Another Lens Picking Dilemma

Greetings All!

Current gear is in the sig. I'm looking for a lens for portrait style pictures as well as getting into doing 2nd shooting for weddings. My budget is about $600.
So far I've been toying around the ideas with the 24-105 or the 70-200 f/4 non-is. I know on camera flash fairly well since it was my summer project to improve that skill.
I know I could do something like the 50-150 or other cropped lenses, but if things go well next year, I would like to upgrade to a 6D.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

I'm not an expert on this but doesn't your Tamron 17-50 already cover portrait FLs on your 60D (80mm equivalent at the long end)?. Have you thought about the Canon 85mm f/1.8 USM? That's 136mm equivalent on a 60D, which is basically the popular 135mm portrait lens. I've seen the 24-105 used for around $500. I guess it really depends on what kind of wedding photos you expect to take. Posed portraits are different from shots during the ceremony in a big church.

I briefly thought of it but was a little scared being locked in at that range and needing the space to use it. But as far as protrait vs ceremony I guess I would have to lean more towards ceremony because I could use my 17-50 for now.

I would suggest a 50mm f/1.8 STM. On your crop body it will be closer to the classic 85mm portrait focal length. If you go full-frame later, the 50mm will still serve as an actual 50mm on a full-frame body, unlike the crop zooms, which will become useless. It is also fast for indoor shooting.

Arutemu wrote in post #17741872
I would suggest a 50mm f/1.8 STM. On your crop body it will be closer to the classic 85mm portrait focal length. If you go full-frame later, the 50mm will still serve as an actual 50mm on a full-frame body, unlike the crop zooms, which will become useless. It is also fast for indoor shooting.

Another vote for the 50mm f/1.8 STM. It's a great little lens.

85/1.8 is my favorite lens for portraits. I use my 70D to shoot headshots with about 8' working space from my subject. It would also give you some additional reach during the wedding ceremony and reception. That and my 17-55 are two lenses that are almost always either in my bag or on my camera. And it's cheap enough that you could still get the 50 STM and stay in budget.

BobDawg wrote in post #17741820
... if things go well next year, I would like to upgrade to a 6D.

Yet another person with vague plans to upgrade to FF.

bumpintheroad wrote in post #17741907
85/1.8 is cheap enough that you could still get the 50 STM and stay in budget.

Good point. Both the 85 and the 50 will be immensely useful later on when you switch to the 6D. On your crop they will be closer to 135mm and 85mm respectively, while on the 6D they will function in their actual focal lengths. Awesome lenses both and both come within your budget. If you are planning on moving to the 6D, any crop zoom you get now will become an expensive paperweight.

Arutemu wrote in post #17741917
Good point. Both the 85 and the 50 will be immensely useful later on when you switch to the 6D. On your crop they will be closer to 135mm and 85mm respectively, while on the 6D they will function in their actual focal lengths. Awesome lenses both and both come within your budget. If you are planning on moving to the 6D, any crop zoom you get now will become an expensive paperweight.

Thanks everyone who made the suggestions! I considered going all primes, but as an 'amateur' was worried that I would miss shots or waste too much time foot zooming, but I guess like my 'flash project' I did this summer, I'll just have to force myself to get better with it.

Yet another vague complainer who claims to know everything yet doesn't.
Thank you for your contribution to this forum!

BobDawg wrote in post #17741820
... but if things go well next year, I would like to upgrade to a 6D.
...

Archibald wrote in post #17741912
Yet another person with vague plans to upgrade to FF.

BobDawg wrote in post #17742792
Yet another vague complainer who claims to know everything yet doesn't.
Thank you for your contribution to this forum!

Why does most everyone think apsc->full frame is an upgrade? Doesn't that depend on what you want to do and the abilities of your current equipment? I've been using a 6D for a few years. I 'upgraded' by adding a 70D for better AF, the 1.6x advantage with my longer zooms, STM video, usable LV, continuous LV focus, etc.

I don't think many people would consider moving from 7D2 to a 6D an upgrade, especially if they shoot things that move. Its not always about the sensor.

Bassat wrote in post #17743269
Why does most everyone think apsc->full frame is an upgrade? Doesn't that depend on what you want to do and the abilities of your current equipment? I've been using a 6D for a few years. I 'upgraded' by adding a 70D for better AF, the 1.6x advantage with my longer zooms, STM video, usable LV, continuous LV focus, etc.

