Tell Josh what YOU would have done with his $800....

<p>If you had $800 to spend on buying something new, what new toy would you get? Would you get a <a href="http://www.adorama.com/PX2132AFAB.html">new lens</a>? A <a href="http://www.adorama.com/INKD300R.html">new DSLR body</a>? A trip to <a href="http://tinyurl.com/252ndj8">photograph somewhere interesting</a>? Would you skip photography and just buy something fun like a new <a href="http://www.transitionbikes.com/Bikes_Bank.cfm">Transition mountain bike</a> (my neighbor is a pro for them, so a little neighborhood shout out) or a <a href="http://tinyurl.com/26zb6vu">musical instrument</a>? What about <a href="http://tinyurl.com/26zb6vu">power tools</a> or <a href="http://tinyurl.com/24by57a">kitchen knives</a>?</p>

<p>In honor of my household disaster below, pick the photo item you'd buy and share it with everyone. If you'd like, pick a non photographic item and share that as well. Might be an interesting way to learn a little bit more about our fellow community member's hobbies.</p>

<p>Well let me tell you what I spent MY $800 on this week....</p>

<p><a href="http://tinyurl.com/2fknpxj"><img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31pp6zZ%2BnVL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a></p>

<p>Yeah, one of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001Q9PDSI">those</a>. Thrilling huh? our old hot water heater started doing an "old faithful" impersonation two days ago which made a pretty stunning mess. Thankfully a plumber we trust was available on short notice, and he didn't kill us on the tank or the labor (and with an infant and a toddler and an angry wife in the house, he sure could have). But still.....</p>

<p><b>EDIT: Please note, the cost of the heater ITSELF was not $800. The total cost of the heater, install, and removal/disposal of the old tank (all within 24 hours of the old one dying) was $800. No, I don't install stuff like this myself because the one thing I refuse to work on myself is anything having to do with natural gas. the risk isn't worth saving a couple hundred bucks.</b></p>

<p>I would have much rather spent my money on one of the <a href="http://tinyurl.com/22m8usc">Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM</a> lenses for my <a href="http://www.adorama.com/ICADRT1IKR.html">T1i</a>. I love my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EW8074">EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM</a>, but with the high ISO getting better and better on DSLRs these days, I'm finally willing to give up f/2.8 for longer telephoto end of the zoom. That's a big deal for me, I've been a f/2.8 (or faster) believer for a long time. But I find myself wanting something a bit longer in my family/kids/friends/etc lens. I'm still a little under the $800, so I'd probably use the rest to get a babysitter and take my wife out for a nice dinner away from the chaos that is our life.<br /> <p>Or, if I wasn't going to get a camera item, <a href="http://grizzly.com/products/17-Bandsaw-2-HP/G0513">I'd get one of these bad boys from Grizzly</a> (another company local to my area). I love me some power tools.</p>

<p><em>NOTE: Yes, yes. There are going to be referral links in this thread. It's a fairly unobtrusive way for the site to help support itself. Most the referrals appear if you link to Adorama or Amazon. I'm being upfront about this, so if you dislike that sort of thing, you can sit this thread out. Thanks. -Josh</em></p>

I hope it's solar. My $800 will go to a Sigma DP2s plus viewfinder (if the roof doesn't cost too much).

<p>i was browsing some lenses yesterday, and damn -- $800 wouldn't even come close!<br>

but speaking of that sigma DP2s, i'm interested. i even clicked through on one of the ads on PN. guess i should wait to see whether josh likes this one any better than the last version...</p>

<p>My $800 would go towards a new Zuiko 50-200/2.8-3.5</p>

<p>Or a down payment for a divorce lawyer...</p>

<p>Probably a Zuiko 24/2, 21/3.5 and a bunch more film.<br>

I am looking to avert the disaster of my 17 year old hot water heating going to way your's did by A) replacing it in the next few months and B) selling my townhouse and moving also in the next few months. With an infant and a toddler also, my townhouse is getting a little cramped.<br>

A) because replacing it myself is a lot cheaper than the credit a homebuyer would likely want in B). Thankfully I've had enough experience with plumbing, sweating and electrical a hot water heater is a pretty minor job for me. So long as the annoyed wife and attention demanding toddler and infant give me the spare couple of hours to do it in :-D</p>

<p>Well honestly, I would have bought a nice T17 Pancolar 1,4/55 Pentacon super Carl Zeiss Jena M42 lens on eBay for my Pentacon Super camera (<a href="../classic-cameras-forum/00WMyi">link</a>).</p>

<p>However, for the purposes of this thread and its crass commercial motive, I would have bought this at Adorama (<a href="http://www.adorama.com/Als/ProductPage/SG1224EOS.html">link</a>).<br /> Or maybe this at Amazon (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Canon-15mm-Fisheye-Lens-Cameras/dp/B00009R6WN/ref=sr_1_46?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1274474517&sr=8-46">link</a>)</p>

