What Next?

I am in a bit of a sticky situation right now, and I am in need of some advise.

At the moment this is what I own:

400D + Grip
Sigma 10-20mm
Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8
Kit 18-55mm

580exII
Tripod

I have already decided on the 85mm 1.8 or the 50 1.4 for my first prime, but then I was thinking, where next?

I love all types of photography and don't like to stick to a few different things. From your perspective, what would be my next purchase after the prime?

Be it Lens, Flash, Accessory. Anything that you thing would come in handy for a photographer that likes to dabble in a bit of everything.

Of course, I won't be able to afford some of those nice L primes or ever most of the zooms, so keep the price about $800 or as close as that as possible.

Many Thanks!

100-400mm?
A nice light tripod?
A couple more speedlights and remote triggers?
Studio gear?

Man - if you don't have a plan, how can we plan for you?

17-50 f2.8 Tamron and get rid of that slow kit lens

EOS_JD wrote in post #6817695
17-50 f2.8 Tamron and get rid of that slow kit lens

Actually - good point

If i have a prime or two, will I even end up using the 17-50?
Remote triggers is another good idea, but would probably wait for another 580 to do that.

tupper wrote in post #6817819
If i have a prime or two, will I even end up using the 17-50?
Remote triggers is another good idea, but would probably wait for another 580 to do that.

Yes.

Sure primes have their place but it's really down to how and what you shoot.....

my primes are only really used in low light situations. my 24-105 and 70-200 for just about everything else!

In my opinion, prime lenses in general are a tad overrated, and really only useful in low-light situations when you need a very large aperture, or when you're looking for very shallow DOF. They're often far from being a good value. The two primes I bought for use with my Canon system are the 50/1.4 USM, which is a great lens...nice and sharp, but painfully slow to focus; and the 400/2.8, which has been simply amazing for action photography.

My vote for your next purchase would be a 100/2.8 Macro.

TAZorich wrote in post #6818978
My vote for your next purchase would be a 100/2.8 Macro.

Yes a nice option - IF you are into Macro photography. i love my 100 f2.8.

EOS_JD wrote in post #6819021
Yes a nice option - IF you are into Macro photography. i love my 100 f2.8.

Doesn't the 100/2.8 Macro work pretty well as a portrait lens, too?

Your gear list is similar to mine- and we both seem to have similar direction on what stuff we like to buy.

But damn, you gotta get a nicer zoom! My Sigma 24-60 f/2.8 is my workhorse, I love it! (check out amazon.com... only $220). I've never had the chance to use a 17-55IS or L zooms, but this one is way nicer than the Canon 17-85IS that I had.

Next I plan on getting another flash do try some wireless flash photography

THEN I will probably get a 85 or 50 1.4 (had the 50 1.8 and thought it was highly overrated slow AF). OR get a second body (40Ds are getting so cheap these days!!).

If you ever try to shoot a wedding, you will find yourself WISHING you had 2 bodies.

Yes, i agree about the second body, that would be handy,
I can get a new 40D body for under $1000 US now.. but then again the 50D is only about $1500,
you probably all think that's pricey, its a lot harder to get decent products here in Indonesia! Being an expat is hard sometimes!

Last night I was thinking about the Sigma 30mm f/1.4, and have seen some very nice results on the sample thread. I was thinking that it would do very well on my crop body and then maybe save up for another flash or maybe in the long run another body.

I would like the 85mm 1.8, but on a crop body i dont think i would need it as much at the moment.

Thanks everyone for the advice!