If you had $600 to spend

[SUB1IM388]

Ok so this is one of those threds that will help motivate myself into my next purchase. If you had $600 what would you spend it on and why?

[FlyingPhotog]

Just glancing at your gear list, what do you feel like you're missing?

You have WA out to 300mm so do you want to go wider, longer or faster?

You could add a flash, perhaps?

[Tony-S]

A flash.

[dollei]

I would get a WA (Canon 10-22, or Tokina 11-16, depending what you will be doing with it) or a 70-200 f/4 L :)

[SUB1IM388]

Just glancing at your gear list, what do you feel like you're missing?

You have WA out to 300mm so do you want to go wider, longer or faster?

You could add a flash, perhaps?

Blah i dont like the 75-300 ints slow and heavy. Ive been thinking about a flash and a grip but so far have not really seen it as a must have. But i have been looking into a WA tokina or tamron maybe even the canon not sure wich i like more tho, any recomendations?

[SUB1IM388]

I would get a WA (Canon 10-22, or Tokina 11-16, depending what you will be doing with it) or a 70-200 f/4 L :)
Hmm the 70-200 l huh seems way out of my skill range. would be a nice addition tho:)

[_aravena]

Sell my Sigma 70-200 and buy a used Canon 70-200 F2.8 IS. I'd need $800 though, not $600. $600 straight up? Couple of primes (30F1.4 & 85 F1.8) or 150 macro. Not sure.

[The Moose]

Blah i dont like the 75-300 ints slow and heavy. Ive been thinking about a flash and a grip but so far have not really seen it as a must have. But i have been looking into a WA tokina or tamron maybe even the canon not sure wich i like more tho, any recomendations?

If you think the 75-300mm is heavy then don't get a 70-200mm. An f/4 will be faster than it as it's constant but it's heavier than the 75-300mm. If you wanted more speed and got the f/2.8 version, that's even heavier than the f/4.

If you don't feel you need anything, is the $600 worth spending on something or would you rather keep saving and look for something later?

[KayakPhotos]

Ive been thinking about a flash and a grip but so far have not really seen it as a must have.

Flash is not necessarily a must have, but highly recommended in general. Having a flash would open up a lot of new avenues, especially if you do not have any fast lenses and want to shoot indoors. Even with a fast prime, you will sometimes need a flash indoors. Do you already have a tripod? Maybe pick up a flash and good tripod.

[tonybear007]

Tripod, Ball head, Lighting accessories.

[darosk]

I'd buy an 85/1.8 and a new tripod/head set.

[Oteck]

I'd buy another 580EXII but thats just me as 600 bucks isn't enough to buy me another L prime

[Duncan Frenz]

Silly question considering what I would do with $600 and what someone else would need entails. I'd help pay for my monthly Rx bill which exceeds most peoples gear list. But I suspect you are asking if I could justify spending it on photography related items, what would I purchase...

I'd either get a 580 EXII or look for a used 17-55 IS (though I highly doubt I'd find one for so little). If you're asking what I would recommend for your outfit, then you haven't given enough information to even begin to suggest something that would be beneficial to you.

[nphsbuckeye]

A down payment on a 70-200 2.8 IS. Other than buying stuff for my darkroom class, everything else would be a complete luxury.

[Laramie]

If you think the 75-300mm is heavy then don't get a 70-200mm. An f/4 will be faster than it as it's constant but it's heavier than the 75-300mm. If you wanted more speed and got the f/2.8 version, that's even heavier than the f/4.

If you don't feel you need anything, is the $600 worth spending on something or would you rather keep saving and look for something later?

Agreed. If you don't like and think the 70-300 is heavy, you won't be happy with a 70-200. Save the money for rainy day when your trigger finger is itchin to hit the buy button.

[400dabuser]

I would get a new lens that doesn't suffer from Barrel distortion

[bric-a-brac]

Cactus radio trigger + 2 cactus radio receivers
Sigma 530 DG flash
Sigma 530 DG Super flash
Smith-Victor PG250S mini-slave
hotshoe umbrella mount x 2
light stand x 2
32" silver reflective umbrella x 2
and a mountain of rechargeable AA batteries.

after shipping... I think I'm approximately at my limit.

reason for purchasing: incredibly portable/powerful (sigma guide no ~174) lighting system while retaining the option of using either flashes on camera. think of everything you could do with light on and off camera!

this, by the way, is one of my next major investments. I'll probably buy everything except the 530 Super and just use my 430EXII in the system until I can get the third flash. I think it's going to be a pretty versatile system and I'm really excited about it.

[HappySnapper90]

Replace the 75-300, it's a junk lens that is unusable beyond 200mm and is very soft wide open. Consider the 70-200 f4 instead. And as others have said, the 75-300 is a very light lens! It is lighter than any lens I use!

Heavier lenses usually mean more and larger glass which comes with faster apertures and better quality construction and glass.

[SUB1IM388]

Replace the 75-300, it's a junk lens that is unusable beyond 200mm and is very soft wide open. Consider the 70-200 f4 instead. And as others have said, the 75-300 is a very light lens! It is lighter than any lens I use!

Heavier lenses usually mean more and larger glass which comes with faster apertures and better quality construction and glass.

The weight I wouldnt mind is it were a good lens but thats why i dont like it cause its slow and crap. With that said i bought a 70-200mm f4 USM last night :))

[midnight_rider]

The weight I wouldnt mind is it were a good lens but thats why i dont like it cause its slow and crap. With that said i bought a 70-200mm f4 USM last night :))

Congrats, That was one of me favorite lenses. It will be a huge upgrade from the 75-300 which was the best paper weight that I have ever owned.

[DStanic]

The weight I wouldnt mind is it were a good lens but thats why i dont like it cause its slow and crap. With that said i bought a 70-200mm f4 USM last night :))

Congrats, that is an excellent purchase. I will only ever get rid of mine if it's for the f/4L IS version. If I needed a f/2.8 IS I would still want to keep it for its small size and light weight for outdoor in good light and such. I've also had 2 other telephotos in the past- Tamron 75-300 (very cheap $100 lens) and a SIgma 70-200 f/2.8 macro (it was the version that is very soft at f/2.8 on the long end). The f/4L is extremely fast at focusing and super tack sharp.

If I had $600? I'd really like to get a second body, either used 30D or 40D.. hopefully prices will continue to drop by the summer.

[Mosca]

A good tripod.

[DreDaze]

a trip...to use the lenses i already have and get pictures of a place i'll most likely never go back to...