# What should I get?



## PrestigePanda (Mar 5, 2013)

Hi guys, I have $180 to spend but I don't know what to spend it on should I buy a battery grip for my Canon 7D or by cheap lens Canon EF 40mm f/2.8.
Please help the newbie.


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## jbkm1994 (Mar 5, 2013)

That's kind of tough to answer. We don't know what you have or need.


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## PrestigePanda (Mar 5, 2013)

What do you need to know?


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## jbkm1994 (Mar 5, 2013)

What lenses do you have?  What are you wanting to photograph that you can't with your current lenses?  Are you frequently running out of battery charge?  Do you want the added weight on your camera?  There a lot of variables....


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## PrestigePanda (Mar 5, 2013)

Tell me what you will pick?


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## jbkm1994 (Mar 5, 2013)

I personally just bought a battery grip for my 6D yesterday but that's just me...but, if I needed a 40mm lens, I would have bought that.  I know this doesn't help much but you have to look at your own inventory and assess what you think you will get the most mileage from.  Both are nice but you can't shoot very good pictures with a battery grip.  If you have the lens assortment you need, I say go for the grip.


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## PrestigePanda (Mar 5, 2013)

Thank You :hail:


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## shadowlands (Mar 6, 2013)

I couldn't live without my battery grip. So that's my vote!


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## SCraig (Mar 6, 2013)

You could also save it until you put enough with it to get something worthwhile.  Buying something simply because you have the money to do so, and not because you want or need something, is a good way to just throw it away.


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## ChrisHeathcote (Mar 7, 2013)

You could always send me the money and I'll put to something I need


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## ChrisHeathcote (Mar 7, 2013)

OK I have just read some of your previous posts and forgive me if I have got it wrong, but what I got from that was that you are totally new to the world of DSLR and have had your 7D (pro spec camera) for about a month. You also have the 28-135 lens. Firstly I wouldn't bother getting the 40mm lens as you already have the range covered for now, also I don't think the lens you have is overly front heavy so again, unless you are having issues with battery life, I wouldn't bother with a grip for now. What I would spend your money on is getting to know your camera and how it works better. I have a series of books by Scott Kelby (The Digital Photography Book Pt 1-4) and find it very good from the point that the way he rights is "if you want something to look like this, then do this", alternately there are lots of books out there that will go into more detail if thats your thing.
Another option would be to find a course that will take you through understanding exposure, composition and all the other fidly bits that come with photography.
The equipment won't make you a great photographer, learning how to get the best from it will. I have seen great pictures taken on a £10 disposable, I have also seen terrible pictures taken on £3000 Canon 1Ds.
More importantly enjoy the learning curve you have started on.


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## Light Guru (Mar 7, 2013)

PrestigePanda said:


> Hi guys, I have $180 to spend but I don't know what to spend it on should I buy a battery grip for my Canon 7D or by cheap lens Canon EF 40mm f/2.8.
> Please help the newbie.



So basically you just feel like you want to buy something and looked at your bank account and saw that you had $180.

Why do you "need" to buy something?
What is wrong with the gear you have?

You know that buying more gear does not make you a better photographer right?

Hold on to the money until you actually know what you need and can articulate why it will benefit you.


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## Fuganater (Mar 7, 2013)

A battery grip is a great thing to have. I posted in another thread yesterday the Flashpoint 7D batter grip. Its only $70 so get yourself a 2nd Canon battery and you'll be all set.


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## pgriz (Mar 7, 2013)

Well, if your photographic tool chest needs some more things to put into it, get the shiniest, glitziest bauble you can find.  I know guys who have every power tool made nicely arrayed on their garage wall, complete with outlined positions and a key light shining over the whole showcase.  But they don't actually use the stuff to make things.  And they obsess over the latest double-bore titanium coated 57 degree 1/16" drill because they "need" the best equipment.

Uh huh.

Or, you can learn to use your equipment, get to the point that it is actually holding your creativity back, and then you'll know what you need to get.  But don't let me hold you back if you're trying to help the economy get moving - it needs people to throw money into it.

Personally, I buy stuff when I can't get my existing equipment to do something and I have enough knowledge and experience to know that there's not another way to get it done.  My last purchase was a 10 ND filter because I wanted very long exposures and my existing filter set just didn't allow me enough light absorption to use the very long shutter speeds I wanted.  The last piece of major gear was a flash meter, about a year ago, because I was trying to reduce the number of times I had to adjust multiple off-camera flash power levels by chimping.

I'd echo the suggestion that if you want to "improve" your photography, then figure out what area you want to be good in and spend your money to get the books or courses that will teach you how to be good in that area.


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## deepsun (Mar 7, 2013)

PrestigePanda said:


> Hi guys, I have $180 to spend but I don't know what to spend it on should I buy a battery grip for my Canon 7D or by cheap lens Canon EF 40mm f/2.8.
> Please help the newbie.



I wouldn't get the battery grip unless you're doing shoots that are either causing you to run out of battery life, or could use the added benefit of more comfortable portrait shooting with the battery grip.

Don't buy a new lens unless it really makes sense in relation to the rest of your kit. According to ChrisHeathCote, you have a lens that already covers that focal length, so what's the point? 

You should learn your way around your current gear setup until a new lens or the battery grip is absolutely essential to furthering your ability.


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## ChrisHeathcote (Mar 7, 2013)

What about one of these 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0078PRKYE/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1362684360&sr=8-6&pi=SL75


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