Ok Camera, Good Lense or Good Camera, ok Lense?

[Vuorilla]

I am considering upgrading my kit... but I don't think I will be able to afford a very good camera, so I was wondering, a very good fast lense fitted on a so-so camera, is it comparable to a killer camera but only fitted with a not-so-fast kit lense?

To make my question clearer, let's put it this way:

Pentak K200D fitted with the best lense out there, a very low F, etc. (I don't know which one, I haven't searched for it yet)

Or Canon 50D with the kit lense.

 

[usayit]

A adequate camera + good lens is better than a good camera + lower quality lens.

"Low F" value is not the ultimate indication or measure of quality lens but in general, faster lenses ("Low F") are usually equipped with better optics.

 

[Dao]

The camera is a recording device.

If the lens pass a bad image to the camera, the camera will record a bad image.
If the photographer capture a bad image (out of focus/badly composed/blown out highlight ...) through the good lens, the camera will record a bad image.

So the camera can only capture a good image when the image is good before the light fall onto the sensor/film.

 

[pugnacious33]

Ditto, and ditto.

I also recommend that people not fall for the "all-in-one" zoom trap. I know good lenses are expensive, but I think you're better off having several lenses of quality, even if it means saving up and waiting to get the next one.

 

[Vuorilla]

Thank you all for your answers. So I guess, I will stick to my Pentax and invest in better lenses.

 

[sami.aziz]

I have acquired a bit of knowledge from the research I've done about cameras in the past couple years. I think that in the modern consumer market, obsessed with pixel count, iso, and video, the essential part of the camera, the lens is forgotten. A camera's lens is essential; it controls the aperture, and focal length. This can control things like perspective, depth of field, and the speed of the lens. In a nut-shell I think that a good lens is more important than a camera with a bunch of features, or a high pixel count.

 

[LarissaPhotography]

Can you find a good deal and get both? Maybe try craigslist.

 

[Atlas77]

Okay Body + Good Glass will benefit for you. Then Later on you can upgrade the body.

(I know its been said before)

 

[wescobts]

Good glass-always :thumbup:

 

[Josh66]

Yes. What everyone else said (why am I even posting...?).

Ideally, you'll want both. Glass has higher priority though.

 

[Vuorilla]

Even though it had been said before, each one of your answers helped me to decide whether to upgrade the glass or the camera. I am glad I bought a Pentax for the enormous choice of lenses that this company offers, but on the other side, I would have wished to buy a Canon, for the quality of their cameras. I hope, one day, Pentax will manufacture high quality cameras in the likes of Canon and Nikon.

 

[Josh66]

?

Pentax gets a lot of crap from people, but I'm sure they're just as good as Nikon or Canon.

As I understand it, weather sealing is pretty much standard on Pentax, where on Nikon & Canon, only the top of the line has it.

 

[djacobox372]

Good lenses are a must... and they hold their value.

 

[AUZambo]

Which goes faster...a Kia with a 500 HP engine or a Corvette with a 250 HP engine?

 

[sownman]

The camera is a recording device.

If the lens pass a bad image to the camera, the camera will record a bad image.
If the photographer capture a bad image (out of focus/badly composed/blown out highlight ...) through the good lens, the camera will record a bad image.

So the camera can only capture a good image when the image is good before the light fall onto the sensor/film.

So it's best to just hire a pro photographer ?