I wanted to post for some advice regarding lens choices. I got some great comments on my last post, so thanks to all. The forums here have been great so far and I see a lot of questions similar to mine. I read a lot of the posts before I purchases, but I have to say now that I am shooting and see what I like and don’t like, my views are changing.

I currently have a 60D with an EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 and recently purchased EF 70-200mm f/4L IS.

I am finding the 15-85 is a great walk around lens and great outside and in good light. When my subject is nice and still it is good in lower light as well.

But when the light starts dropping I am finding the limitations when I want more stop action to capture the kids. On the shorter end, I would like faster for indoors. On the longer end, I find myself pulling out the 70-200 F/4 which has been enough to get the faster shutter speeds that I need, but then I am limited to 70 on the one end so I have to stand back a bit too far.

So I started thinking about the EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 which I think would be great in the range I want indoors and low light. At first, I thought about this as an addition, but thought it overlapped a bit much with the 15-85. So I started to think about the EF 24-105mm f/4L which would give me f/4 in the mid-range where the 15-85 is up into the f/5-5.6.

So now I am thinking of having the following:

• EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS – gives me the range I want indoors and low light
• EF 24-105mm f/4L IS – my walk around lens. Would be nice if it was shorter, but I would get better weather sealing with my 60D outdoors where I would use it most. I would lose some landscape shots, but I would always use the 17-55 for that and on the other end it gives me more reach than the 85. Plus I would have the f/4 in the ranges I think I would want it.
• EF 70-200mm f/4L IS – For the longer reach. I love this lens so far.

There is a bit of an overlap between the lenses, but I figure that means I don’t have to swap out as much and the L lenses are in the ranges I would be using outdoors (weather sealing). When I first came up with this list, I wondered if I should have been looking full frame, but I don’t think I have enough experience and I think the 60D is good to learn on and my wife can still pick it up and capture pictures. Plus I would probably be having the same dilemma, but on the opposite end since I use the full range of the 70-200 on the crop sensor. This combo gives a good range with f/2.8 where I think I need it wide and f/4 in the ranges I am more likely outdoors and want the long reach.

Going into this hobby, I didn’t think I would be spending this much, but I can see where finding the right lens can be addictive. I am willing to make the investment to get the right lenses that I need.

Any comments or other combos I should be thinking about? Or do I keep the 15-85 and figure out how to work with the aperture it has? Many thanks…

Eric