what would you do?

i'm looking at buying some lenses and possibly selling off what i have.

I'm going to be doing more events (weddings, parties) so I need more versatility. I'm going to be using two bodies for events, 5d2 and a 6D.

right now i have a budget of $1000 plus possibly selling any and all of these, 28/2, 85/1.8 and a 135/2.

what do i sell and what do i keep? keep in mind i shoot a lot of portraits and my 135/2 is my favorite lens, i'm not sure i could part with it unless it was replaced with something of near equivalence.

new lenses not limited to canon brand either, tamron and sigma are definitely options.

Heya,

Tamron 24-70 F2.8 VC
Tamron 70-200 F2.8 VC

Very best,

i had a love hate relationship with my Tamron 17-50 2.8 It was great in plenty of light but terrible with focusing in low light. I don't know if their 24-70 yields better results, but i would go with canon 24-70 2.8 (or maybe 4) for the low light that is often found with wedding parties.

wouldn't sell anything unless you wanted to sell the 28 and pick up a 35, Sigma Art would be my recommendation.

im torn whether i should just run with a 35 and an 85 on two bodies and pick up a 70-200 (selling the 135 ) or keep the 135 and get a 24-70.

Sometimes it's best to keep all, if funds will allow, to see what is convenient, and what lenses you personally reach for. Then sell of the ones you don't use to recover the funds. Too often I read about fellow shooters selling off lenses they enjoy, and later re-buying them for more money out of pocket because they miss them.
While I don't have a money tree in the backyard, I do save up for the exactly lens I desire and then keep my other lenses until I am certain it will be collecting dust, and sell it. This has worked well and also stop my GAS lust.

solid advice, i haven't considered that approach.

another option is to rent some of the lenses you are considering to try them out before you sell any of your lenses. this way you can see if they do for you what you want them to before you have to commit. you may find that you prefer shooting with primes more than zooms or whatever else you might discover.

mike_311 wrote in post #17380330
I'm going to be doing more events (weddings, parties) so I need more versatility. I'm going to be using two bodies for events, 5d2 and a 6D.

I'm not an event shooter (normally), but the 24-70 seems to be the most popular weapon of choice. I just bought the Tamron version and am pleased with it thus far.

mike_311 wrote in post #17380619
im torn whether i should just run with a 35 and an 85 on two bodies and pick up a 70-200 (selling the 135 ) or keep the 135 and get a 24-70.

I would rather have the 24-70/2.8 and 135. However, if buying a 24-70/2.8 requires the selling of your 28 and 85 to fund it, I'm not sure I would do that. As an alternative, picking up a 24-105 and keeping the primes gives you a back up option. What if you drop and break the zoom in the middle of a wedding event? If you still have the primes, you can at least get buy with the 28 and 85. If you drop the 24-70/2.8, could you finish the event with just the 135?

I think you could pick up a 24-70/2.8 Version I for about a grand and keep the primes for back up. Same with a used Tammy 24-70 VC, but the 24-70 II despite being the best, would have to back up right?

if i sell anything it will be the 135. i use the 85 too much and its not really worth it to sell the other two.

i will most likely buy outright a 24-70. i'm still torn about swapping the 135 for a 70-200/2.8. i may just rent one as needed since i dont do a whole lot of weddings at the moment. the 135 (along with the 85) is my main portrait lens and im not sure a 70-200 will be up to the standard i have come to expect from the 135.

MalVeauX wrote in post #17380341
Heya,

Tamron 24-70 F2.8 VC
Tamron 70-200 F2.8 VC

Very best,

This is the correct answer except sell all (lenses) what you have. You will not need them any longer.
The 70-200mm f2.8 has become 'the portrait' lens.

ebiggs wrote in post #17382344
This is the correct answer except sell all (lenses) what you have. You will not need them any longer.
The 70-200mm f2.8 has become 'the portrait' lens.

i'll have to look into that becuase the 135 at f2 is just amazing and of course 2.8 isnt 1.8 as is my 85.

mike_311 wrote in post #17382653
i'll have to look into that becuase the 135 at f2 is just amazing and of course 2.8 isnt 1.8 as is my 85.

I love my 85/1.8 and 135/2 for what I shoot but I don't shoot many events. If I were to get into wedding or event photography in general, I would have a 24-70/2.8 and a 70-200/2.8 as my primary lenses no questions.

I would go for the 24-70 f/2.8 mk1.
The 85mm and 135mm lenses are very useful for portraits, and I would never sell a lens that I love and use a lot.
You might sell the 28mm, but I don't think it'll get you all the funds you want.

Your budget should, however, be pretty close to buying you a second hand 24-70 f/2.8.

DoughnutPhoto wrote in post #17383412
I would go for the 24-70 f/2.8 mk1.
The 85mm and 135mm lenses are very useful for portraits, and I would never sell a lens that I love and use a lot.
You might sell the 28mm, but I don't think it'll get you all the funds you want.

Your budget should, however, be pretty close to buying you a second hand 24-70 f/2.8.

i could probably get a tamron 24-70 2.8 VC for about the same price of a canon 24-70 mk1