Please Help Me Spend $1,000 on New Glass !!

Hi to all.....

Another Newbe here with Lens Questions !! I have really learned alot on this forum in the past few weeks and now I am getting the "itch" to add some equipment and take my photography to the next level. (You are all a very bad influence....and I Love It !!)

I currently have the 300D and hope to upgrade to the 30D (or possible 40D?) in the near future and thought I should also think about some new glass.

Here is my current equipment:
300D (Would Sell if I upgrade to 30D)
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5 - 5.6 (Kit) (Would Sell if I upgrade to 30D)
Canon EF 35-80mm f/4-5.6 III
Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III
Tamron AF LD 28-200mm f/3.8-5.6

I have had most of these lenses for many years from back when I originally got them for my Rebel-G film camera, so now I'm not sure how they stack up ?? With my 300D, I have mainly used the kit lens and the Tamron. (I really enjoy using the Tamron and had what I thought was some decent success with it until I saw all of your shots, so now I am not sure how good of a lens it really is ??) I am also ashamed to say I haven't used the 35-80 or the 75-300 in a few years.

Since I will also have an extra $1,000 to spend on some new higher quality lenses I wondered which of these 3 options you would suggest to compliment or improve upon my equipment above for use on a new 30D ?

Note: To be honest, I am not exactly sure what I will be shooting yet. I enjoy taking landcape scenery, animals & nature and close-ups using the +1, +2 +4 filters and hope to get into some high school sports for the local paper.

Option #1
(Put all my eggs in 1 basket and just get 1 great "L" Lens as the new & improved walk arond lens and worry about the rest later)
* 24-70mm f/2.8L EF USM

-OR-

Option #2
(Get 3 new lenses for the price of 1 that will provide the potential & capability for greater learning curve and variety.)
* EFS 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
* EF 100mm f/2.8 USM MACRO
* EF 50mm F/1.8 II

-OR-

Option #3
Any Other Lens Suggestions or Combinations??

Thanks in advance for all your help !!
Beski

If I were you, I'd buy the 50 1.4 and save the rest for the 30D. It's a prime, but it's nice.

Get two great L lenses and a sharp prime.

Like what I did....

17-40L, 70-200/4L, 50/1.8

I'de go with option #1.

For option #2

The 100mm macro f2.8 is a very highly regarded macro lens, it is definitley a great lens and some use it even for portraits from what I remember reading.

The 50 1.8 is an iffy lens, it has focusing problems (atleast I encountered this with other people), and I didn't really like it, I returned it and admitted if I want a prime of this focal length I'll just cough up the $.

The 17-85IS is a popular walk around lens. It's optics are not the best from what I remember, and many people say they would buy an L version of it if they created one, but they do not right now.

I say option #1 because you'de have 1 really good piece of glass that would be a keeper. The 24-70 is damn sharp, and would be better suited for portraits then a 100mm lens anyway. You could do macro with it and extension tubes too I'de think.

As far as upgrading body, I wouldn't, becasue glass is really what affects image quality. I think you should wait until the 40D comes out if you really want to upgrade, because at that point the 20D will probably be really cheap.

Have you considered something like

Getting the 50 1.4, 85 1.8 say a Sigma 24-70 f2.8 and use the rest of the money for kenko extension tubes (they work well with the 50 1.4 from what I remember reading anyway) or something? The Sigma seems pretty sharp too, and at a fraction of the price.

Option 1

Of your choices I like the sounds of option #2 quite a bit. I'd swap out the 17-85 as I think you can get much more bang for your buck out of another lens like the Sigma 17-70 DC. The only problem with that list that I see is that you won't have anything with a great deal of reach (unless you're keeping the Tamron 28-200)

If I were you I think I'd sell off all my current lenses (except maybe the 28-200) and keep the 300D for now. Take a look at these lenses:
Sigma 17-70 DC $389.00
Sigma 105 EX Macro $399.00
Sigma 70-300 APO $219.00
Canon EF 50 F/1.8 $79.95

Before taxes this clocks in at around $1100 USD. If you could save up a little bit more I'd consider upgrading the 70-300 APO to maybe the 70-200 F/4L or the Canon 70-300 IS, but it's a really great telephoto for the money you pay. This kit would give you two nice portrait lenses (50mm and 105mm), a great macro lens (do away with the close-up filters), a pretty good telephoto when used with good technique, and quite possible the best affordable walkaround lens to come out in ages, 17-70 great range.

Whattaya think?