What do I spend my first £100 of togging earnings on?

Bend The LightBend The Light Registered Users Posts: 1,887 Major grins
edited October 13, 2010 in Accessories
HI all,
In the next couple of weeks I will have earned my first £100 as a photographer. I know it's not much, but it's a great feeling anyway.
Money is tight in our household, so usually any money I make gets put into general funds, but I want to make an exception this time, and spend this £100 on ME and my photography.
So, question: what do I buy?
I have a canon 400d, kit lens, 75-300 standard zoom, several M42 manual lenses, 2 or 3 old flash guns (not fitted to camera), macro tubes, and reversing rings.I have 2 or 3 tripods from flimsy to solid tubular steel ones)
I am thinking:
50mm f1.8 (nifty fifty)
Yuongnuo flash (E-TTL)
BG-E3 grip
I haven't a particular favourite subject to shoot, although at some point I want the Tamron 90mm Macro lens, but I don't have funds for that yet!
Any other ideas? I might consider eBaying my 75-300 standard canon zoom for extra cash, as I don't really use it, nut then I wouldn't have a lens beyond 135mm (and that's a manual one).
Cheers

Comments

  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,940 moderator
    edited October 13, 2010
    If money is tight, consider the purchase of equipment that will both improve your photography and add to your income. That'll help maximize your expense.

    There's a good selection of gear in your list to choose from.
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • Bend The LightBend The Light Registered Users Posts: 1,887 Major grins
    edited October 13, 2010
    As I am enjoying concert photography at the moment, I'm thinking the 50mm f1.8 would be useful...fast and a reasonable length. Or maybe the grip for extended power...
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited October 13, 2010
    The 50mm would be a great choice. And a Lightscoop modifier for your pop-up flash.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,133 moderator
    edited October 13, 2010
    Either save a bit longer or stretch the budget and get a dedicated flash for your camera. I highly recommend either the Canon 430EX or Sigma EF 530 DG Super with Canon E-TTL II*. Either will add an AF assist light that will improve focus accuracy with any lens in low light. DIY some flash modifiers and learn how/when to use them. Nothing will improve your photography more than a good flash.

    I do not recommend the Yuongnuo flashes as they still have too high a failure rate.

    The Canon EF 50mm, f1.8 is an OK lens but focus accuracy is sporadic and wide open it's not as useful. For the Canon 400D/XTi I suggest that manual focus using the camera's focus confirmation will help.

    A battery/vertical grip is mostly a convenience item.


    *Sigma makes different models for each manufacturer so you have to seek the Canon E-TTL II model appropriate for your camera.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • Bend The LightBend The Light Registered Users Posts: 1,887 Major grins
    edited October 13, 2010
    Icebear wrote: »
    The 50mm would be a great choice. And a Lightscoop modifier for your pop-up flash.

    That looks interesting.
    I think the 50mm would come in if I get to do more concert style photography...

    A flash would be more useful for my macro - I could angle it on a bracket and diffuse it with a small softbox attachment.

    I do have a flash at the moment, but not TTL - in fact it's no got a hotshoe and would probably blow the camera if I attached the cable. I use a light trigger for it with a dialled down pop-up flash. That works ok.

    Some people suggest saving more money, ut to be honest, the way things are at the moment, every penny I might earn is gonna have to go into the household fund, not my camera bag! I am just planning to spend this first few quid on something for me, as I have earned it. My only selfish act, maybe. :)
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