I Have GAS!
I hate having to adult, gone are the days where I get money and I buy the shizzle I want, now I have responsibilities and have to pay bills, it sucks! So, the GAS I have is; a photography term, for someone who always wants better, newer equipment than they have, i.e. Gear Acquisition Syndrome.
As some of you might already know, I work in rental home marketing, and part of my job is to photograph the properties that I am marketing. I have used a number of cameras and lenses, starting with a Canon T3 with an 18-55mm f/3.5-f/5.6 lens, through to a Canon 80D with an EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-f/4.5 lens, to my current setup, a Canon 6D MkII with an EF 16-35mm f/4, and the itch to upgrade is strong.
On occasion, I find the 16mm lens is not quite wide enough, meaning I have to cut off the edge of windows or door frames, irritating me greatly as I cannot get the framing I want, even at 16mm. I would love to have the Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM Lens, but at $2,700, it’s a little out of my price range.
I already have two Sigma lenses, 24-105mm f/4 Art lens, and 100-400mm f/5-f/6.3 Contemporary lens, both of which I have been happy with, so the 12-24mm f/4 Art lens is very appealing, but is still on the pricey side at $1,600, but, it would complete the Sigma trinity from 12mm through to 400mm.
There is an older cheaper 12mm Sigma lens, the 12-24mm f/4.5-f/5.6 AF II DG HSM, which sells for about $700, but it is close to a decade old, and the reviews are not favorable by 2020 standards. I don’t want to sacrifice image quality, which the Canon 16-35mm f/4 provides, to get 4mm wider.
I have the option to sell the Canon 16-35mm for around $500, but I don’t want to sell until I have a replacement lens and I am happy with it. I don’t want something worse than what I have, even if I go with the $1,600 12-24mm Art lens. I need to test a new lens before I can sell the old one.
This is a pie in the sky dream at this time, I have access to credit cards to buy any lens I want, but I don’t want to increase my current credit card balances. My heart says “go for it”, however my brain overrules my heart, saying “don’t screw yourself by increasing your minimum payments”. If the purchase of the Sigma 12-24mm f/4 would increase my income, I could justify it, but my employer is happy with the photos I produce with my current kit, it’s simply a case of “I want”, not “I need”. ADULTING *boo*