Please help me pick an lens for 5D Mk III

Hi I have the following

1. 5D Mk iii - waiting to be shipped
2. Canon 24-70 L MK I (first gen) lens
3. Canon 70-200 f2.8 MK II
4. Sigma 50 f1.4 (this is the old version - I don't see it anymore on Amazon but I purchased it new 3 yrs ago, for 400$)

Now my budget is up to 2000 $.

I shoot - my kids 6&8, family, vacation. Not professional shooter.

Should I consider
1. sell 24-70 MK I and buy MK II?
2. get 85 f1.2?
3. sell Sigma 50 f1.4
4. Please add your suggestion.....

If you are not shooting professionally, I don't think it would be worth the cost to sell your 24-70 and buy the MKII. As long as your MKI functions properly.
Also, the 85 1.2 would not be my first choice for chasing kids or for vacation. (Focus speed is not great)

If you are going to spend around 2K, I would reccommend the following

Sell your sigma 50.
Get the Canon 16-35 F/4L IS
Get the Canon 35 F/2 IS
Get the Sigma 85 F/1.4 (Current model, not the Art lens about to be released)

For kids and family I think the 35mm length would work better than the 50mm, and the 35 f/2 is a great lens with fas focus and IS. (You could always use the 35 on your 7D to get a 50mm equiv. if you wish)

This is just my suggestion, so I am sure others will have their opinions.

inspectoring wrote in post #18167659
Hi I have the following

1. 5D Mk iii - waiting to be shipped
2. Canon 24-70 L MK I (first gen) lens
3. Canon 70-200 f2.8 MK II
4. Sigma 50 f1.4 (this is the old version - I don't see it anymore on Amazon but I purchased it new 3 yrs ago, for 400$)

Now my budget is up to 2000 $.

I shoot - my kids 6&8, family, vacation. Not professional shooter.

Should I consider
1. sell 24-70 MK I and buy MK II?
2. get 85 f1.2?
3. sell Sigma 50 f1.4
4. Please add your suggestion.....

What do you want the new lens to do that you can't do with the lenses that you already have?

Based on your current gear and what you shoot, I'd say, send the two grand to me. I'll send you a check each December 31, starting in 2017, for $60 and whenever you want, after 2 years, I'll send you the two grand.

1. What are you trying to do now that you can't do with your existing setup?
2. Your kids are old enough that you can get them to pose and wait for you, unless you are adding to the family

You can look at a prime that's great in low light. You already have F2.8 lenses that are very versatile.

An UWA like 16-35 if you like to shoot landscape and/or architecture.

Really, I think your setup is sufficient and decent for even professional work.

Sell sigma and 24-70L, get 35L II + sigma 85 Art.

The 85L is a great lens, but for tracking kids, just too slow.

I want to spend the money - so I have to pick something.

And I want to take a picture like this (not my work, found this on internet)
http://www.belovelyyou​.com …nt/uploads/2014​/04/b1.jpg

(I am not sure if posting someone else's picture here breaks any laws, if it does please let me know)

I always want to capture the sunlight, especially the fall time sunlight in the evening....

inspectoring wrote in post #18167700
I always want to capture the sunlight, especially the fall time sunlight in the evening....

And you can't do that with your current gear because..?

inspectoring wrote in post #18167700
I want to spend the money - so I have to pick something.

And I want to take a picture like this (not my work, found this on internet)
http://www.belovelyyou​.com …nt/uploads/2014​/04/b1.jpg

(I am not sure if posting someone else's picture here breaks any laws, if it does please let me know)

I always want to capture the sunlight, especially the fall time sunlight in the evening....

Hey man if you have money to blow and want a bokeh machine, get a 85L 1.2 or 135L and call it a day. You can play the Sigma lotto but you are more likely to get bokeh in focus than the subject

Like others have said, you have the gear to make the shot you posted, my guess you lack the skills and need practice.

Take it for what its worth. Go out and shoot!

Thank you guys for all the suggestions!
I read so much that the 24-70 L Mk ii was much better than the 1st version - and even so - its not worth upgrading to that lens?

inspectoring wrote in post #18167700
I want to spend the money - so I have to pick something.

Actually, you don't have to pick anything. And you don't have to spend the money. Wants and needs - a.k.a. "have to's" are not one in the same. Just because you want to spend the money doesn't mean that you have to spend the money. Oft times, the wise choice is to curb one's wants when they don't make sense, and to act in a disciplined manner when it comes to making purchases.

inspectoring wrote in post #18167700
And I want to take a picture like this (not my work, found this on internet)
http://www.belovelyyou​.com …ent/uploads/201​4/04/b1.jp
I always want to capture the sunlight, especially the fall time sunlight in the evening....

That photo that you referenced - it does have some really special light, doesn't it?! But just about any lens could have captured that photo. It doesn't take any special kind of lens to do that, nor does it take a wide aperture. What is special about that photo is the light itself, and the point of view from which the photographer chose to capture the light. The gear used is largely inconsequential when it comes to capturing that particular type of image.

.

I'd get an 80D for video and sports

I have the 7D2 and the 5D3 and really like how they complement each other.

Other than a wide angle, Id say you are set too.. don't see the need for the 85 (covered by the 70-200)

and I'd sell the sigma 1.4 and pick up a 50stm f1.8, unless you really use that lens at 1.4 all the time.

The other thing you may want to consider is investing in Off Camera Flash equipment.. that is another fun rabbit hole to go down.

JMHO, YMMV.

inspectoring wrote in post #18167729
Thank you guys for all the suggestions!
I read so much that the 24-70 L Mk ii was much better than the 1st version - and even so - its not worth upgrading to that lens?

Its better yes, but version 1 is no slouch and was the bread and butter of so many professional until the launch of version 2.

Do yourself a favour, goto flickr or some other site and look up under Canon Rebel, you will see mind blowing pictures taken with kit lenses. Its the photographer who makes the shot and not the lens/camera.

This photo is right now no.5 on 500px,

https://500px.com …s?ctx_page=1&fr​om=popular

Any camera can take this shot, but do most of us have the vision or the imagination to think of it?

dochollidayda wrote in post #18167745
This photo is right now no.5 on 500px,

https://500px.com …s?ctx_page=1&fr​om=popular

Any camera can take this shot, but do most of us have the vision or the imagination to think of it?

I would disagree that any camera can take that shot. The particular shot that you linked to exhibits a very narrow depth of field.

The vast majority of cameras being manufactured today have small sensors. Small sensors result in a greatly increased depth of field, making images like the one you mention practically impossible to shoot with them.

Likewise, it requires the use of a lens with a very wide aperture to produce the shallow depth of field seen in the image.

Due to the extremely narrow depth of field, the image you linked to is one of those "specialty" images which generally requires specialty gear. Unless, of course, he created it mainly on the computer using image-manipulating software. If that is the case, then I wouldn't say "any camera can take that shot"....... rather, I would say, "any computer can make that shot".

.

inspectoring wrote in post #18167700
I want to spend the money - so I have to pick something.

And I want to take a picture like this (not my work, found this on internet)
http://www.belovelyyou​.com …nt/uploads/2014​/04/b1.jpg

(I am not sure if posting someone else's picture here breaks any laws, if it does please let me know)

I always want to capture the sunlight, especially the fall time sunlight in the evening....

Have you ever consider the otus lenses? I think they will give you a very good result when capturing the sun light.

https://photography-on-the.net …read.php?t=1397​384&page=5