Hello wonderful OSPers!

Ok, here is my current setup that is in DESPERATE need of upgrading and updating:

20D
50 1.8
85 1.8
17-85 IS

580 EX

iMac 20" 2.4
CS3

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I have just been getting my feet wet in the biz... picking up jobs here and there... but God willing all will pick up ALOT in the next year when we move back to the States and I can pursue the business as a full time part time biz. I have been paying for everything as I go and have been saving up for some upgrades.

Obviously I need another camera as my primary and need to move th 20D to back up. I had thought I wanted to save up and hold out for the 5D. With all the rave reviews of th 40D however, I am wondering if I should go that route.. my newest train of thought is 40 D now as my primary... maybe by fall of next year I will have built up the biz enough and saved enough to move to a 5D as primary camera and move the 40 D as backup.... sell 20D. What do you think???

Lenses are the next stop for sure. maybe even the first stop as I can always borrow extra cameras for the time being.... I am torn as to what len(es) to get. I DO love primes, but am not loving having to switch lenses every time I turn around (although with a second body that woudl help a bit). Soooooo, at the moment I am thinking about getting a workhorse lens... something I can use a good 75-80% of the time. I read on theimageisfound blog that they use their 17-55 about 95% of the time. Love that..... I def like wide angles as well... SO with that said, what are my options as far a a good work horse wide angle zoom.... ???

OPTION 1 - zooms

Canon 17-55 (but considering I am wanting to move to a full frame in the next year, I don't want to buy a lens I can't use then)
24-70L ??? not wide enough on a crop body right??
16-35L haven't heard enough raves about this one....

OR do I go Tamron?
17-50 heard ALOT of great stuff about this one. Comprable to an L lens??

I also want to upgrade to the 50 1.4 and retire my tired and old nifty fifty 1.8.... which brings me to


OPTION 2 - go with only primes....

50 1.4
85 1.8

So shoudl I get the 135 L and a wide angle prime?? if so what wide angle prime is the most versatile???



Best case scenario I can think of right now.....

40D
135 L
50 1.4
Tamron 17-50 2.8
Total: about $2600

which makes a whole lot more sense than paying $2500 for just a 5d right???????

how do you want to shoot? that is the question - are you comfortable shooting with only primes?

you pretty much have what i have, with the exception of the 135L - which i love.

my goal is to shoot with primes only so my next purchase is the 85L 1.2. but i only invest in good quality lenses - i stick with canon and try to get the best of what i decide to buy -

i would invest in a 5D and use your 20 as the backup. you dont need a new camera as a backup as long as the 20 is still reliable.

my thought is, however, that my 20d may not last too long... it is almost 3 years old... still working good now but with more hiccups here and there. so I am thnking buy a 40D now... in a year, I can buy the 5d (or equiv) and retire or sell 20d and use 40d as backup???


I am comfortable using primes... just hate to switch out lenses all the time on one camera... so if I have two, that will eliminate a lot of the changing.

SHOOT SAC! i love mine - i cannot stand carrying two cameras around anymore, such a weight on the neck and all cause you still need to have other lenses. i felt so liberated using the shootsac and switching out with my primes.

oh, yes, your right, your 20d needs to be retired soon - good move then get a new camera now and another one soon -

(ps tami - where in texas are you from... i am from Boerne... near San Antonio)

houston!

i am new to photography, but would it make sense to rent the L lenses for the shoot only, generate some revenue, and wait until the alleged rumor of the 5d upgrade next year gets confirmed?

personally, i would choose glass over a new body in almost all circumstances. i have seen some stunning pics come out of a rebel xti with 2.8 L glass.

and a final thought, the euro or pound to dollar is so much in your favor now that a transition back home will be very generous financially.

regards

matt

all photography equipment is cheaper in the states, it doesnt matter what the conversion rate is - just buy it in the states!

tami

i was meaning that when when she makes money over in europe, upon returning, the dollar will stretch farther due to the exchange rate. hope i was not misunderstood about the conversion rate for the purchase of equipment or lenses. i knew of a wedding photog who was making 3,000 pounds per wedding and when that converted back, was really excited how much more purchasing power they had here.

matt

unfortunately we get paid in $USD here on this job so its really not in our favor at all. but yes, I DO plan on buying all equipment in the USA for sure.

Chelsea, What kind of work do you mostly do? Weddings? Portraits? A few days ago I almost bought another 5D for back up (it was a good deal) but as I thought about it I realized that the reason I need a back up is for weddings. Well, I don't have one wedding in the books currently! LOL. So if I all of a sudden book one I can always rent a body for like $100. That goes the same for lenses. What I'm saying is to keep in mind that some things you just won't use a lot and can rent when needed.

Having said that I'll share what lenses I have and love. 24-70, 70-200, 85 1.8. The first 2 I absolutely can't be without.

Shootsac is great for changing out lenses easily BUT there is nothing like having a zoom especially when sometimes space is tight ie; bride's dressing room. If primarily you do portraits it's no biggie to change out lenses there's time. At a wedding you can miss things cuz you have to back up or what have you.

Looking again at your lenses you have a pretty good assortment, if it were me personally I'd buy the 5D. Mainly because your 20d has been acting up and if you spend all your money on new lenses you might end up w/o camera and having to shell out more moolah on credit and the $2500 5d then becomes $3500 by the time you pay it off. I don't worry so much about what's going to come out in the future because there's always something new that comes out, bigger, better, PRICIER.

Hope I'm making sense, it's early.

Great points Rowena!


Actually I don't do a whole lot of anything right now... a wedding in November, a portrait session here or there. But I am gearing up (no pun intended ) for moving back to the states and being able to pursue more work. I would love to do more weddings... and more portrait sessions... I enjoy both very much and hope to get whatever I can as we transition into life in the USA again (read ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRY . So I really do see a NEED for a camera backup/ or new primary... as well as some good glass for the future as well as the present. I am trying to stay a step ahead of the game and be prepared to hit the ground running as soon as I can when we move back. Thanks for your thoughts!

i'm curious as to how long you have been gone? i have been gone for 8 years - i desperately want to move back, but my husband will not do it. so, i am doomed - unless of course... well, you know.....

i know that my business would thrive if i were to move back, over here - not many people want (pay for) a good photogorapher, much less appreciate good images.

we have only been here for about 2.5 years... and i just started pursuing the biz about a year ago... so still in the growing pains stages, but nice to have a low key time to work out some kinks and set some goals etc. but I am with you, I am so excited to jump in with both feet in the states and hopefully build my business so much more. its just too hard doing it with the cultural and language barriers. Most of my work has been with americans here and back in the states thus far.

anyone else want to weigh in on the essentials here??

What about one of the 70-200 zooms.

If you get the 40D now, and a 5D or equivilant full frame in the future you can keep the 70-200 on the 5D and the 17-85 IS on the 40D as a default two body setup, then swap in the 50 and the 85 as needed.

70-200 .... interesting thought... the only problem is that I can't use my 17-85 in low light.... really looking for something 2.8 or so i think.

what about macro lenses..... i hear the 100 2.8 is amazing.... what other lenses can double as a macro for some sweet tight ring and details shots as well as be useful for other portraiture???

When it comes down to it once you get a full frame camera it will be hard to have one full frame and the other cropped. For me anyway who's easily confused, I'd be frustrated as all get out going from one to the other. LOL. So ultimately if you're planning on the 5D I wouldn't bother with a non full frame camera especially if you will sometimes use both simultaneously. Just my take. Don't you wish you had all the funds in the world to buy whatever you want/need so you don't have to think of all these things? hehehe

true true Rowena!!! to have about 8K laying around right now would be a dream.