Your Most Disappointing Purchase

[bentcountershaft]

What's the worst piece of gear you ever bought? Maybe it worked fine but you just made a bad judgement for your needs. Maybe it just didn't work. Whatever the reason you didn't like it post your story here.

 

[DorkSterr]

I hate to say it but my 105mm macro. I rarely use it.

 

[manaheim]

I hate to say it but my 105mm macro. I rarely use it.

Try using it as something other than a macro lens. It's a crazy nice lens as a prime.


For me... the 18-200 4/5.6 VR.

There's no question it was super flexible, but from about 18-35 and about 150-200 it was pretty much unusably bad. That's still a decent range, and inside the usable range it was actually pretty good... but ultimately just not worth keeping, so I sold it.

 

[squirrels]

Pixel Oppilas DC2 Wireless Shutter Remotefor Nikon D90 D5000 D7000 D3100.

Bought 2 and one didn't work and one stopped working almost immediately receivers died. The death of the second one is the reason for my vexed self portrait avatar. I'd really just like a longish cable release but haven't found one. Some very irrational part of me want to solve the problem with an arduino.

At least they were super cheap!

 

[bentcountershaft]

Mine is my 70-200 2.8 IS. I saved up for it forever only to find out I hardly ever use it. I've been threatening to sell it for a year now. I guess it's time. It really surprised me since it's such a popular lens though, but I guess everyone is different. Most of the time I don't need anything that long and when I do need a telephoto it isn't long enough. Probably should have went 100-400 or Bigma or something along those lines.

 

[David444]

Zenitar 16mm f/2.8 fisheye. My 5D mirror hit the back of the lens (rear filter) and I had to work on the lens to get it to clear. After all the hours of work I did, filing away excess metal, it wasn't that sharp of a lens.

 

[shefjr]

Pixel Oppilas DC2 Wireless Shutter Remotefor Nikon D90 D5000 D7000 D3100.

Bought 2 and one didn't work and one stopped working almost immediately receivers died. The death of the second one is the reason for my vexed self portrait avatar. I'd really just like a longish cable release but haven't found one. Some very irrational part of me want to solve the problem with an arduino.

At least they were super cheap!

Get this one. It is awesome! I picked up mine after I read 480Sparky's review.
Amazon.com: Pixel WIRELESS Timer Remote Control Shutter for Nikon D90 D5000 Digital SLR Cameras compatible with Nikon MC-DC2: Electronics.

I regret spending money on 3 out of 6 of my lenses. That all happened back when I knew nothing about the importance of f stops and quality of glass.

 

[The_Traveler]

For me... the 18-200 4/5.6 VR.

Mine is my 70-200 2.8 IS.

Difficult to choose between those mistakes - I made both.

The 18-200 was just not good enough except at certain areas and the images overall weren't in the same ballpark as the gold ring lenses. I sold it to someone who loves it.

The 70-200 was good enough, just too damn heavy to schlep around in case I might need it. I sold it for $50 more than what I paid the day before Nikon announced the version II.
The 70-300 is lighter, cheaper and good.

 

[Mully]

Nikon 2x tele converter ... Did not realize that it only worked on certain lenses, and it was not cheap. Guess I need to put it on ebay.

 

[manaheim]

For me... the 18-200 4/5.6 VR.

Mine is my 70-200 2.8 IS.

Difficult to choose between those mistakes - I made both.

The 18-200 was just not good enough except at certain areas and the images overall weren't in the same ballpark as the gold ring lenses. I sold it to someone who loves it.

The 70-200 was good enough, just too damn heavy to schlep around in case I might need it. I sold it for $50 more than what I paid the day before Nikon announced the version II.
The 70-300 is lighter, cheaper and good.

Really? I love my 70-200. I mean yeah, it's a monster- no question of that- but the quality is great. It is, however, the most expensive piece of glass I have other than my camera (and I have the VR2) and gets used the least.

The 70-300 is a SURPRISINGLY nice lens.

 

[bentcountershaft]

It is, however, the most expensive piece of glass I have other than my camera (and I have the VR2) and gets used the least.

This is part of why I don't like mine. I hate having that much invested in something I rarely use. That's a lot of money (to me) tied up in a heavy brick on my shoulder that rarely come out. Selling it would be a big step towards a new body, which I think it's time for.

 

[sleist]

I tend to research my purchases pretty well so it's tough to find fault with much.
That being said ....

1. The Nikon R1 Macro Speedlight System. Mostly a case of less need than I anticipated due to a reduced frequency of macro shooting. This might easily change (particularly if I pick up a shorter macro lens than my current Sigma 150mm) but for now, my usage does not justify the expense. The set performs well (more or less) but is overly complicated and requires additional modification for decent diffusion, which is difficult given the shape of the flashes. Regardless, I would likely not buy it again.

2. Tripods and heads. Doesn't matter which one - you get what you pay for. I currently have the Manfrotto 190CXPRO4 carbon fiber legs with a Manfrotto 496RC2 ball head. The legs are OK and the lack of stability is somewhat made up for by the light weight when hiking. They were far more effective with the D90 than the D700, which is understandable given the weight difference. I hate the 496RC2 ball head. Hate hate hate hate hate. It's garbage and every time I use it (and the awful Manfrotto quick release plate) I want to crush it with a boulder. I think RRS BH-40 or BH-55 will be my next head. Don't even want to think about legs yet. Hoping the new ball head reduces some of my frustration.

3. Camera bags. 'Nuff said ...

 

[KmH]

Add me to the Nikon 18-200 mm list.
I thought I just got one that was made from components that all barely made Nikon's minimum quality standards.
So I sold it and bought another that was exactly the same. I returned that one.

 

[EIngerson]

It is, however, the most expensive piece of glass I have other than my camera (and I have the VR2) and gets used the least.

This is part of why I don't like mine. I hate having that much invested in something I rarely use. That's a lot of money (to me) tied up in a heavy brick on my shoulder that rarely come out. Selling it would be a big step towards a new body, which I think it's time for.

Are you open to trades? what body are you using now?

 

[jaomul]

Though in some ways a great camera I was never fully happy with my Canon 50ddue the actual photos. At the time i put it down to being new (it was my first dslr) but I bought a 550d (t2i) cheaply as a back up and the 50d became the back up and very soon afterwards I sold it. I have since bought a 10d and 20d secondhand and I rate them both (though older tech) as producing better quality photos than my 50d