$3k bucks to spend! - what to buy? (have some ideas)

well assume im allowed to go over to about $4000, what would be some good lenses and maybe lighting to add to my xsi, keeping in mind i want to upgrade bodies later as well. I shoot some sports, some nature, but i really want to get into portraits as well as just walk around landscape/cityscape photos.
im thinking a 24-105L a 70-200 2.8 (will go for f/4 too) and either a fisheye or just a standard wide-angle zoom

future bodies i plan to get: 50d and 5d classic

i also need a speedlite since i have none, so give me your thoughts!

Some immediate choices are: 24-70L, 24-105L, 70-200 f/2.8LIS.

.... or you could use to monies to purchase the 5DMKII + 24-105L kit

zoom_zoom wrote in post #7850487
.... or you could use to monies to purchase the 5DMKII + 24-105L kit

++

I just spent about $8k in the last week myself. I went with the 5Km2 and kit lens + 70-200 2.8 IS and 16-35 2.8 + Gitzo tripod.

I feel like I've got a pretty substantial kit for my money and a major jump into the world of FF photography.

I do, really like the 24-105 so far. I was worried about the ƒ4, since my other lenses are ƒ2.8, but it's really a nice lens and as a walk-around, I don't think it can be beat.

First decision - do you want/need FF? Everything sort of flows from that in terms of lenses etc.

yeah i looked into the 5d2 a lot before i got the xsi, and the video capabilities are what makes me really want it, since i also make a lot of videos, i get jealous at how you can obtain such DOF at full 1080p for relatively cheap. and the frame rate is plenty fast for the sports id shoot, since my XSi gives the yearbook what they want with ease. im really pushin to go for that and save my xsi as a backup, hey at least its not a 1ds mk3 backed up by a rebel....lol

What is it you shoot most? $3k can get you a lot of very cool kit if you think about it and have a good pro shop nearby. That sort of money should get you some serious discount. Look at second hand stuff too, you could get a MKII used very inexpensively these days and there is not a lot to go wrong with them, even the shutters can be replaced for not too much. 5DII is very cool, but if you want to shoot sports you may be better looking elsewhere. 8 1/2 frames a second is a real eye opener, as is the AF. However for more contemplative work and a lighter load a 5 series does rock. Do you want Primes or Zooms? Primes are easy, at least in the canon line up, 50 1.8 is terrific for the money (although I use a 1.4) the 85 1.8 has that certain something, the 100 f2 is excellent too and all not too pricy. The 35 2 is slow and noisy but very very good as well. The L series of primes ive never had, but I do want them. Nothing beats the 70-200 2.8 IS, the 17-40 is quite sexy too (Ive not had the 16-35II yet) and most L zooms are very good. The 24 - 70 2.8 just seems to me to be getting a bit aged, or at least mine is.
To me its always been the glass ive invested in, the cameras seem to change a lot but my shooting style has been defined by my lenses in many ways.
Good luck!

Never give a budget in here and ask what to buy...it's a disaster waiting to happen haha! Plus we love spending other peoples money for them

naah i try not to take strangers words on what to buy, i always look into my purchases, but still, it puts me on the right track if i ask for help lol

im not really into sports that much, and if i decide to, a cheap solution is to sell the xsi and get the 40d, which is still prety good since it wont be my profession. I really like the look of the 5Dx pics, they just seem like pure photography to me, so im really leaning that way. and if i get good with that, i can sell my services and pay it back a few weddings down the line anyway! so its all goood lol