Sunday Poll: If The Photo-Fairy Gave You $1500 What Camera Gear Would You Buy?
Apr 28, 2013
Udi Tirosh
Udi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.
Share:
Here is a poll which is a little bit different than the ones we usually run. If the photo-fairy went down from heavens and granted you with a $1500 check which you must spend on photography gear, how would you spend it? Share with us in the comments.
While you don’t have to spend the entire amount, any access money is magically returned to the fairy.
The photo-fairy chose $1500 because it is exactly enough for either 1 or 2 big items or a whole bunch of smaller items, your pick.
If you are lacking inspiration, you can check out the Amazon photo store for reference, but don’t feel obliged to pick from there. Feel free to pick any item(s) related to photography in the world.
[The image at the top (taken from the Australian War Memorial collection) shows what I think a Possum would probably get form the photo-fairy]
Udi Tirosh
Udi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.
Join the Discussion
DIYP Comment Policy
Be nice, be on-topic, no personal information or flames.
65 responses to “Sunday Poll: If The Photo-Fairy Gave You $1500 What Camera Gear Would You Buy?”
http://www.amazon.com/Canon-EF-70-200mm-2-8L-USM/dp/B00006I53W/ref=sr_1_15?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1367169840&sr=1-15&keywords=canon+lens
used nikon 35mm 1.4G
Why? The sigma 35/1.4 is better in every way.
I like nikon, don’t think that the sigma is better
Canon Telephoto Tilt Shift TS-E 90mm f/2.8 Manual Focus Lens for EOS
^^ that ^^
NEX-7 and 16mm (SEL16F28) with wide-angle converter (VCLECU1).
The 28-300mm lens I’ve had on my wish list for awhile… and some other odds and ends like a bag for my tripod, gels, those sorts of things.
A Spyder to calibrate my monitor and printer; flashes, lighting stands, softboxes, and umbrellas for a mobile lighting system
New D600,with new lenses will be my wish and donate my beloved D70
I would get a Panasonic GH3
I would definitely go for film! Either the Canon EOS-1v or a (much cheaper) Nikon FM10. Any money left I’d spend on various lenses (fixed portrait, macro, fixed tele) and accessories (tripoid, case, lens filters, etc…).
Or I could just go a bit on the wilder side and choose a Bessa R3M from Voigtlander. (http://www.amazon.com/Voigtlander-Bessa-Rangefinder-Manual-Camera/dp/B002C01BUY) and an appropriate lens (or two).
I would love to indulge in some nice film for Holga experimenation and maybe a high quality lens or two.
Fujifilm X100S. Poor man’s Leica.
“Poor man’s Leica”? You seen what an X100s costs? It’s not a poor man’s anything. :)
Fujifilm X100S.
business course
A pair of Nikkor primes – the 28mm f/1.8G and 85mm f/1.8G. Oh, and a decent bag (Domke J-2 or similar) would be handy. Now, if only I had $1500 to spend..
Hasselblad 500cm and some delta 100.
Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 :)
That is at the top of my wish list too but $1500 only gets you 3/4 of the way there. Or are you thinking very well used?
3/4 It’s just so damn good!! I think that I can afford the rest :)
canon 35mm 1.4 and maybe some software if I could find a good deal!
Canon 6D
A Lumia 920 or (unannounced Lumia EOS with 41MP) plus one http://www.amazon.com/Joby-JM3-01WW-GripTight-GorillaPod-Stand/dp/B009GHYMB6/ref=sr_1_4?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1367178794&sr=1-4&keywords=mobile+phone+tripod
1 x Nikon D3100 14.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S $ 447
1 x Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 SLD DG Macro Lens $ 144
1 x Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX $ 197
1 x CowboyStudio Flashlight /Hot Shoe/Umbrella Holder with Swivel/Tilt Bracket $12
1 x SanDisk Extreme 32 GB SDHC Class 10 UHS-1 Flash Memory Card $35
1 x Nikon EN-EL14 Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery for Select Nikon DSLR Cameras $37
1 x Tiffen 52mm Neutral Density 0.9 Filter $15
1 x Tiffen 52mm Circular Polarizer $18
1 x CowboyStudio 43-Inch Black and White Umbrella $12
1 x CowboyStudio Set of Two 7 feet Photography Light Stands with Cases $23
2 x Yongnuo YN-560 III Speedlight GN58 wireless $94 x 2 = $188
1 x Manfrotto Basic 055XDB Tripod (Black) Outfit with 128RC (3130) Micro Fluid Head $ 220
1 x Lowepro Flipside 200 Backpack $70
TOTAL = $ 1,400
Pentax K5-IIs :) And a grip:)
Sigma 50-150 2.8 (not II) if it would be available for Pentax :( As it isn’t maybe also K5IIs or Mamiya RB67 and some nice lenses :)
Pentax K5 IIs
Nikon D3200 package 18-55 55-200
3 – Youngnuo 565 for Nikon
1 – Gary Fong Pro Kit
1 – Case Logic BackPack
3 – Fotodiox 6×8 flashgun Diffiser
3 – Cowboy studio 10′ light stand
1 – 5way 42 reflector
I would put it toward a pair of Elinchrom Ranger Quadras.
