Determining our best photographic ROI is not as simple as it may appear on the surface as ROI isn’t always just a financial return. Since the majority of folks visiting this website would probably be amateurs/hobbyists we will focus on this segment of the photographic community.

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I suppose the most obvious place to start this article is to discuss investing money in camera gear. It should be stated clearly, and upfront, that no one understands our specific photographic needs better than we do.  Asking random people in photographic chatrooms what their opinions are, on what we should buy, is a total waste of time.

This behaviour is actually quite common and many people make financial decisions based on crowd opinions. This is often an open door for buyer’s remorse. It is also a clear signal that we have not invested a sufficient amount of time and effort to properly define our photographic needs.

Each of us has our own priorities when it comes to equipment. These are based on our choice of subject matter and our shooting styles.  We also need to consider what we are planning to do with our images in terms of how they will be physically displayed or shared.

Some of us only share our images on social media, and never have super sized print enlargements made. If that’s the case, then it can be difficult to justify spending money on full frame or medium format camera gear from a purely logical perspective. In many cases photographs captured with good quality Smartphones are more than sufficient for many people’s needs.

Other folks enjoy getting involved with pixel peeping and debating minute differences between camera formats, brands, camera models, and lenses. Of course, there’s nothing inherently wrong with that approach to photography. We just need to understand our individual priorities in order to make a good decision.

Fundamentally there is a binary divide when it comes to investing our hard earned money in camera gear. It is typically either an emotional decision… or a logical one. Obviously there are times when both of these opposing factors are present. This makes decision making difficult to say the least.

It can be instructive to remember that our ability to make a logical decision is inversely proportional to our degree of emotional arousal. So… the more emotionally charged we are… either positively or negatively… the less likely we are able to make a sound, logical decision.

The more excited we get about the launch of a new piece of camera gear. The more positive reviews we read. And, the more supportive videos we watch… the more we are likely to fall victim to confirmation bias. That can result in us buying camera equipment that we don’t really need. We can then experience post-purchase dissonance when reality clashes with our expectations. And, the remorse that we may feel when we look at our credit card bill, or the balance in our bank account.

Like many folks, I’ve gone down this confirmation bias path… only to regret it later. Fortunately I was able to sell all of that camera gear and recoup most of the investment that I made in it.

Just because a lesson is learned, doesn’t mean that we will always take heed of the new knowledge that we’ve acquired. Remaining vigilant of where our attention is focused, and being aware of our emotional states of arousal, can help keep us grounded.

Emotions and logic fly in opposite directions. One brings colour and excitement to our lives… the other forces us to ask tough questions of ourselves.

Over the past few years I’ve made two significant additions to my kit, and took a pass on many more potential temptations. A single, fundamental question was instrumental in making these decisions. “Will investing in this piece of camera equipment expand my photographic potential sufficiently that I won’t regret spending this money down the road?”

In terms of camera bodies there wasn’t one that I could answer that question in the affirmative. So, I took a pass or some terrific cameras like the OM-1 Mark I and Mark II. As well as all of the other bodies that OM Systems has introduced since transitioning from the Olympus family.

Not because these various cameras were somehow substandard. Far from it. They just didn’t provide me with a sufficient amount of increased performance, comfort and ergonomics to cause me to move away from my pair of E-M1Xs.

The M.Zuiko 150-600 mm f/5-6.3 IS zoom clearly crossed that expanded photographic potential threshold for me… and I made the investment. I haven’t regretted that decision for an instant. The increased reach, Sync IS, expanded in-field flexibility, and improved image quality delivered everything I expected… and more. I’ve been able to capture numerous images that I would not have even tried in the past. To me that is the ultimate ROI.

When the M.Zuiko PRO 90 mm f/3.5 IS Macro was first introduced I really didn’t give it any serious consideration. It appeared that I’d need to use a tripod on a regular basis to realize the photographic potential of this lens. As a dedicated handheld shooter that was a deal breaker.

Over time that lens came back into view. I learned more about it, and how it actually could dramatically expand my handheld macro photography potential. A logical and affirmative answer to my fundamental question resulted in me making an investment in that lens.

It took a fair amount of time and effort for me to learn how to use that lens effectively handheld. I likely couldn’t count the number of missed images I had during the first couple of months of experimentation. I never blamed the lens for my botched photographs. I had met the enemy… and it was me!

I have no idea what fundamental question would be the right one for other people to ask themselves when trying to ensure the best photographic ROI with their equipment purchases. I do know that my fundamental question helped me avoid some costly mistakes.

While our money is a valuable commodity… it pales next to our most precious one. Time. There is usually a way for us to make more money. We can never roll the clock back. Once we’ve used up some time… it is gone forever.

For most of 2026 I’ve really been contemplating the real value… and real meaning… of time. Some of those deliberations have pulled me in diametrically opposite directions. Practical and philosophic tugs-of-war are always instructive if we can stand back far enough from them to see our truth.

So, what is the best photographic ROI? From my perspective it is investing in camera equipment that truly expands my photographic potential. Not with just a smidge more of dynamic range or colour depth… but in a decidedly meaningful way.

The clearest test for me is after capturing a specific, difficult image… I look down at the gear I’m holding and hear me say to myself… “Wow… I couldn’t have created that image without this specific lens… or camera… or technology.”

Time can be a predator that eats away at our potential. Every minute wasted is one that we will never get back and be able to use in a different manner. Every second lived… is one second less that is left in our life bucket.

I don’t know how you should use your time to achieve the best ROI in your life. What I do know is that at some point every one of us will be forgotten. The proof of that is easily seen by taking a contemplative walk through a cemetery. Paying attention to the oldest graves, the monuments and markers that are most weathered… is life affirming.

Once we pass, we only live in the memories of the people that knew us personally, and loved us. Once those people pass… those memories of us pass with them. And as more of those moments fade into history each of us will be forgotten forever. The best ROI is striving to live up to the promises of our potential. And, celebrating and sharing each moment we have as a treasure.

Technical Note

Photographs featured in this article were captured handheld using camera gear noted in the EXIF data. Images were created from out-of-camera jpegs or RAW files using my standard process in post. This is the 1551 article published on this website since its original inception in 2015.

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