BigJIMMY

[Bigjimmy]

Greetings all,
I am reasonably new to photography. Have recently purchased a 20D with 17-55mm kit lens and 430 flash.
I am mainly shooting candid portrait and outdoor shots. I would like to do weddings eventually. I imagine that the kit lens is not the best quality and I would appreciate any guidence offered on the upgrades I could make. I would prefer zooms rather than prime but would consider anything if the reasons stack up.
I am new to processing also, and would appreciate guidence to buy a decent software package. What is the best?
I think the lenses that will suit me best are a 24-70 F2.8 IS or similar and a 70-200 F2.8 IS. Is this correct?

Appreciate all suggestions

[mackb]

I have the Sigma 24-70 2.8 and I'm very happy with it.
I use RSE (raw shooter) for converting images and Photoshop to edit them.
good luck, lots of good info here...........you'll know after only a few weddings if you lke it!

[tim]

Welcome Jimmy.

The 17-55 isn't a kit lens, but the 18-55 is. The 17-55 F2.8 IS and the 70-200 F2.8 IS is a great wedding combination that I highly recommend and use at weddings myself. I replaced a Tamron 28-75 F2.8 which was sharp, but missed focus very occasionally, and 28mm was a bit long. Now instead of a 12-24, 28-75, and 70-200 I just need the two lenses, 17-55 and 70-200. I do use the 12-24 sometimes still, as well as the 100mm macro for ring shots and such.

A fast prime like the 50mm F1.4 or the Sigma 30mm F1.4 is helpful at times too, for available light shooting.

[Bigjimmy]

Hi MackB and tim,
Thanks for info. Sorry I made a mistake. The kit lens I have is the 18-55. Does it mean anything that the 17-55 F2.8 IS isn't an 'L' lens?

[mizuno]

Does it mean anything that the 17-55 F2.8 IS isn't an 'L' lens?

It means it's cheaper. :D

[tim]

Well the 17-55 isn't cheaper than the 17-40L, but for me the 17-55 is more useful with F2.8 and IS. For full frame you'd need the 24-70 which is F2.8 but no IS.