$1200 to spend Help me!

So I have some stuff selling on EBAY and I am directing proceeds from one hobby to another and it all is going toward photgrapghy stuff. I should have around $1000-$1400 to play with and here are my thoughts.

Initially I was going to get a 17-55 is, but I think I am better off as a "budding" photograpgher with this plan.

Sigma 17-50 EX HSM About $650

I am kinda set on this lens after much thought and research, so now for the remaining $550 or so.

I NEED A speedlight as I am at a point where lack of one is hurting me probably more than I even know right now. I also need a decent/comfortable bag and those are like $100 or so and I would like to score a good tripod for around $100 or less, but my current one is functional. I have my gear on me all the time and frequently stop throughout the day if something catches my eye. I need a bag

So I am really entertaining a Yongnuo YN 468 for $100 over the Canon 430II,

In good effort to spend every penny of what I get I am also thinking about the Sigma 24 EX Macro. I can use it fo rwork and I love the capabilities I have seen from the thread on this in the lens pic's section.

For work I have to shoot interiors and that is my primary photo function. I like my 10-20 but it is slow as all hell. I like the "funability" and function of a fast 24 from what I can tell on that thread in the lens pics section and get a macro as a bonus.

BUT will my new fast 17-50 make the faster 24 kinda a waste??? I LOVE my 50 1.8 but it is often too cropped for what I want to use it for. I thought about the canon 28 and 24as well but it they are not as fast and no macro as well. I also contemplated just getting 2 more primes(like a 20 and a 30 and I have a 50) and not the 17-50, but that is probably stupid/not practical in reality for now, but I can see myself just preferring to shoot primes eventually for sure.

I am trying to do alot on this tight budget and it will be a while before I put more $$ into photograpghy so I want it to count. Do I NEED the canon speedlite to start with or can I get away with the YN as I learn to use speedlites in photograpghy. That extra $$ would go for the bag/tripod and I would get a lot of stuff that would fill and solidify my current kit.

Thanks for the input!

I suggest you purchase the Canon Speedlite 430EX II and use the below guide with your existing 18-55 IS kit lens set at its sweetspot of 35mm & F5.6

External Flash Guide:

Indoors always shoot with your camera in "Manual Mode" when the external flash is attached. For starters simply set your camera parameters at f5.6, 1\100, ISO400, and your external flash to ETTL Evaluative mode. Take a test shot and then you can adjust the FEC + or - to your tastes on your foreground subject. The in camera settings above is a starting point for the background ambient lighting which you can also re-adjust dependent on the existing ambient light. The FEC + or - is simply exposing the right amount of light on your foreground subject.

Here is a link for folks to read that should help:

http://photonotes.org …les/eos-flash/index2.html

Personally when i shoot outdoors in late afternoon light i always use AV mode, which with the external flash attached creates fill flash.

Regardless of which lenses you eventually decide upon definitely include the Speedlite external flash since it will enhance your photography skills and compliment all your lenses.

Dont forget to learn how to correctly bounce the external flash indoors using a flash card attached to the speedlite to fill in those eye shadows !

Regards,

17-55 2.8 is a great lens, its what I use and I love it!

Nick3434 wrote in post #11696995
So I have some stuff selling on EBAY and I am directing proceeds from one hobby to another and it all is going toward photgrapghy stuff. I should have around $1000-$1400 to play with and here are my thoughts.

Initially I was going to get a 17-55 is, but I think I am better off as a "budding" photograpgher with this plan.

Sigma 17-50 EX HSM About $650

I am kinda set on this lens after much thought and research, so now for the remaining $550 or so.

I NEED A speedlight as I am at a point where lack of one is hurting me probably more than I even know right now. I also need a decent/comfortable bag and those are like $100 or so and I would like to score a good tripod for around $100 or less, but my current one is functional. I have my gear on me all the time and frequently stop throughout the day if something catches my eye. I need a bag

So I am really entertaining a Yongnuo YN 468 for $100 over the Canon 430II,

In good effort to spend every penny of what I get I am also thinking about the Sigma 24 EX Macro. I can use it fo rwork and I love the capabilities I have seen from the thread on this in the lens pic's section.

For work I have to shoot interiors and that is my primary photo function. I like my 10-20 but it is slow as all hell. I like the "funability" and function of a fast 24 from what I can tell on that thread in the lens pics section and get a macro as a bonus.

BUT will my new fast 17-50 make the faster 24 kinda a waste??? I LOVE my 50 1.8 but it is often too cropped for what I want to use it for. I thought about the canon 28 and 24as well but it they are not as fast and no macro as well. I also contemplated just getting 2 more primes(like a 20 and a 30 and I have a 50) and not the 17-50, but that is probably stupid/not practical in reality for now, but I can see myself just preferring to shoot primes eventually for sure.

I am trying to do alot on this tight budget and it will be a while before I put more $$ into photograpghy so I want it to count. Do I NEED the canon speedlite to start with or can I get away with the YN as I learn to use speedlites in photograpghy. That extra $$ would go for the bag/tripod and I would get a lot of stuff that would fill and solidify my current kit.

Thanks for the input!

sounds like a plan. if you just need Canon ETTL and manual controls the Yongnuo YN465 works great with the XSi/450D, it can access the in-camera flash menu for 2nd sync, avg./eval and flash compensation and it's only $65

I know Fa Fa Fooey, but I am thinking that with my budget, and my current more or less newbie status I can always sell and trade up the sigma in a year or so and get rolling with the speedlight. I took some really good pics today though, the nice thing about being kinda new at something is your progress early is leaps and bounds

A side note. One of my kids broke/dropped my wifes rebel Xt kit lens, so she is going to get mine, so I am locked into a new walkaround.

I think my biggest thing is the speedlite. If I am going to have issues with the Yongnuo then I would get the canon in a heartbeat, I just don't want to pay $170 for piece of mind if the Yongnuo is fine, or at least fine for now and an eventual secondary or slave light.


PS- I really hope you are Gary

Watt just posted at the same time, and that is what I am thinking. I don't have a problem geting good stuff, but I have had enough hobbies to know that I would be smart to trade up to good stuf as I can appreciate the differences, don't know if that makes any sense.