Got 500D . Now what?

Hi All,

Let me be straight to the point. I got a used (probably a year old) 500D for $430 (note in India, price of new cameras are 15-20% higher compared to US or other countries).

My interests are wedding photography, family functions, parties, band performances. Yearly I go on vacation where I click 'anything and everything'.

I can spend $1000-$1200 over a period of 6 months on lens. And thats it. No more investment. I want to stay with this set-up for another 3-4 years before I upgrade. My preference is at max two lens, covering all possible ranges and situations.

Currently I own a bridge camera (Canon SX10IS) and certainly the new set-up has to beat it by a margin, specially in low light conditions (pls keep in mind my interests). Last year during my Younger sisters wedding, I was clicking pictures inside a banquet hall. Very limited light sources. There was another friend of mine who was clicking pictures with 1100D + kit. To my eyes, my pictures came out much better than the budget DSLR.

Stress is on quality of low light pics + reasonable telephoto. I'm a big fan of Bokeh! Please help.

Sigma 30 f1.4 for low light + Canon 15-85 for general purposes
Both new should come within budget.

Good luck!

Sigma 30 & Sigma 17-50 f2.8

Rocky Rhode wrote in post #14434642
Sigma 30 & Sigma 17-50 f2.8

I'd go for the Siggy 17-50 2.8 and a flash of some kind.

Thank you all! From other threads and the above suggestions, it seems17-50 f2.8 is a fav.
What mid telephoto lens can be added to the 17-50?

To stay within your budget look at a 55-250; used can be found around $200.00 USD

What about a 50mm f1.8 + 70-200 f2.8 (non IS).
I mean for the short focal I can take one step or move back a bit (provided there is space) and the sharpness of nifty fifty is comparable to 17-50, I guess. On the long range I will have ample light/fast lens. What say?
Is there something called 24-70 f2.8 for aps-c? I really wonder I will need that wide (38 on aps-c) but that extra long will help.

Virto wrote in post #14435076
I'd go for the Siggy 17-50 2.8 and a flash of some kind.

That's my thoughts as well. A flash is going to serve you very well in low light situations (get one that does ettl) and the 17-50 is a good range for a crop camera (tamron or sigma)

Pupu wrote in post #14436002
What about a 50mm f1.8 + 70-200 f2.8 (non IS).
I mean for the short focal I can take one step or move back a bit (provided there is space) and the sharpness of nifty fifty is comparable to 17-50, I guess. On the long range I will have ample light/fast lens. What say?
Is there something called 24-70 f2.8 for aps-c? I really wonder I will need that wide (38 on aps-c) but that extra long will help.

I have those two lenses (the 70-200 f2.8L and the 50mm f1.8 -- see my sig). They're great, but I think you'd long for a wide zoom in general. I got a used EF-S 17-55 f2.8L (the aps-c lens you're asking about), and it's a wonderful lens too. I ended up only paying about $100 more than a comparable 3rd-party lens ($600US, and I'm the 3rd owner).

I REALLY like the constant aperture 17-55 and 70-200 lenses. REALLY like them. If you find both of these used, you'll be a bit over your budget, but you'll feel pretty well equipped. The 50mm f1.8 as a holdover until you get the 17-55 is wonderful too.

My next lens is likely to be a loooong prime :-/ (kids growing = bigger soccer fields and long course for swimming)

Apologies if I came across differently. I meant 24-70 (24*1.6 on aps-c). Searched and looks like there's none.
I'm talking about pics this close (attached) which I'll not be able to take with 17-50, without annoying/distracting the subject.