What single piece of equipment do you have

[Boomn4x4]

What single piece of equipment do you have that has provided the biggest bang for the buck. In other words, what piece of equipment have you bought that got you the most out of while spending the least on?

 

[reznap]

Probably my fingernail clippers. I can use them on my toenails too.

 

[Village Idiot]

Windows Home Server.

 

[AgentDrex]

My $130 Canon Powershot A3000IS...its what helped me develop my eye for composition...

 

[oldmacman]

What single piece of equipment do you have that has provided the biggest bang for the buck. In other words, what piece of equipment have you bought that got you the most out of while spending the least on?

@Reznap - I lolled

Just got an SSD for my MBP. I have been waiting for the prices to drop to a reasonable range for a couple of years now. It is the single most significant computer upgrade I have ever done. Hard drives are the bottleneck in any system, but couple a fast SSD with lower power consumption, faster app load and less overall wait and I am actually considering selling my Mac Pro. Except for video rendering, the MBP does everything the Mac Pro does plus I take it everywhere so my files are always in a single location.

In case you're wondering, I got a 128GB Mushkin SSD for $189 Canadian from Newegg.

 

[reznap]

For a serious answer though, cheap flashes and cheap radio triggers. Great fun for experimenting and you can get a few going for under $100 if you look for older used flashes.

 

[PhotoXopher]

Batteries.

 

[Derrel]

I bought a Nikon 70-200 VR lens the first week it came out. I payed $1695 for it. It can do the job of an 85,105,135,180,and 200mm prime Nikon lenses,and weighs less than most two- or three-lens sets out of that five lens lineup. The lens is about eight years old right now, and still works flawlessly. It has delivered on all sorts of assignments; sports, landscapes, portraits, etc. It wasn't really low-cost. But compared to what I have spent on camera bodies since 2002, it's 'relatively' low in cost. And it has brought with it, from Day 1, tremendous bang for the buck.

 

[reznap]

Nikon 70-200 VR lens

Good answer. I think the high price turns a lot of people away (same goes for the canon version) but for those who are in it for the long haul, it's a sound investment for sure.

 

[bentcountershaft]

My cheapie wired remote.

 

[G79]

Probably my fingernail clippers. I can use them on my toenails too.

lol !

 

[DerekSalem]

Nikon 70-200 VR lens

Good answer. I think the high price turns a lot of people away (same goes for the canon version) but for those who are in it for the long haul, it's a sound investment for sure.

Agreed. I use the Mark II f/2.8 Canon model and it's amazing. I cover my range fairly well with the 2 main L lenses that I use but the quality of the 70-200 is unbelievable. It honestly rivals or beats the prime L lenses in terms of IQ and it has one of the best IS' I've ever seen. Fantastic lens and probably my most useful thing too

 

[PerfectlyFlawed]

Probably my fingernail clippers. I can use them on my toenails too.

 

[Geaux]

My 35mm 1.8 or my sb600 .... they're both excellent purchases that don't break the bank.

 

[Patrice]

My 17-55 f2.8, more than 80% of my photos are with that lens. Next on the list id an sb800, flash is almost always used either as fill or bounced main.