<p>I think there is a kind of quantum for household disasters and I think it's now up to about $800. Problems occur in multiples of this MHD (Minimum Household Disaster).</p>

<p>Allow me to link to that Sigma DP2s for you fellows:</p>

<p>http://www.adorama.com/SGDP2S.html</p>

<p>Prrrrobably a Sony NEX3 and alpha mount adapter. Don't worry about sending me the check yet Josh, it'll still take a month or so before those get released :)</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>However, for the purposes of this thread and its crass commercial motive, I would have bought this at Adorama (<a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.adorama.com/Als/ProductPage/SG1224EOS.html">link</a>).</p>

</blockquote>

<p>It's threads like this that keep me in water heaters!</p>

<p>Thanks JDM.</p>

<p>I would put it towards a photography class.</p>

Me, I'd put that $800 toward film and processing for my trip to the Outer Hebrides this summer.

<p>For next time, you should replace the anode in your water heater (google it) before it is completely gone. For $100, you could have kept your water heater alive for more years to come. You could have still purchased your lens. Also, if you have hard water, it's a very good idea to drain the tank periodically (maybe once a year) to purge the sediments. If you have a water softener, this would not be necessary (and you would easily double the life of your water heater). So now that you have a new heater, do these steps to make it last so that you're not diverting the "new lens" fund next time.</p>

<p><---got a tamron 70-200 F2.8 for around 750.00 with shipping</p>

<p>Instead of a bacteria-farm (tank of warm water) I would have gotten (oh wait we already did) a tankless water heater. It is much more efficient because there's no tank full of water kept hot all the time, and it never runs out because it heats as you need it. And in my house, it was taking up half the laundry area, so now we have room for a base cabinet and folding table countertop, which we got free from a neighbor's kitchen renovation. All in all it's a better way to heat your water. But it doesn't take very good photos. </p>

<p>Amy, that was my first choice and we looked into it. Given the various issues at hand (incoming water temp, house size, hot water usage, installation price, tax credits, etc), it would have taken us a LONG time to pay it off with the energy savings. Longer than the time we were going to be in this small house. So it's the kind of thing that I will look more seriously at for our next home.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-2700ES-NG-Aquastar-Tankless/dp/B0013FIQV6">Bosch tankless water heater link for those who are interested.</a></p>

<p>Forget about the lens, Josh....that's $pent money! Just get out and take some photos close to home, and be thankful that you have a hot shower to look forward to when you get home. The more $$$ I spend on lenses, the more I realize that what's really important is getting out and using the ones I have.... Oh, and take your wife with you!</p>

<p>Rodenstock Grandagon, 90mm f4.5 but not here yet....</p>

<p>My $800 would go towards repairs I need for the siding on my house thanks to chipmunks and a woodpecker. Or maybe toward repairs I need to be made to my chimney. Or possibly toward repairs I need made to my ejector pump pit lining... Or toward a possible carpenter ant problem. **sigh**</p>

<p>I'd love to buy a new computer or put it toward a Canon 135mm f/2...but alas.</p>

<p>Get a cheaper Hot Water tank and put the rest back in the kitty toward that lens you want.</p>

<p>.. or a great w/end with my wife.</p>

<p>Next $800 will be the Sigma 85mm f1.4</p>

<p>I'd be putting it towards a Nikon 2.8 VRII 70-200 ... so that I might get $800 closer to the $2K+ tag!</p>

<p>Even if I am a Canon XTi and G9 shooter in the digital camp , those 800 would go definitely for a SH Nikon Coolscan IV .</p>

<p>Paid bills - my husband lost his job last week</p>

<p>thats an expensive water heater. Same thing happened to us 2 weeks ago at 7am just 20 mins before we ran out the door to sell my photography at an art festival :))<br>

Think we spent about $300 for a 50/gal and hubby installed it himself saving the $200 installation fee.<br>

At the moment, I have to spend the rest left over from the $800 you suggested on supplies to sell more so one day I can buy a bigger zoom lens :) or a really nice tripod and ball head. I have the<strong> <a href="http://www.adorama.com/HAHG503MX.html">Hakuba Carbon Fiber HG-503 </a></strong>that I've had since 2004<strong><br /></strong></p>

<p> </p>

<p>Hi Josh, compared to EF-S 15-85 the new heater is well spent money. Or, if you've really got bored with your EF-S 17-55/2.8 send it to me for... say... one third of the original price (...no? Well, worth the try. Just wanted to help :-) and get a new EF 24-105 f/4 L IS. IMO the 15-85 isn't the right step ahead. :-)</p>