An entry level dslr with "big boy" 70-200mm lens and 580exII Speedlite. {photo courtesy of 4honor.blogspot.com}
This is a question I get often: “should I invest the money I’ve saved into a camera or a lens?” I think the answer is simple. Most dSLRS operate with {nearly} the same sensor, unless we’re talking the jump from crop frame to full frame sensor. Camera upgrades are merely bells & whistles. The lens has far more to do with the overall quality of an image than does the camera. Even the highest end camera is only as good as the glass attached to the front. Some other things to consider:
- Lenses never decrease in value. Cameras do – so while a lens is a true investment, a camera is not.
- You will still be using the same lenses a decade from now. Can’t say that for your camera.
- Excellent low-light photography is made more possible by faster lenses than by better cameras.
- When you look through your viewfinder, you’re looking through the lens, not the camera. The camera is a little darkroom in a box – the pictures come through the lens.
- Don’t let camera companies deceive you: why do you think they throw so much more into marketing their new cameras than their timeless lenses?
In short? If you have some money to invest in your photography and can only afford the lens or the camera, go for the lens.