1 used original Leica strap for the M9 .. $1499 .. (on sale)
A Nikon 7100, a Zoom H4n, and a set of microphones
I would buy either: sigma 85f1.4, a film medium format with one lens, or a couple of lights(either a couple of old manual speedlights,a hotlight, or a ring light). Or maybe photoshop or a class on videography. Im paralyzed by indecisiveness!
Tough pool… I’d start by pulling out my wishlist and consider the stuff that would be most useful for me right now.
But here are some items:
GoPro Hero 3
Olympus OM-D E-M5
BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera
Zacuto Fast Draw
CineSkates (dunno if videography stuff counts)
USB focus controller (Okii)
Nexus 7 plus accessories needed to use it as ext monitor
Pico Dolly or Komodo Dolly
Lens Baby kits for experimenting…
Oh well, so many stuff to choose…
Nikon D7000
Nikkor 50mm f1.4
Probably a GoPro Hero 3 black edition and a Sigma 17-70mm 2.8-4 EF lens. :) Oh, and a lens coffee mug…because they are cool. Ha.
Canon 85mm f/1.8 for my really nice portrait lens
Canon BG-E7 Battery grip.
Canon 10-22mm lens to play with some wide angle shots. :)
Get a couple of good quality CPL filters for the lenses and give fairy back the change. :)
I would really love that fairy.
=D
X100S, I was skeptical even after Hobby and Zarias both loved it, but then I got my hands on one and the few minutes I spent with it were wonderful. Now I understand why everybody is so excited about them.
D7000 or D7100, plus a flash or two.
It would go towards a Dedolight HMI spotlight, probably the 400.
Profoto 901024 D1 Air 500 Monobloc -Black
$1,219.00 and with the rest, an octabox… I will love to see where it will take me…
1 7′ wescott octa and 2 Q flashes
I would put it TOWARD the $7,000 300mm 2.8 Sony SSM Telephoto lens that I’m buying before the Winter Olympics. This one is gonna hurt!
Jinbei Freelander FL-II 500 Porty Flash-Set, some fitting softboxes, a big beauty-dish and a set of pocketwizards for remote triggering.
Fuji G617, though 1500$ won’t be enough ;)
Canon TS-E 45mm f/2.8 Tilt Shift Lens $1,195.00
Canon EF 2.0X III Telephoto Extender $399.00
A new lens….not sure which one yet, but the biggest and best telephoto that $1500 will buy.
Down payment on my new Canon EOS 1D-X!
Olympus 25mm f/2.8 Pancake Lens
M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm F3.5-6.3 EZ
Olympus OM-D E-M5
Nikon D7100 + Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 (non-VC)
1st: sell my T3i. 2nd: buy a Instax to my girlfriend. 3rd: buy one 60D!
a Nikon 24-70mm
Sigma 35 f/1.4 A
Graflex Speed Graphic 4×5 or Polaroid back with lots of film and accessories for my Mamiya 645 Pro
Canon 100 mm f/2.8L IS macro and a 40 mm pancake for fun. If there was any left over then a colormunki.
Canon 10-22 wide angle lens – used about $600
430 EX II Speedlite – about $200
50mm f1.4 – about $350
and a cool bag to carry it all in… about $200
total… $1350
I would buy a portable studio lighting kit. I am a photography student and won’t be able to afford one for a while.
1 Lowell Lighting kit and possibly a 17-40 id be thrifty with my moolah ;)
D7000, couple of muslin backdrops, a 105 macro lens, and some extra SD cards
One of those super tele lenses (±800 mm or more) with auto focus and hopefully zoom ability. If I’m very lucky weighing less than al kilo and also measuring not longer than half a meter. In other words, still portable.
But maybe this one still needs to be invented…
canon 5d mark II
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras $1250
And then a
4×6 Daryl Benson Reverse ND Graduated Filter–3-stop Density fitting my LEE system $190
I would use the money to buy start up equipment so I can follow my dreams and a passion
EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM