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

[tinameikle]

<p>Sadly we know how you feel, because due to water pressure the valve blew, on what is known here in the UK as a Combi-boiler, sounds as if you call it a tankless boiler in the US. Thankfully we had a Bosch insurance, which covered it, thank goodness! Count yourself lucky though Josh, because in this country it would cost about $1600 here, so you could pretend you saved $800 and spend that,lol!</p>

[shambrick007]

<p>This <img src="http://www.wlcastleman.com/equip/reviews/20D/sigma12-24.jpg" alt="" />,<br>

or this <img src="http://www.etamiya.com/shop/images/tamiya/563192a.jpg" alt="" /></p>

[philipward]

<p>A week of serious Street Shooting and gallery hopping in New York City.</p>

[kcarson]

<p>You did the right thing Josh. And be glad you had some money set aside and did not have to go into hock for a hot water heater! As for me with $800 to spend? I would travel someplace I have wanted to go and work on a photo project using the gear I've got. Photography to me, is about ideas...not the hardware or software.</p><div></div>

[mpressionz]

<p>Purchase another point and shoot - Canon PowerShot SX20 IS and continuing saving for my dream lens EF 300MM f/2.8L IS USM...</p>

[vincent_peri]

<p>I just bought two more camera bodies and two Nikkor lenses, so I'm okay there.<br>

If I had $800 handed to me today, I'd donate it to the nearest animal shelter. The reason I say that is because last Monday I found a starving dog and her two puppies wandering around the neighborhood. She was abandoned, so another neighbor and I have been feeding the dogs and giving them water until the sheriff's department decides enough is enough and the dogs are officially taken from the absentee "owner."</p>

 

[ryan_k]

<p>800 bucks? </p>

<p>400 to my student loans(credit cards are paid off, woo!), 400 on a studio flash/softbox kit. </p>

<p>OR finally buy some pocket wizards. </p>

<p>OR a killer drop filter set for anything I want to do nature/landscape related.</p>

[joshroot]

<blockquote>

<p>OR finally buy some pocket wizards.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Oh man. I can't recommend that highly enough. My pocket wizards have been through hell and back. I know that there are less costly options from clone companies and other copycats, and in general I don't have a bad opinion of that sort of thing. But as far as pocket wizards go, given how well mine have held up, I have a hard time doing anything but encouraging people to buy the genuine article.</p>

<p>http://www.adorama.com/PWWPT2.html</p>

[shivakumar_shankar]

<p>With $800, I would take a trip to Banff and Jasper! I already have all my line-up set right. For the dream lens that I want, it will probably cost well into 5grand and I am sure my Secretary of Treasury will not approve of the same :D</p>

[Rob_the_waste]

<p>I would have gotten the best Rolleiflex that $800.00 would have gotten. It's my last desire.</p>

[AJHingel]

<p>What to do with 647.7 euro seems to animate the photonet community more than even whether to go back to film.<br>

I would buy Chinese Yuan ( 6742 Yuan) - it can only increase in value - and put them aside for paying the university education of Josh junior. American families need to learn to save. So forget about small travels or buying yet another camera or lens you don't need. Invest in the future.</p>

[kelly_kinsey]

<p>A Sigma 120-400mm! I wanted that, but bought a Nikon 70-300VR instead cuz I couldn't wait. But I've got faith that I'll win the lottery soon. Yeah.</p><div></div>

[jpo3136b]

<p>Of course, if I was spending <strong>Josh's</strong> $800, I would have blown it on booze and women instead of photo stuff.</p>

[boinkphoto]

<p>Ditto on $800 being a dang expensive hot water heater!</p>

<p>Anyway, if I had $800? I think I'd buy an Arax tilt adapter for Nikon and a 40mm Zeiss lens for PENTACON-six to put on it...</p>

<p><img src="http://araxfoto.com/accessories/tilt/tilt-1.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="456" /></p>

[joshroot]

<blockquote>

<p>Ditto on $800 being a dang expensive hot water heater!</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Again, the hot water heater wasn't $800.</p>

[boinkphoto]

