorts...collecting Nikon primes.

Give it up and go straight to the hard stuff: Carl Zeiss, Pentax and Voigtlander; with a bit of Mamiya 645 on the side.

wlpelzmann wrote:
Well, the good news is that there are a finite number of L lenses.


I beg to differ, first you start out with a simple 24-70L, then the 16-35 Mk1, then the 100-400, then an 85L Mk1, ..... it continues then you discovber the old forgotten L lenses, "yes the ones many never heard about or simply replaced by canon with newer editions, or discontinued"

the 50-200, 28-80, 200 F1.8, 50 1.0, 500 F4.5, and it goes on and on and on.

Yeah I've got it bad too, now I'm looking at the 500 F4.5, but I want to replace my old 800mm FD with the new 800mm EF, it just doesn't stop, but alas as one other poster sad buy some Nikon primes, no I think I want the Nikon 200-400 F4 , then I can paint a red circle on it.

Thankfully though there is always good deals on used 'L' lenses.

Of course one cure to beat the addiction. Go cold turkey and sell all our L lenses and send this addiction to other unsuspecting people. Could you image how cheap our lenses would sell for if say 50-100 of us all listed our L lenses for sale at the same time. We would be cured but those other poor unfortunate souls would suffer. Better yet I don't think I want to cause any others to become addicted so as a friend of mine says

"Sell me your L lenses for dirt cheap, and then you can go buy some Nikon equipment"