Thoughts on upgrade path

I've been shooting with a T2i and 17-55 2.8 for the past few years. I'm trying to move towards more professional type gigs (just something to do on the side, I have another career that I have no intention of leaving) and I'm thinking about my upgrade path. I'll be shooting a wedding next fall and have had a few people ask me to do portrait sessions. I also have shot a few crossfit competitions. The T2i is just not cutting it for me for those situations. Really need cleaner high ISO and better autofocus. I also like to do landscapes so that will be a consideration too.

I just picked up a refurb 70-200 2.8 IS II to get me started. I'll probably buy a 5DIII early next year (unless there's more talk that a 5DIV is imminent).

So I am really debating on where to go from there. I'd like one of the 16-35 variations (seems 2.8 would be better for events, but 4 would be better for landscapes). Then I was debating between a 24-70 2.8 or one of the 50mm variations (canon 1.2L or 1.4 or sigma 1.4 art). I can't afford to do it all at once, so one thought was to get the 16-35 and then the cheaper 50 1.4 to fill in the gap until I can get the 24-70.

Sorry for the long rambling post, but any thoughts would be appreciated.

It seems like a pretty reasonable plan. I'd be careful about not getting the 5DIII once you are ready. You can wait on a rumor for a long time even rumors that seem imminent. So, once you are ready for FF, I'd get the 6D or 5DIII unless there are other bodies that are actually released. Then you can compare features and price.

I have been thinking about what it would take for me to upgrade from my 5DIII and it is going to take some serious advances from Canon. Bottom line is that the 5DIII is an excellent camera. And, from what I can tell, the same is true of the 6D.

Regarding lenses, I've seen two sets of different Pros at weddings recently. One set was shooting with the 5DII and 50 f/1.4 almost exclusively (both shooters). The other set was the 5DIII 24-70 Mk I and 1DIV with the 70-200 f/2.8 II. You could tell while they were there that they were good and the results did match.

I think a great wedding set up would be the 24-70 ii (#1 on Bryan's FF Wedding Lens list), 50 f/1.4, and 70-200 ii. Others to consider would be the 100 mm f/2.8 L macro (wedding rings, details, etc), and something ultrawide. Which is pretty much the "premium" wedding package at lensrentals.com. They add the 600 ex-rt. You may want to look at their other wedding packages.

I would think a 24-70 f/2.8 and the 70-200 ii would cover most of your scenarios with excellent glass. And a good flash would also be a must.

Just a few thoughts.

Good luck...

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Originally Posted by sambisu

I've been shooting with a T2i and 17-55 2.8 for the past few years. I'm trying to move towards more professional type gigs (just something to do on the side, I have another career that I have no intention of leaving) and I'm thinking about my upgrade path. I'll be shooting a wedding next fall and have had a few people ask me to do portrait sessions. I also have shot a few crossfit competitions. The T2i is just not cutting it for me for those situations. Really need cleaner high ISO and better autofocus. I also like to do landscapes so that will be a consideration too.

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Personal opinion, but don't build your kit around shooting crossfit, UNLESS you can identify a true sustainable revenue source from the work. Obviously you could be in a chicken-and-egg problem (without good gear, you can't raise more revenue to buy good gear), but I'm more referring to a feasibility study aka market analysis. I just don't see much revenue in shooting sports; you'll land some sales to first-timers and record-breakers, but the rest all got their shot "the first time" IMO. Phrased differently, don't spend your money just to say "I'm a good crossfit shooter!" if your biz is elsewhere.

If you're doing weddings, I can see a need for better high-ISO performance. However, in that biz, spare gear is KEY, and you need the spare gear to work for you when you need it. Perhaps a 70D as a next step so your 17-55 works on either body, then a 16-35/4IS so you have a wide option, then buy a 24-70 and sell the 17-55 so that you've cut the EF-S cord, then a FF body.

For portraits, put your money into lighting. An Einstein with a battery to start, or pick up a used Profoto D1 kit, or save your pennies for a Profoto B1 (drool..........hopefully mine in ~12 days), with a softbox and you're in the money.

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Originally Posted by sambisu

I just picked up a refurb 70-200 2.8 IS II to get me started. I'll probably buy a 5DIII early next year (unless there's more talk that a 5DIV is imminent).

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My opinion: never buy a camera that's more than three years "old" (aka three years past First Customer Shipment).

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Originally Posted by sambisu

So I am really debating on where to go from there. I'd like one of the 16-35 variations (seems 2.8 would be better for events, but 4 would be better for landscapes). Then I was debating between a 24-70 2.8 or one of the 50mm variations (canon 1.2L or 1.4 or sigma 1.4 art). I can't afford to do it all at once, so one thought was to get the 16-35 and then the cheaper 50 1.4 to fill in the gap until I can get the 24-70.

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To some degree, you're getting too far ahead of yourself. I know it's good to have a plan, but honestly the only thing that matters "today" is what you're going to buy "tomorrow", because in two days that's what you'll have to shoot. In other words, go through your progression and say "can I do good work with kit XYZ?" If not, you made a bad buying decision somewhere prior. And don't forget to play "what if?" with your gear: lay it all out, including a napkin identifying your next purchase, and then pretend that an item (at random) needs CPR/cleaning/whatever. Can you still survive with kit XYZ-L?

I'll echo someone else's sentiment that a Macro is a wise choice. I'm doing some baby photography, and I roll with 16-35, 24-70, and 100M, happily leaving my choice of three 70-200s (2.8IS vI, 4, 4IS) and an 85/1.2 at home with no regrets. (I should also mention, thanks to a Profoto D1 500, all of that work is shot at ISO 100 and f/8-11, with spot-on AF courtesy of the modeling light. You could get identical results with your T2i aside from the crop factor.)

Thanks for the input! Peety - I only mentioned the crossfit shoots because it is something I have quite a bit of now. Definitely not building a kit around that, but I think a good wedding/event kit will also do well for the crossfit stuff too. And it's usually shooting events for a gym, not individuals.

I really don't want to spend any more on crop sensor stuff. As far a spare gear, I am lucky to have a father in law nearby with lots of gear that I can borrow. My thought for weddings is that it would have my own 5DIII and I can borrow his 5DII as a backup/second camera. And I'd still have the T2i + 17-55 as another backup.

I'm slowly starting to work on a lighting kit too. Right now I just have a 430EXII plus light stand, umbrella and 30' ETTL cord. But I've been able to do some cool stuff just with that. I'd like to get a few 600EX-RTs along with another light stand and some more modifiers.