Roger Hicks
Veteran
One thing they as a whole do confirm is that actually using the equipment is an irreplaceable step in the process of figuring out the proper need/want ratio.
... the art of choosing one's limits and deploying them in interesting ways.
I would have never ever thought I would have allowed myself to buy a 75/2 summicron. And when I finally made the decision it was impulsive, becuase otherwise I would have never been able to "reason" myself into doing something so foolishly whimsical. Yet I have to say that it really is exactly the portraits-plus lens I had been looking for.
First para: Absolutely!
Second para: You have neatly summed up one of the most important things in photography
Third para: But were you working from the premise of 'I know what I want to do with this lens' or 'I wonder what this lens can do'?
It sounds like the former: you really wanted that lens because it would fulfill a need ('portraits plus', as you put it). Did you already have a lens that would do that? If so, what led you to replace it? If not, it's a question of looking at all the 75mm lenses on the market (including zooms for other systems) and deciding which is the most rational choice for you -- which is why I always try to emphasize that my choices work best for me, with the clear implication that others may feel differently.
Cheers,
Roger