New Lens - Forsake a standard zoom range?

I should soon be in posession of disposable income (birthday) that will be earmarked for a new lens. There are 3 lenses that are currently in my 'would really like to have' area, and they are listed in preference order:

1. Sigma 30mm f/1.4. I really want another fast prime. My 50 f/1.8 is useful enough as a portrait lens, so I usually don't wish for much more length, and as my telezoom is constant f/2.8, I'm good to 200mm at a fairly large aperture, so the 85 f/1.8 isn't really appealing. I do often wish for a normal optic with a large aperture, so this will fill my needs. This is my first choice.

2. Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 OR Tokina 16-50 f/2.8 when it comes out. As far as zooms go, I really only need a fast standard zoom. I have the range covered with my Sigma 18-125, but it's pretty slow. This will give me a moderately fast aperture in the 30-40mm range as well, which would somewhat lessen the absence of the 30mm.

3. 70mm/90mm/100mm Macro. Either Sigma / Tamron or Tokina/Canon, probably the Canon because it stays constant length. I enjoy macro photography very much, and while I can get very close with my current setup (50 f/1.8 with tubes), switching out tubes can be unwieldy and I often wish for a true macro lens.

Now, I have basically ruled out the macro for this point, though it sometimes creeps in ahead. I'll be getting all three at some point (then I'll probably add more length).

Now...the tricky part: I probably won't get all $400 or so for any of these lenses with my B-day gifts....I may need to make up about $200. Now, that's easily made up by selling my Sigma 18-125, which has been a good lens, but I know once I get a 17-50 f/2.8, I will hardly ever use it. The problem is, I want the 30 f/1.4 first.

So...should I sell the Sigma 18-125 now and get the 30, but live without a zoom between 24 and 80mm, or move the Tamron 17-50 up to now, and get the 30mm later? Anyone with experience with a zoom gap like this in current times? (I know in the past, all prime setups were common.) Were you hindered by it?

One thing about getting the 30mm now is that I might be able to wait until the Tokina 16-50 is released, which I would prefer due to Tokina's superior build quality.

What do you think?

How often are you planning to use the 30/1.4? Is it going to reside on the camera most of the time as a walkaround? Take that and the 50 and I don't think you'll miss the 17-50 range that much.

The were times that I had the 50/1.8 on my camera for weeks and never missed the 24-70.

I shot film for 18 years with a 50mm lens on the camera the majority of the time. I didn't have a zoom lens and really didn't feel handicapped without one. The 30mm is close to the same on a crop camera as the 50 is on full frame. It would depend on what you're going to shoot, of course, but I doubt you'll really miss the focal range of the zoom. Use your feet to zoom. That always worked for me.

I know I'm probably in the small minority, but I shoot with primes only. I have gaps of all kinds. Rarely (yes sometimes) do I feel hindered by it. I'm usually too busy trying to take pictures. I take what I can get and try to get them as best I can. Also, I'm usually on the move (foot zoom). Sometimes I can't move and so be it.

Look at your style and what you like to photograph most and focus in that area. For most of us it's impossible to have lenses to cover every focal length which handles every situation.

Jman13, you sound like what I've been going through trying to pick out lenses. First, I wanted to do just portraits, then youth sports, and now I want to do animals and nature so I'm making plans for one of big telephotos.

Like Liza said, it depends on what you want to shoot.

Well, I use the standard wide to moderate tele range mostly for travel, where the zoom would come in most handy. I shoot mostly wide-angle photography, so my Tokina 12-24 stays on my lens about 50% of the time, and I use my 80-200L for most event photography, where I'm a ways away. The more and more I think about it, the more I think I'm going to get the 30mm regardless. Hopefully I'll be able to get the 30mm without selling my Sigma, and then I can get my f/2.8 mid-zoom in a few months.