Originally posted by RobA_Oz Yep. All understood, Ian. Let me tell you one way that Sony is attracting new entrants, and that is through schools and colleges, by getting their equipment into the media and arts departments. At that stage, they’re aspirational owners, and won’t be real owners until they’ve established themselves in a career, but Sony has planted the seed that they’re the real deal, just like AOC used to in university science labs when I was a student. Plus ca change.
I personally know two people who are with Sony
exclusively because the new Tamron f/2.8 zooms are there. In the own words of one of them, "I really want to get good at photography, and the only modern system I can afford is Sony". He shoots the A6400 with a Tamron 17-70/2.8 and the Sony 70-350. Both lenses are very good from the images I've seen. His other option was Fuji but the total cost was fair bit more expensive.
Of course, we all know about older second hand gear being perfectly fine, but the point is that Sony having loads of modern, affordable third party lenses is another reason for their success.
---------- Post added 10-22-21 at 01:56 AM ----------
Originally posted by BigMackCam Then you have folks like me who have the $2.5k in cash, but - as you point out - prioritise their spending. Yes, I enjoy a bottle of wine now and then... once a week, as it happens. So I
could cut that out and save $10 - $15 each week for five years... but a glass or two of wine on a Friday and Saturday evening is, for me, part of enjoying life. Photography is important to me, but it's a hobby - and not one I would enjoy if it were to the exclusion of all other pursuits (what a sad existence
that would be
). Plus, I like to remain as liquid as possible. I believe I have enough funds set aside to deal with some (hopefully, most) unexpected eventualities in life, but not enough that I can spend freely without serious consideration. So... I can
afford to buy a new camera and lens, but - based on my fairly-cautious approach to life - I don't feel I can
justify it. I think that's what a lot of folks really mean when they say they can't afford something.
That's the thing with me - I have very little daily expenses beyond food (hiking, videogames with friends, going for a beer and some food once a week or so aren't *that* expensive, and I don't have to take financial care of a partner, a child or even a pet). But even less than two years ago my parents had to borrow money because of some emergency repairs at my grandma's house (which came right after some emergency repairs at the barn some time before that), so I prioritize having money available for an emergency.
And, while now things are good (very good, even, considering the state of many...), I
do come from a family were money was tight until around the time I was born, and it's hard to extricate oneself from the knowledge that it
could be tight again. So for me it is hard, mentally, to spend a lot of money on a hobby - I forced myself to get some extra freelancing work to "fit" an used K-1 in the budget despite having theoretically enough money in the bank. It's also why I look at lightly-used gear if it's something that's reliable (so... lenses
). From an entirely selfish point of view, 700€ for two low-serial MIJ FA Limiteds beats 1800€ for two new copies
. And they work all the same.