New lens - need suggestions Christmas around the corner

[zillygal]

You guys have never steered me wrong on my holiday purchases for um.. myself! LOL

Mainly I take pictures of the grand kids & of my students (and a few friends kiddos)

I have a Canon 50D & a speedlite

Lens so far:

24-135
50 1.4
50 1.8 (keeping it just because it was cheap and if anything every happened to the 1.4)

The grand kids are now 3 & 4 , won't sit still even with bribes, so I am constantly on the move with them. Students are just about the same.

Which one should I add?

I have drooled over getting an 85 1.8
or do I go for broke and look at the 70-200 with the IS?

Or is there something else I should be looking at?

Thanks for any suggestions!

[natek313]

I have the 85mm f/1.8, and it is a great portrait lens! I'm very happy with it even though I've been thinking about selling it to help fund a 70-200mm f/4L IS USM lens purchase. Of course, probably the most important factor is going to be your budget.

Are you looking for a dedicated portrait lens? The 70-200mm IS lens (f/2.8 and f/4) are very sharp lenses, and some photographers do not want that for their portraits.

Judging from your lens inventory, I would think the two 50mm lenses you already own would perform very well as your portrait lenses. If you can really put to use the 70-200mm L lens (other than portraits) and afford it without breaking the bank, I would probably go that route.

[inkista]

Two other go-for-broke possibilities might be the EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM, or the EF 24-70 f/2.8L USM. If that's too much coin, there are also lower-cost f/2.8 walkaround zoom alternatives like the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 or the Sigma 18-50 f/2.8 HSM.

With the 85/1.8, if you think you might want more reach, you may also want to consider the EF 100mm f/2 USM (not to be confused with the f/2.8 macros). For sharpness and bokeh it compares favorably with the EF 135mm f/2L USM, and for autofocus speed, it's supposed to be as zippy as the 85/1.8 and certainly resembles it in build quality and size. There's also the 135mm f/2L USM, but it's probably too expensive and too long.

[TerryMC]

I like the 70-200 f/4 IS if it is fast enough for your 50D.

[Daoust]

Can I carry on this discussion in a different direction?

I know I'll come into a little bit of spending money this upcoming holiday season, as will many of you, and like me some of you are always looking for the best deal on photo equipment they can find.

So what I'm wondering is if I should wait to buy the 50mm lens I want until after Christmas, maybe hoping for a nice boxing day sale or new years sale? Does that happen with photography equipment? I'll likely be doing my shopping on line, so will the hypothical sale prices be listed on the online store websites?

[inkista]

Dunno if there are going to be after-Christmas sales. Lenses, right now, are relatively scarce and demand is high, which is why this year has seen the insane price increases on glass that it has. Right now, at least in the US, the fall instant rebates (i.e., price discounts) are in force, so lens prices (the ones that are rebated) will go up after January 10th, and won't come down again until the spring rebates kick in--if they do.

I don't see any harm in waiting until after Christmas, but I don't think there'll be a drastic price drop--especially if you're talking about the 50/1.8.

[Daoust]

Thanks, Inkista. I didn't know that lenses are scarce right now. Thanks for that link.