Sticker shock, photography hobby is expensive, $20,000 lens??

[luvmyfamily]

Saving for the nikon 85mm. 1.4 lens $1700 is expensive enough for me lol.

No doubt!!

 

[Thunder_o_b]

I just bought my first new lens. As I was browsing the lenses, I cannot believe lenses for $15-$20,000. Do any of you own these? If so, you must be a professional photographer for NFL football, haha!!

Everything in photography is expensive!

Ain't that the truth.

 

[KmH]

Nikon's Holy Trinity of Professional grade zoom lenses (almost $6300):

$1997 - Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G ED AF-S Nikkor Wide Angle Zoom Lens

$1890 - Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED AF-S Nikkor Wide Angle Zoom Lens

$2400 - Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II AF-S Nikkor Zoom Lens For Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

Add the 200-400 mm f/4 for only $7000 more - Nikon 200-400mm f/4G AF-S SWM SIC ED IF VR II Nikkor Super Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

 

[DorkSterr]

Saving up for the Nikon 600mm.

 

[480sparky]

If youre paying 20k for a lens I'd say it's more than just a hobby--- that would be a full time professional job! Unless someone just has the extra cash to spend. I paid 200 for my 2nd lens. Def just a hobby at this point.

Yet there are people who spend 8-digits for something they collect, and still call it a hobby.

 

[jaxx419]

Yet there are people who spend 8-digits for something they collect, and still call it a hobby.

Yea... They're called millionaires! Jk but really. With my budget, I collect postcards.

And leaves.. Those are free.

 

[MLeeK]

I don't own one, but I shoot with one once in a while! I have a friend who shoots and has more money than brains, so I get to use his lenses on occasion.

 

[480sparky]

Yea... They're called millionaires! Jk but really. With my budget, I collect postcards.

And leaves.. Those are free.

So if someone filthy rich drops $60k on a lens, they're supposed to be a pro shooter (albeit a very rich one)?

 

[FireRescueFL]

Ya gotta pay if ya wanna play. That's the way I look at it. My most expensive lens is my 24-70 2.8L which I have about $900 invested in. I'm already resolved to the fact that I will be spending around $2400 for the 70-200 2.8L ii once I get enough pennies saved up for it but that's my absolute maximum for something that isn't my main job (I'm a lowly fireman). I see it as a fee to play and I like to play with the best so it's money we'll spent in my mind. So, I can see where someone with a much higher income level than I have could spend 15-20 G's on a lens for their hobby.

---Chris

 

[Robin Usagani]

Ill spend $20,000 on a lens if I can shoot MissCream in Canada all the way from Colorado .

If you had asked me 20 months ago about buying a $1000+ lens, I would have laughed.

 

[jaxx419]

So if someone filthy rich drops $60k on a lens, they're supposed to be a pro shooter (albeit a very rich one)?

Not trying to argue.
I was just trying to say you (in general) don't have to drop that much to have photography as a hobby. If you want to or collect cameras or lenses and want to spend that much-- then that's another topic.

But as a hobby..one might opt to sell an old lens for a new one. If I had the extra money and wanted to spend 20k on a lens for something that's solely a hobby and I do not plan to make any money off it--- then yes. I would probably need to be a millionaire.

For now, I'm happy with my two lenses and 2 cameras that didn't break the bank and I can still call photography a hobby of mine.

 

[Infinite_Day]

I would like to have about three grand more to spend on glass and other equipment. Really I would like to have about thirteen grand more but I can actually afford the three grand though it's going to take some time. Grown-up hobbies aren't cheap if you want the good stuff.

 

[Trever1t]

People ask me why/who in the heck would spend $3000 for a camera (body only) and I already have one, why buy another? ... and the answer to the OP is everything's relative. Having $20K in camera gear seems like and increadible amount of $ to some, a drop in the bucket to others with more serious intents, pro or not.

 

[cepwin]

I bought two Sigma lens used on ebay for ~$150...one is now my "goto" lens (28-80 F3.5 w/macro option at 80) Most of the nice glass I see is in the 2-3k range...

 

[usayit]

There are active forums for Hassy and Leica S2 owners. As far as I can tell, most are hobbiests just like the rest of us. Just like anything else, its all relative and subject own priorities... whatever makes them /us happy. I personally have much more value in my camera system than my cars.... but I also enjoy working on cars so I have a tendancy to keep them a longer than most.

Someone already mentioned it, but the vast majority of working professionals shooting with this level of equipment dont have their own money in it. These things are purchased either by the fortunate wealthy or corporations and media outlets. I have observed that hobbiests are often better equipped than the typical professional. I stress typical because someone like a National Geographic photog with not only the equipment but the crew isnt what I would consider typical.