Unlimited budget. Spend my money. :)

Why not sell your 20D and 300D and get a 30D, and if you want a second body, get a 5D in July? Then you've got two new bodies, and some nice new glass to boot. How is that a bad thing?

Ronald S. Jr. wrote:
Why not sell your 20D and 300D and get a 30D, and if you want a second body, get a 5D in July? Then you've got two new bodies, and some nice new glass to boot. How is that a bad thing?

That's interesting and something to really think about. Now you've got me thinking...

You can get a new body without spending a dime, I bet. Sell that 18-125 and 70-300 (since you'll be getting new lenses) and you could probably afford some other goodies as well. Could put it toward a 16-35L or something. I just figure if you're getting new lenses, don't keep the ones you won't be using, unless you think you may need them (with two bodies, and all).

All in all, I would say get the 16-35L and 24-105L. Get the 30D like we said, and you'd have a hell of a lineup. With the 5D in July-ish, you'd be stocked up.

5D
30D
16-35L
24-105L IS
Bigma

maybe even a nice fast prime since you'll have the money. 35 1.4L, anyone? Maybe a 135L if that's your style.

Weddings
5D
24-70L
70-200 f/2.8L IS
50mm f/1.4
580EX
2- 420EX slaves
Stroboframe Pro T bracket
At least 8GB of memory

Sports
1D Mk IIN
85mm f/1.8 (gym sports)
50mm f/1.4 (gym sports)
70-200 f/2.8L IS (For field sports. See list above.)
1.4x teleconverter
Sigma 120-300 (For field sports)
Carbon fiber monopod (For the Sigma. It's heavy!)

Aha! I didn't even notice about weddings. In that case:

5D
30D
24-70L
70-200L IS (sell those two lenses I mentioned and upgrade your 2.8 to the IS)
50 1.4

A bracket is nice if you do weddings. You have to decide whether you want a flash rotating or camera rotating bracket. I found that the camera rotating helped me a lot more. I went with a "fancy" Custom Brackets QRS-35-EV ($3-350)

True, you'll need more memory, probably, but you can fit that in somewhere.

I don't use any slave flashes these days. Tried it with 3 580's, but it was just a hassle. I don't need it anyway. (you might)

Because I don't want the controller to have a heart attack and afford me some flexibility in the future in terms of buying power, I'll probably end up with the 30D and the 24-70L & 50mm f/1.4. I'll end up selling the 300D w/ kit lense and the 70-300. I think the 20D/30D combo with the above lenses, the sigma 18-125 (as a backup) and the sigma 50-500 would suit me just well.

The 5D would be SWEET though!!! Thanks for the advice folks. Just thinking about the 50mm f/1.4 is making me drool. The only thing that prevents me from firing up the purchase order is packing them all on one bill. When I do it piece by piece, it's less "noticeable" to the accounting department. Patience is a virtue when you have a budget like this.

They are also thinking about starting a photography club at the school I work for...meaning I'll get to buy more stuff!!!

Excellent. 24-70L and 50 1.4 are fantastic lenses to have. The 30D is just plain fun, too. Gives you some fun flexibility and conveniences over the 20D.

oh yea?? like?? I just have to put in the PO on Tuesday!!! then get the glass in July.

advantages??? please elaborate. sending this from my treo...not sure about formatting and even if it'll get through...I just might have to put in the purchase order on tuesday!!!

Of the 30D over the 20D? Bigger viewfinder, ISO in the viewfinder, 2.5" LCD, spot metering, 1/3 step ISO increments, option of 3fps over 5, bigger buffer, slightly faster startup time, more accurate AF (in my experience), 100k click shutter life (reportedly better than 20D), shutter isn't as loud, Picture Styles, improved battery life. Hmm...I guess nothing really, if that's all I could come up with.

I wouldnt use the term "Unlimited Budget" around some of these folks!

I'd add either another 580EX or a 430EX or two to the bag. Multi-flash comes in very useful quite often.

If I had an unlimited budget I'd try to find a 1200mm f/5.6L
More realistically speaking, the ideas mentioned on here are excellent advice.

With an unlimited budget... why WOULD YOU BUY CANON?!!?!??!?!?!

Well to get off the bat.
50mm f/1.4 would be a good shorter portrait.
85 1.8 for longer portrait.
100mm f/2.8 Macro would be good as a portrait and macro lens. And as an alternative, you could buy kenko's extension tubes and turn the 50 or 85 into macros, if you really want to keep the lens count down. But for macro, usually the greater working distance, the better.

For weddings:
16-35mm f/2.8L
24-70 f/2.8L or Sigma 24-70 f/2.8
Better choices than your 18-125mm something.


Sports, you have the 70-200 f/2.8L which is a good start.
Sigma 120-300 f/2.8
Sigma 100-300 f/4
Both would be better choices than your current set of long lens for the 300 range.

Sell your 300D and 20D. Buy the 5D and 30D with that.