35mm or 60mm, or??

[gwenyth_m]

<p>Wondering if anyone here can help me decide: I have a $500 gift of cash from my mom for photo gear; as she got overwhelmed by my amazon wish list of stuff. Now, of course, I don’t know what I want to get, I would like to get the most “bang for my buck.” I currently have the T1i, with an 18-55kit lens, the 50mm 1.8, and the 55-250mm lens. I also have a nice bag, a vivatar df383 flash, wireless remote, tripod etc.</p>

<p>I am considering the 35mm f2 lens, or the 60mm macro lens. (I also have a few other ones in my wish list) Along with a backdrop stand and possibly the standard backdrops to go along with the other ones I have, a reflector, and clamps. Possibly a 3tb external drive and LR software. But I really don’t know which lens to get. What would you get if you were starting out and had the basics I have. I will be looking to upgrade my camera body next year (already planned for) to something like a T3i or maybe a 7D. (I feel nowhere near ready for a FF).</p>

[SCL]

<p>I would encourage you to save your money for a while longer. If you haven't determined from your shooting with your present lenses what you want or need, then you aren't ready to buy, as you already have coverage of the focal lengths you mentioned. What is it specifically that you can't accomplish with your present lenses and gear? Personally if I was just starting out, I'd have 1, perhaps 2, lenses at most and spend a year or so learning to get the most out of them..., as well as my camera. I know that goes against consumerism and the "I want it now generation" of newcomers to photography, but that is how you learn about photography, rather than accumulate gear which won't improve your picture taking technique. You would probably benefit more from purchasing good post-processing software at this juncture than other gear. I hope this has helped, but it probably isn't what you wanted to hear.</p>

[jcuknz]

<p>+1 Stephen <br>

You are suffering from the ILC disease which leads to endless spending instead of photography.<br>

Even after sixty years I still get attacks :-)</p>

[phule]

<p>[[What is it specifically that you can't accomplish with your present lenses and gear?]]</p>

<p>Indeed. If you have money and no direction, you're likely to buy something you don't need or will use a couple times and then it'll sit in the closet. </p>

<p>What about putting that $500 towards a photo seminar/class/workshop? </p>

[gwenyth_m]

<p>Thanks. The reason I am looking into a new lens is after getting my 50mm- I have had it pretty much non-stop on my camera for the last year. Now when I use the zooms… they don’t seem as clear to me, of that makes sense? So that’s why I’m looking into building a prime set, because the zooms aren’t as awesome as they were when I first upgraded to the dslr a few years ago.<br>

My other dilemma is if I should forget camera specific gear for the moment and upgrade my computer (laptop). It is around 8 years old. I’m really not a mac person. I currently have a dell xps 17inch—I think one of the first generation xps’s. and it has been upgraded and maxed out to its capacity already.</p>