Need a plan & have no plan!

I know I want to upgrade from my current T2i, kit lens, 50 1.8, and 55-250...

I have no idea where to go! I'd like to stay within a reasonable budget but am not in a huge hurry. I've discovered that I love shooting with the 50 1.8 and 55-250. I hardly ever use the 18-55 other than occasional large group photos. I'm thinking about getting the 28 1.8 and 100 2.0 and then saving up for a 70-200 2.8 non IS (I borrowed a friend's and now it's an obsession). Sometimes I need something a bit wider than the 50!

I'd like the 17-55 2.8 IS but I don't know if I'd use it much (since I hardly ever use the kit lens) and I can get a couple of decent lenses for the same money. All of the other brand's 17-50 2.8 lenses seem to be hit or miss from what I can see.

I've also thought just go 24-105L for now and save for the 70-200. That would give me a taste of L lens and that seems like a versatile range.

I don't see myself going FF anytime in the near future. I'd say my next body upgrade will be a 60D or 7D or equivalent that I can afford but that's probably a year or more away.

You can check out my Flickr in my sig or look at http://www.valleyforge​youth.com/?s=VBS&searc​hsubmit= for the type of photos I usually take. I'm the unofficial church photographer for events and such.

Any advice?

If you don't need 1.8, the 28mm 2.8 is much cheaper and has excellent IQ wide open. The 100mm f2 is a great choice! The 24-105mm is a fine lens but you'd lose the speed you'd have with the primes.
Here's review of the 28mm 2.8 http://www.photozone.d​e …m-f28-test-report--review

There is nothing saying you need to upgrade your standard zoom first as the 18-55IS is a pretty capable lens. I would say that most people probably upgrade here first though.

I had the beginner trio too. Then added a Tamron 28-75 for a portrait zoom. Then sold it for the 24-105 which is my most used lens to date. After the 24-105, I added the Sigma 30/1.4 and 85/1.8 which are also good lenses to look at if you are leaning toward the 28/1.8 and 100/2. Then I added the 70-200/4 IS and 60/2.8 followed by the Sigma 17-50/2.8.

I don't know if it's the patch you want to follow, but I thought I would give you input on what worked for me.

nightcat wrote in post #14630886
If you don't need 1.8, the 28mm 2.8 is much cheaper and has excellent IQ wide open. The 100mm f2 is a great choice! The 24-105mm is a fine lens but you'd lose the speed you'd have with the primes.
Here's review of the 28mm 2.8 http://www.photozone.d​e …m-f28-test-report--review

How is the focus speed / noise on the 28 2.8 compared to the 1.8?

A great all round lens lineup for crop bodies is:

Canon 10-22
Tamron/Sigma 17-50 (Canon 17-55 if budget allows)
Canon 70-200 (one of the 4 models, whichever suits your budget)

The above should run about $2000 if you buy used and will be an excellent selection to have at your disposal.

bennyG19 wrote in post #14631030
How is the focus speed / noise on the 28 2.8 compared to the 1.8?

For me, I never notice the noise as its not something I pay attention to. The Digital Picture review considers it average on focusing and noisy.

Then do yourself a favor and stay put for now. A good rule of thumb is this: don't buy anything until you can say what you want to do that your current gear won't let you do. In your post, you mention only one thing you want to shoot:

You already have a lens that goes a lot wider than the 50, the 18-55, but you say you rarely use it.

The best thing you can do is keep track of things you would like to do that you could do better with different lenses. Eventually, one or two of these will boil to the surface as most important for you. Asking us which is most important won't help much, because there is a good chance that anyone answering shoots a different mix of things than you do.