Originally posted by arpaagent A logical one is that buying lenses is more of an investment than simply spending money. Good lenses generally keep their value over time, so if you ever really need that money in the future, you should be able to sell the lenses back and get at least a significant portion of your money back.
Of course, after buying a good lens...you may never want to give it up!
I think that considering lenses as an investment is a very bad move. I have never sold any of my lenses, and with the exception of building an M42 kit for the fun of it, do not have duplicates in focal length or speed, BUT, aside from used lenses where I picked up some good bargins, not a single lens I own, that I purchased new, is selling today for anything near to the dollar amount I paid, ignoring the fact that inflation is not being considered here, I have probably lost a fortune, financially, between the present selling value of my kit and the price I paid.
Lenses do not appreciate in value, they just depreciate slower than camera bodies, and retain their usefulness longer, that is all. The fact that I still use lenses I bought in 1980 is a statement to their value, the cameras I bought at the same time, I still also own, but have not used in years.