Invest in the camera or the lens-What to do? What to do?

Recently I asked the question here about upgrading from a Nikon D90 to the newest and coolest camera. Once Canon or Nikon releases their newest camera and I see the stunning images that those cameras can create, I am in such shock and awe instantly want that camera! But what happens when we spend a ton of money for that camera along with a basic lens and the images are not what we expected? I mean if I spend $3000 on a camera I want to create images that are award-winning quality. In a perfect world I’m sure that would happen, but this is not a perfect world.

A great camera is an investment, but a great lens can take you even further. After all it is the lens that sees your subject. Having the top of the line camera body is something that I dream of, but if the lens is not of good quality, Photoshop cannot really help me out. One of my Instructors told me that having a top of the line camera body with a cheap lens is like putting four spare tires on a Mercedes Benz. At the time I just wanted a camera that I can pull out in front of clients and they could take me serious. But in the end the client had no idea what type of camera I was even shooting with.  A few years ago I was invited to photograph a football game alongside my mentor, and I brought along my D90. When my mentor saw the camera that I was using he told me that he had the same camera. At this moment I was confused because he had sold numerous images, been in magazines and was locally recognized. How could he shoot with this outdated camera? It was then that he pulled out his Nikon 70-200mm f2.8 lens that tied it all together. Let’s just say that when he let me use the lens, I did not want to give it back! 

If I had not asked that question on PSPN, I would still be sitting at my computer thinking about purchasing the Nikon D800 instead of another lens. 

Here is a video link also with a bit of humor about having that high-end camera with a cheap lens and a high-end lens with a cheap camera.

http://petapixel.com/2011/08/30/pro-dslr-with-cheapo-glass-versus-cheapo-dslr-with-pro-glass/

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