This isn't cheap...

So, since getting in to photography I've been happy with my gear. However, I've always wanted to get closer to my subjects which means more mm's! If you're in to your photography, you'll know that the higher the focal length, the more expensive the lens.

Over the last few months I've bought several 'cheap' accessories/lenses to try and get closer to my subjects but I've finally admitted defeat. I've slowly been realising that you simply can't compromise when it comes to optics.

For example, I purchased a cheap 500mm pre-set lens from eBay for £30.00, however, the images were extremely soft, and I had to set the ISO to at least 800 to get a decent shot during the day. If the photo was of a moving subject I was having to crank it up to at least 1600 to get a shot without too much blur. After some failed shots of the moon last week this lens now has a permanent home on my shelf, and it will likely never be used again!

Long story short... I took some more photos of the moon on Monday night, this time, without a teleconverter using my Tamron 70-300mm. I have to say, some of the best results yet! I shouldn't be so surprised really... It's the first time I've taken shots without a teleconverter since learning how to properly photograph the moon. I should definitely have tried it sooner!

The Moon - 300mm ISO 100 f9 1/25

The photo is still no where near as good as some I've seen, but it's a huge improvement! A side effect of this realisation is that I now have an extremely expensive 'wish list'. What's on your wishlist?