Help please, lens dilema..

[Glen]

Right peeps, been looking at the old kit bag and wondering what I do/don't use.

Here's what I've been thinking about......

1) Most important change if I'm doing any buying. I would possibly like to change my 24-105 f4 for the 24-70 f2.8.

Reason being for me I think that extra stop would benefit me with doing portrait work?

The deal, I would sell the 24-105 for say around £550 ish, purchase from Ian a new 24-70 for worse case I think it was £640 (none on his site at the mo) so with the cashback it would be £550. Almost a no expense deal.

2) An ideal dream purchase. Although its a great lens I would like to sell the Sigma 70-300 APO DG Macro to put towards a 70-200 f2.8 IS.

Reason being, I was thinking of the 100-400 L, but if I go the 70-200 f2.8 route, I would get f2.8 up to 200mm then purchase the 2x convertor to take it to the same as the 100-400. Again Ian's price is around £990 ish mark, with £135 cashback £855 minus Sigma, say £90 it comes in at £750-770 mark.

Please could you give me your thoughts on this, I would like to start to get some good glass together, to cover a range of applications, with good apertures. I'm not thinking of going down the Big prime route as spending £3000 on a lens to use every now and again is just daft.

I still don't know what route my photography is taking me down yet, plus with having a lot on with my job and DIY, I'm not giving photography 100% either as a hobby or as a potential sideline venture, although with wanting to get my studio lights (dlite-4) before xmas, I'm leaning towards mobile portraiture side of things to run parallel with my full time job, also a total revamp of my still unfinished website, to make it more professional.

Anyway life history/essay over, again any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[Glen]

:d

 

[fraggle101]

Hi Glen, it sounds like you have it sewen up!! its a perfect set up imo.. i think getting the faster lens's isd the best idea, i was going to get the 24-105 for the IS.. but thats no good if its your subjec thats moving in the low light!! you need the faster shutter!! so i think the 24-70 coupled with the 70-200 is the ideal wat to go.. although when your in the possition of wanting the extra reach it would be easier to have the 100-400.. even the 70-200 will loose appeture when you use the TC..

Great idea m8, thats the way id do it.. or should i say WILL do it!! lol...

 

[Dino f]

Dilemmas eh! Glen,
I'm kinda in the same boat.
I have the Canon 28-135 IS lens and also the 100-400 L IS lens.
I am thinking of getting rid of the 100-400 and buying a 24-70 L f2.8 for portrait work, and then getting rid of the 28-135 and with the money difference, get the 70-200 L f4, as i dont use the 100-400 enough to warrant owning it. Shame as it is a bloody great lens and a sharp copy, but if its not being used its not worth keeping.
Whatsa man to do:shrug:
Dean

 

[Glen]

I got 1400 nugets or so coming to me some time soon, so thats why I thought about the 70-200 f2.8, with the 2x convertor it will take it to the same fstop as the 100-400 I think, but I hopefully would have flexability doing it this way. If I get the money before xmas then its worth doing the deal with the cashback offers that are ongoing.

 

[fraggle101]

Dont the cash back offers end at the end of the year??

 

[Glen]

Yeh I meant end of Dec, but you get until mid Feb 2008 to apply its just got to be purchased before 31st Dec 2007.

 

[RobertP]

I've thought about the 24-70 when I've seen them offered for sale second hand but I like the 24-105 too much to change just for the 2.8. Now if one comes out with 2.8 and IS I'd be tempted.

If I didn't already have the 100-400 I think I'd go the 70-200 2.8 IS + tc route too.

 

[Glen]

I thought that too Robert, but if I got a good price for my 24-105 the cost to change would be just a few quid, hopefully.