What would you do with $7,000?

Lets imagine that you won $7,000 in Vegas <or insert other source of windfall here>

This is found money, unexpected, totally gravy (and groovy). To make this really like fantasy-land, imagine if you had no other use for that money and your significant other actually wants you to spend it on photo equipment

Would you jump and buy the 1D2? (assume its $4,500)... And some lenses, that extra $2,500 can buy some really nice glass...

Would you buy the 1Ds - and nothing else, as that's what its going for right now - $7,000

Would you buy a 1Ds if it was $5,000?

I can guess the answer, and I think the 1Ds in its current state is practically dead. It will have to be $5,000, not more, based on features the D2 offers.

The 1D will do well, I think, at around $2,500 or even $3,000.

The 10D I think will be ok at $1,200 or so.

Anyway, enjoy all that cash

I would pay off college

I would buy Canon stock and encourage all of you to buy new cameras and L glass.

see intro - IMAGINE that you had NO OTHER USE FOR THAT MONEY except to buy photo stuff....

Strippers and booze

ilya wrote:
see intro - IMAGINE that you had NO OTHER USE FOR THAT MONEY except to buy photo stuff....

Point taken and in that case I am changing my answer. I will buy the 1D MKII, a remote and another 550EX. Since I'm spending like a drunken sailor I'll add a couple of 4Gig CF cards to my collection.

I had a bunch of smartass answers all ready to go, but then I re-read your question and saw it was limited to what equipment would you buy. So, I'll actually try to give you a serious answer

I would use it to buy a bigger prime lens. I currently have the 400mm f/5.6, and really would love to have the 600mm f/4.0L, or maybe the f/2.8L version of the 300 (with a doubler, that would give me a 600mm f/5.6).

I really haven't caught 1D Mark II fever yet. I couldn't be happier with any camera than I am with my 10D's. As long as they challenge me, I am not likely to be dissatisfied with them. When I reach the point where they are no longer reliable, or if I feel my photography would improve with a newer, better DSLR, then I might go looking. Till then, I’ll spend my $7K on optics.

Tom

I'd cover the 12-400 mm range with the best glass I could get. And a new 550EX flash.

If there were anything left over, I'd get a couple of CF cards.

Geeh. Looks like I'm the only one to get the 10D + LOTS of nice lenses.

Let's see:

10D = $1500 (can ya just throw in that 50 f/1.8 in there for me please? )

Sigma 12-24 = $650

17-40L = $700

24-70L = $1200

70-200L IS = $1600

70-200L f/4 = $550

Sub-total = $6200

Throw in assorted goodies like filters, maybe upgrade my 420ex to 550ex, etc. and add tax to the whole thing, and I'm sure we're talking ~$7000 there.

Actually, I'm not sure I'd want both 70-200L's -- and not even sure which I'd really want since the 70-200L IS is 2x the weight. I might be better served w/ a longer zoom since I won't want to lug it around too much -- the 70-200L f/4 is much more luggable and would see much more use.

[edit: Forgot that I should throw in some primes besides just the 50 f/1.8. So instead of 17-40L and 70-200L IS, I'd go for a few primes and a longer zoom (and still have that 70-200L f/4).]

_Man_

Tom W wrote:
I'd cover the 12-400 mm range with the best glass I could get. And a new 550EX flash.

If there were anything left over, I'd get a couple of CF cards.

LOL! You read my mind on that (and finished typing before I did), except I don't already have a Canon body of course, so must do that along w/ a 10D.

_Man_

I should have thought to include accessories as well as lenses. But you guys get what I meant

Interesting that many folks would pick lenses over a sexy thing like the 1D2 That's probably the smart thing to do though ... for $7,000 you can get a LOT of nice lenses or ONE big freakin' thing like this (600 4.0 L IS)

Two years from now, the 1D MKII will no longer be sexy. The 600mm f/4.0L will always be sexy.

Probably True... though I still want one (D2)

/ trying to find a picture of JLo with the 600 /

I won't say anything

kafene.

I hadn't considered that. I truly am getting old...