Kit question ....

[Philtrum]

I've had a good browse and search through the archives, its still not answered my questions though, so thought I'd post it up and see if anyone has any ideas

I currently have a Canon gripped 350d and 5d classic, I have a 70-200 F4 IS L, 50mm F1.8 (nifty fifty) and the 17-55 IS kit lens for the 350 (+ got a 430 flash)

I have just sold my 24-105 F4 IS L as I was just not happy with the quality of the pics from it (although since looking at a friends images using his lens, it may be the lens I had was not 100%), I could spot the quality differences even at thumbnail in windows between the 24-105 and 70-200

I've borrowed a friends 24-70 and its a great lens, but I miss the IS, as when shooting a wedding I was having to ramp the iso up highter than I wanted to get a sharp shot at times


I shoot a bit of everything, the occasional landscape, portrature of both pet and people, I have my own studio setup with 3 heads etc and I shoot some weddings too

I need wide angle for the weddings and for landscape, the 70-200 is great allrounder

I've looked at primes and love the idea, but not sure how practicle it would be at a wedding (I run the 24-105/24-70 on the 5d and the 70-200 on the 350d)

most of my favourite images have been on the 70-200, the colour, sharpness, and general feel is just special.

so .... the question is .... I have a budget of about 800

would you upgrade the 350d to a 40d or equiv as when shooting dogs/horses the frame rate would be great, if so, with the funds left, what lens would you look at for the general purpose/studio work that would also cover low light at weddings etc

would you go for a 17-40 and put it on the crop for general use and the 70-200 on the 5d, then swap them over when you needed more reach/wide angle ?

would you leave the bodies as they are and get either the 24-70 or 24-105 (I know thats choosing one over the other is a whole discussion thats happened many times before)

would you go primes and perhaps a cheap 28-135 that you could stick at F8 or above for easy studio work ?)

or .. something completly different (and yes I've even considered jumping to the dark side)

I'd love to throw a macro into the mix, or at least something I could put an extension tube on to start exploring macro based photography too

any ideas, comments, help is more than welcomed

 

[fezzr]

if you look here at F4 (thinking about low light weddings) you would be much better with a 24 - 105, plus you would have IS.
I think you would be worth trying someone else's 24-105 and see if it is better than the one you had, or even go somewhere like LCE with your camera and most of them will let you try there display model.

Primes you either love them or you hate them, how often do you use just the nifty fifty?

I would upgrade the 350D for sure.

 

[Philtrum]

I dont use the 50 much tbh, but some of that was just lazyness as I had zooms that covered the range

That comparison is quite interesting, the 24-105 seems sharper and also the whites whiter if that makes any sense and Im looking at it correctly

Thanks
Phil

 

[fezzr]

yup, its obviously not real world tests but good for direct comparison.
If you change the f they soon even out but i think youll loose out with the 17-40