I don't think many people would consider moving from 7D2 to a 6D an upgrade, especially if they shoot things that move. Its not always about the sensor.

If you read the first post, I do 2nd shooting for weddings on the side. The 60D has a usable iso range of mainly about a max of 800 and sometimes 1600. And with some venues that don't allow flash, having that extra reach in iso is helpful. And the reason why I said if "things go well" is that right now I'm only working under 2 photographers, hopefully next summer I can expand that. And I wouldn't get rid of my 60D, that would be my 2nd camera if I used a two camera set up.

85mm f1.8 pairs well with your 30. another option siggy 85.

BobDawg wrote in post #17743342
If you read the first post, I do 2nd shooting for weddings on the side. The 60D has a usable iso range of mainly about a max of 800 and sometimes 1600. And with some venues that don't allow flash, having that extra reach in iso is helpful. And the reason why I said if "things go well" is that right now I'm only working under 2 photographers, hopefully next summer I can expand that. And I wouldn't get rid of my 60D, that would be my 2nd camera if I used a two camera set up.

As has been mentioned, your 60D kit looks pretty good, including for portraits, but could use more reach. For the 60D, consider the 55-250mm STM, very nice lens, not too expensive, light weight.

IIRC, although the 55-250mm is very good, the full frame 70-200mm lenses might be sharper. So the 70-200mm/4 could be considered, even though it is an FF lens, twice the price, twice the weight - and has less zoom range, lacking 55-70mm, useful focal lengths for portraits on the 60D.

I normally would say, buy crop lenses for crop bodies, unless there is a particular need that is answered by an EF lens. So maybe the 70-200 is such a lens, and it would work with the FF body that you might "upgrade" to later.

However, you might want to think about this if you think you might never move to FF, or you do, but then find you need the 70-200/2.8.

BobDawg wrote in post #17743342
If you read the first post, I do 2nd shooting for weddings on the side. The 60D has a usable iso range of mainly about a max of 800 and sometimes 1600. And with some venues that don't allow flash, having that extra reach in iso is helpful. And the reason why I said if "things go well" is that right now I'm only working under 2 photographers, hopefully next summer I can expand that. And I wouldn't get rid of my 60D, that would be my 2nd camera if I used a two camera set up.

I understand that in your situation, the move to or addition of a full frame camera really is an upgrade. It will allow you to do things you can't do with your current equipment.

The part I don't understand is the two followups to your post. The comment about 'vague' plans seems superfluous, at best. At worst, it is mean-spirited and biting. The sarcasm of the comment escapes me. How many people have ever said, "Yep, on July 18th next year, at 4:30 PM, I am going to Best Buy and get me a full frame camera." Everyone's upgrade plans are vague, unless they are at this moment clicking <BUY> somewhere.

I suppose from your retort that you have some familiarity with that member. I'll stay out of that.

I just wanted to point out that full frame is not the top of photography-dom. I upgraded by adding an apsc camera to my full frame. If you are currently photographing athletics with a 5DII, the 7DII, 70D, and 1DIV are all 'upgrades', but they are moving FROM full frame TO crop. Neither format is 'better' than the other. Each is better at some tasks. That is all I meant.

BobDawg wrote in post #17741820
Greetings All!

Current gear is in the sig. I'm looking for a lens for portrait style pictures as well as getting into doing 2nd shooting for weddings. My budget is about $600.
So far I've been toying around the ideas with the 24-105 or the 70-200 f/4 non-is. I know on camera flash fairly well since it was my summer project to improve that skill.
I know I could do something like the 50-150 or other cropped lenses, but if things go well next year, I would like to upgrade to a 6D.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Heya,

I would get neither. The 24-105 is pretty average for an "L" and doesn't give you much that you don't already have, so it's not something to "upgrade" too. The 70-200 F4L non-IS is a good lens, but the F4 and no-IS for wedding isn't a good idea for someone who thinks ISO 800~1600 is tops from a 60D in terms of being usable.

Getting a fast F1.8 or F2 telephoto prime makes a lot of sense based on your comments regarding ISO.

Maybe consider the 50 STM, 85 F1.8, 100 F2, or just save up and try to land a Tamron 70-200 F2.8 VC.

Very best,