<p>Ah sorry - I see. The entire install etc.</p>

<p>Anyway, I blew my $800 on a garage floor...</p>

[fred_haeseker]

<p>I'd look around for a decent 90mm lens for my Speed Graphic. If I stuck with the Graflex Optars, I'd have enough money left over for a good supply of film!</p>

[ianivey]

<p>$800 wouldn't get me close enough to the <a href="http://www.adorama.com/Als/ProductPage/NK70200AF2U.html">Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII ($2,300)</a> quite yet, though that's really at the top of my need-it-next list.<br>

<a href="http://www.adorama.com/Als/ProductPage/NK70200AF2U.html"><img src="http://www.adorama.com/images/product/NK70200AF2U.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="200" /></a><br>

But it <em>would </em>get me close enough to the <a href="http://www.adorama.com/Als/ProductPage/NK8514AFDU.html">Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 (Adorama price: $1,225)</a> to justify the extra. Yeah, I know they're releasing a new one with VR, but I'd still love to have this one.<br>

<a href="http://www.adorama.com/Als/ProductPage/NK8514AFDU.html"><img src="http://www.adorama.com/images/product/NK8514AFDU.jpg" alt="" /></a></p>

<p>However, if I'm strictly not allowed to go over the $800, then I'd settle for the still fantastic <a href="http://www.adorama.com/Als/ProductPage/NK8518AFDU.html">85mm f/1.8 (Adorama price: $450)</a>. </p>

<p><a href="http://www.adorama.com/Als/ProductPage/NK8518AFDU.html"><img src="http://www.adorama.com/images/product/NK8518AFDU.jpg" alt="" /></a></p>

<p>I'd just be delighted to have an extra $800 to spend. Hey, I might even spend it on an iPad. Yikes. :)</p>

 

[User_1891539]

<p>1. Finish selling off some old lenses & stuff I don't use any more. Add that to the $800.<br>

2. New (to me) irons, probably Ping Eye 2 or Ping ISI-K with graphite shafts.<br>

3. Figure out what to do with the balance.</p>

<p>.<br>

3. Figure out what to do with the rest.</p>

 

[bmm]

<p>Photography gear - get a 70-300VR zoom<br>

Photography other - join a good photo club in Paris as I've just moved there<br>

Non-photography - take my new wife on a mini-break</p>

[mike_godwin1]

<p>Pay for my photography classes next quarter..</p>

[debrah_ross]

<p>A hot water heater is a necessity of life; a camera lens is not, so you do the math. Because you have a family, that was one of those times when you have to switch into adult mode. I know how you feel though, because the compressor on my ten-year old refrigerator died last year. I had to buy a new refrigerator; a new compressor would have cost just as much. But because I'm single with no kids, I did a really irresponsible thing early last year. I bought my Canon Rebel Xsi, which was about $700 on Amazon with a big loan from one of those online"pay day loan" companies. If you can pay the total amount back really fast, it's okay. But I wanted the new camera and I didn't want to save up for it. Such is the single life.</p>

[mike_godwin1]

<p>Why would you need to heat hot water? Wouldn't a cold water heater be better?</p>

<p> </p>

[alvinyap]

<p>The only camera gear I lust for is a 300/2.8VR - which is not justifiable and not within the 800 budget :P so I'd use the £££ to learn how to drive so I can not only just shoot at zoos :)</p>

<p>Alvin</p>

[jrickert]

<p><strong>Ok, Josh. I didn't understand the question fully, at first.</strong> Here is what I really wanted to buy:<br /> http://www.guitarcenter.com/Orange-County-Drums-and-Percussion-Avalon-6-Piece-Drum-Shell-Pack-788344-i1422069.gc<br>

It's a new drum shell pack, on sale for almost $800. I am including a photo of my drum set. The mounted toms are a little big, causing me to mount my roto toms<br>

http://www.overstock.com/Gifts-Flowers/Roto-Toms-Standing-Drum-Set/3647406/product.html?cid=123620&fp=F&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=11714062<br /> and cymbals very high. It is difficult to reach the cymbals comfortably. A new drum set! Now that would be SWEET.</p><div></div>