Your opinion about my lenses and my photography attitude?

[kubelik]

never particularly understood the fascination with the 50mm focal length as a walk-around shooting lens length.  it may be because I started off shooting architecture, but the 50-85 range to me is always, as someone else mentioned, either too-tight or not-tight-enough when I walk around with it.  I'd far rather have a 28mm or 35mm prime to use to general purpose photography (focal length on a FF sensor) ...

as far as the OP's gear goes, it's a fine start ... but really any lens and camera at all is fine as long as you learn how to use it properly.  if all you had was a 60D and the 200mm f/2.8 prime, people on the forums would all observe that it was a bizarre focal length to start with and go buy other stuff ... but if you have some smashing images shot with a 60D and the 200mm f/2.8 ... who are they to tell you anything?

it's cool to be a generalist photographer, most people who aren't doing it for the money enjoy the freedom to be a generalist (and many working professionals secretly harbor the desire to be a carefree generalist).  learn the craft, learn your equipment, and just shoot shoot shoot.  people say quantity doesn't count, just quality, but in reality, unless you're freakishly gifted and visionary, quantity counts as well.  shoot until the shutter mechanism on the camera breaks, and I guarantee you will see improvement in your work.

[criza]

There is that big 1.6 crop factor that you are going to lose, its not trivial.  Your 200mm lens looked like 320mm on your 60D, and now it will be 200mm.  The 35mmL will replace your 28mm ok, but you may be missing 50mm,  85mm, and 135mm on the 5D MK II.

I use 85mm and 135mm is my most used focal length.

Why not get a 5D with the kit zoom, and use it to find out what focal lengths you will use.  You can always resell it for more than the kit price.

That's a good point. After I got full frame, I really have to know which focal lengths I do use, and which not. It's possible that I will replace the 28mm not with a 35mm, but with a 85 (and later a 135mm).

What about the 100mm on a full frame? Wouldn't you consider it? Well the 85mm is close to it, as well as the 135m, so if you got these two the 100mm may not be that necessary, except that it's a Macro and that's what I got it for, too!

What I am looking forward is the better ISO performance with a more expensive (full frame) camera, and of course I will be able to use my fisheye as fisheye lens, and not just as a ultra wide like now.

[criza]

never particularly understood the fascination with the 50mm focal length as a walk-around shooting lens length.  it may be because I started off shooting architecture, but the 50-85 range to me is always, as someone else mentioned, either too-tight or not-tight-enough when I walk around with it.  I'd far rather have a 28mm or 35mm prime to use to general purpose photography (focal length on a FF sensor) ...

as far as the OP's gear goes, it's a fine start ... but really any lens and camera at all is fine as long as you learn how to use it properly.  if all you had was a 60D and the 200mm f/2.8 prime, people on the forums would all observe that it was a bizarre focal length to start with and go buy other stuff ... but if you have some smashing images shot with a 60D and the 200mm f/2.8 ... who are they to tell you anything?

it's cool to be a generalist photographer, most people who aren't doing it for the money enjoy the freedom to be a generalist (and many working professionals secretly harbor the desire to be a carefree generalist).  learn the craft, learn your equipment, and just shoot shoot shoot.  people say quantity doesn't count, just quality, but in reality, unless you're freakishly gifted and visionary, quantity counts as well.  shoot until the shutter mechanism on the camera breaks, and I guarantee you will see improvement in your work.

I feel quite comfortable as a "generalist", true! But for the future I may leave this status, also because I consider making money with photography (and will have to get these so called zoom lenses).

For the most walk around, I am using, as I stated somewhere above, the 28mm lens as a 44mm equivalent on my 60D crop, and it's just on the edge to be too tight. I agree with you that 50-85mm may be too tight/not too tight. That's also the reason I love it to use my 15mm fisheye on my crop camera, so I got a ultra wide (24mm equivalent), so it compares to the set up with a full frame and a 24mm/35mm!

As well I agree with the quantity shooting! In his amazing book The Passionate Photographer, Steve Simon quotes another guy (I can't recall his name at the moment) from the film age, telling that until you reach 100'000 shoots, you are not a (real) photographer. ;-)

[Drizzt321]

If you want a great lens with a bit of reach, the 135mm f/2 is awesome on my 5d2. Won't have as much length as your 200mm, but you can always use a 1.4x or 2x TC with it. Just don't forget to get some ND filters if you want to be able to open it up to get the wonderful bokeh this lens can produce.

[AJ]

Actually this is what I am missing, a mentor! You can self study photography but you learn slower as if someone is watching over your shoulder, or you over his/her.

I suggest joining a critique site.  Personally, I used to be quite active on photosig.  I learned quite a bit there.  I think people also exchange critiques on photo.net

[wickidwombat]

Do your self a favour get a 50 f1.4 even grab the nifty 50 f1.8 for $100 it gives you close to 80mm on your crop and once you go FF 50mm is a wonderfull length then also get an 85mm for FF portraits I absolutely love my sigma 85 f1.4 its one of my favourite lenses

[criza]

I suggest joining a critique site.  Personally, I used to be quite active on photosig.  I learned quite a bit there.  I think people also exchange critiques on photo.net

I didn't know such a site exists, although I stumbled over it one time. I may try this out, thanks!
Can you give me an example for what you learned there?

[Daniel Flather]

I had the 50/1.8 (with my 400D) and it was a good start, but I couldn't arrange with the focal length.
It was too close for me indoors, and even outdoors it was either too close or not close enough! That's the reason I bought a 28mm and right after that the 100mm, so I walk around with one of them :-). The 28mm gives me a nice to use 44mm full frame equivalent.
I'll probably will get a 50mm when I am going full frame, but as said the 80mm full frame equivalent didn't suit me, and now I am wondering for what you are using the 7D + 50mm indoors? :-)

50mm can be use on crop bodies as a portrait lens.  85mm can be used for head shots.  The 50 and 85 on a crop would be similar to the 85 and 135 on a full frame.  It takes some getting used to if you're used to shooting wider focal lengths, but the change in perspective can be refreshing.

Yeah, but a 50mm on a crop has a view of an 85, but the perspective of a 50, and for tight portraits that's not the best combo.  The 85 or 135 (even your 200L) on a FF would be much better.