How Much Should You Spend On Photography Gear When Youre Just Starting Out : $5 or $5000 | A Twist on The Friday Five

 

Pressing that checkout button can be tough . Especially when youve got hundreds of dollars in camera gear and lenses in the cart. (exciting, I know, but also a little scary to be dropping that kinda cash)

You might wonder if you really even need it all, I mean how many lenses is enough?

Ive definitely wasted more than a few dollars here and there and saved some when I probably should have splurged more. So, lets talk for a sec about how much YOU should really spend on your photography gear.

 

Before you go on….let me preface this article by stating that I am a super frugal person. I like to save money, look for a great bargain and cut coupons if I can. That probably comes from my childhood, in that we didnt have a ton of money. I literally lived on “the other side of the tracks”. Yup, the train tracks went right through our backyard. I wore lots of hand me downs, shopped the yard sales for toys and heard the phrase we cant afford that more times than I can count.

So when we chat about what you should be buying, I’m trying to help ya out so you can save too!

 

If youve got lots of money to spend and arent too concerned about a budget, this article probably isnt for you. Have fun filling up your cart with all your new goodies ( I always wished I could;) )

 

BUT, if you do like to save a buck and want to make sure youre spending it wisely, this is for you. Keep reading.

 

Cameras

Lets talk cameras first. If youre just starting out, dont feel like you have to run out and get the newest, fanciest most expensive model out there. (You’ve probably have already heard, when I started out, I used a borrowed old Canon model camera from my dad. Cost on that =$0)

When you’re just starting out, if you get a camera that is too fancy, you probably wont know how to use all that its got to offer and it may just confuse and overwhelm you. Go for a starter model like the Canon rebel series. And like I said, doesnt have to be the newest model. You can save a buck or two (or hundred) by opting for an earlier version. (or borrow one or buy used)

When it was time for me to upgrade from my borrowed camera, I still didnt go for the newest most expensive model either. So dont feel like you have to.

Lenses

Next are lenses. Kit lenses are fine, but if youre wanting better quality and trying to figure out what to spend that hard earned money on, upgrade the lens.

And no, it does not have to be one of those $5000 lens (though that would be pretty awesome, huh?) Start by upgrading your lens to the 50mm 1.8, theyre around $100 bucks and well worth every penny. Once you save up a bit more, here are some of my other fave lenses to think about:

Related Article: 5 Fantastic Canon Lenses For Beginners

 

Now What?

OK, so youve got the camera, and the lens, what else do you need? Really if you are just starting out. Thats it. The camera and lens. After awhile you may want to invest in things like, lights, reflectors, additional lenses or expo discs, editing programs- but just hold off at first. If you buy all those things too early, youll be overwhelmed. Take it little bits at a time and youll start to understand what would be most beneficial to YOU!

 

So get out there, get creative and have fun shooting!

 

And since this is my Friday Five this week, the answer to the question “Should you spend $5 or $5000?” I’d probably try to stick closer to the $5 side of that if you can?

But if money didn’t matter….what photography gear would you buy right now????