Upgrade Path

[ahab1372]

Brant,
what's missing? You don't say anything about what limitations you experience with your current kit - maybe there aren't any and you can stop looking?

The only thing I could think of based on what you wrote is a Rokinon 14 or 24mm prime for nightscapes .

[Kayaker72]

Brant,
what's missing? You don't say anything about what limitations you experience with your current kit - maybe there aren't any and you can stop looking?

The only thing I could think of based on what you wrote is a Rokinon 14 or 24mm prime for nightscapes .

....Arnt...I do not believe you understand the nature of addiction......

Seriously, you make a couple of very good points. And I have considered that maybe I need to take a step back and this kit is enough.....

Looking at it from the perspective of limitations is a good idea...it is partially limitations, but it is also that there are a few weaknesses. To name a few:

• Reach. Has anyone that tries to shoot birds and wildlife ever thought they had enough reach? More specifically, assuming that 70 ppi is sufficient to define a subject, I am limited to ~75 ft range at 400 mm on the 5DIII.
• Shutter speed at 400 mm. I have shot 400 mm at 1/100th. It works, but it isn't great. For BIF, for example, on my latest puffin cruise, I was often at ~1/600th. Pretty low for BIF. I believe I was trying to keep ISO <800-1600. But a stop of speed, so f/4, would be very nice at the long end.
• Portrait range. I am covered from 50-105 mm f/4, but it does get a little soft. I have coverage at f/2.8 at 100 mm and good coverage at 50 mm. It works, but it is a little limiting. I do miss the FF equivalent 136 mm reach of the 15-85 on the 7D. So I could see focal length addition and faster glass in the portrait range.
• Wide angle. I have tried to take shots of the milky way with the 24-105. I have no doubt that part of it is skill, but I have been surveying shots that I would like to emulate and most if not all are hit the EV -4 to -6 range (~15 sec, f/2.8, ISO 3200) or faster. So, at a minimum, I think I need a f/2.8 lens at 24 mm.
• Ultrawide angle. I have nothing. I had the 10-22 on the 7D, but hardly ever used it. Still, eventually, I would like something wide.
• DOF. I can get pretty good DoF at 50 mm and 100 mm. But that is about it.
• General optics. What I have is good, perhaps very good. But I am noticing that my favorite shots are often coming from my primes.
• Niche lenses...A TS lens could be great for waterfalls.

BTW, I have already purchased the 24-70 II. But that was mostly because I have been evaluating it and didn't want to pass up the deal that occurred two weeks ago. If I decide that the 24-105 plus a prime or two fits my kit better, it will be sold or returned.....and that is assuming I ever get one that doesn't click while zooming