What if you started from scratch again? Total Loss...

[dr croubie]

If I got a total insurance payout for everything i've got, here's how I'd go:

7D - Probably add a bit of cash and get the 5D3. Definitely KatzEye.
EOS 3 - Why didn't I buy one of these sooner? Definitely replace.
EFs 15-85 - put the money towards 5D3, I rarely use the zoom anyway, primes are fine.
Samyang 35/1.4 - Definitely get again (new not 2nd-hand next time)
FL 55/1.2 - Maybe get again, or another variant like FD55 or SSC (whatever EdMika has a kit for at the time)
85/1.8 and 100/2.0 - Probably stick to one or the other, money saved towards 5D3
70-300L - Definitely get another
430EX mk1 - Try get a 430EXII, otherwise no complaints.
Lensbaby gear - replace the whole lot (except DG Muse, got a Control Freak so don't need it).
Kenko Tubes - Definitely get again
Kenko 1.4 t/c - try to get the Pro300 DGX next time.
Takumar 50/1.4 - Probably don't need to replace, FL55/1.2 does the job
Helios 28/2.8 and Ozeck 28/2.8 OM mount - only cost $10 each
OM bellows - probably try to get EF-mount bellows next time.
Paragon 300/5.6 - only $10, why did i buy this in the first place?

MF Gear:
30/3.5 Zodiak fisheye - get another
2x 50/4 Flektogon - get one MC version
MIR 65/3.5 - replace with Zeiss MC Flektogon 65/2.8 instead
Biometar 80/2.8 - get MC version next time
Volna 90/2.8 - too similar focal length to Biometar, ditch.
MC Biometar 120/2.8 - definitely replace
Sonnar 180/2.8 - THE 6x6 portrait lens, definitely replace, MC if possible
Jupiter 250/3.5 - probably don't need this, try replace with Ziess MC Sonnar 300/4 or get a Pentacon 500/5.6
2x Arsenal 2x T/C - Probably don't need 2 teleconverters, but they were damn useful shooting the moon, so maybe.

Filters and Tripod Stuff:
Probably get the whole lot again, except for the Tiffen 72mm and 58mm CPLs and UVs, they sit in a box and their resale value is approximately nothing so haven't even bothered selling 2nd hand.
Definitely B+W MRC UV 67mm for the 70-300L, other lenses are cheap enough so don't need protecting.
I like my Heliopan 72mm CPL and Kaesemann 67mm, the Hoya HRT 77mm is too colour-casty, won't get that next time.
Tripod and ballhead and arca-swiss plates and nodal-ninja, get the whole lot again, no complaints.

[Hillsilly]

If I only had around $2k to spend, I think I'd move to Olympus.  Maybe an OM-D with a 12mm and a 45mm.

If I received an insurance payout, and was starting afresh, I'd go with a 5Diii with and a 24mm, 50mm (or 85mm), 135mm, and 400mm and a Mamiya 6 with a 50mm, 75mm and 150mm.

[Forceflow]

Well, since this is not a hypothetical question for me, here is what I got after everything was stolen from me:

I repurchased following equipment:
Canon 7D
Canon 50mm 1.8
SIGMA 150mm 2.8 OS Macro (well sort of, I had the non-OS version but this was no longer available when I had to replace it)
2x SIGMA Converter (only because I found a cheap used one)
SIGMA 610 DG Super
LowePro Pro Trekker 300 AW

This is what I changed:
SIGMA 17-70mm 2.8 - 4 --> Canon 24-70 2.8
SIGMA 70-200mm 2.8 --> Canon 100-400mm 4.5-5.6 L

And i also added the SIGMA 85mm 1.4

So all in all I was fairly happy with what I had. But the two exchanges really were worth their money. Now all that I am missing is a good wide angle, but I am really not sure what to do there.

[Sith Zombie]

I would have to wait until the 7dmkii came out......... no, the 70d............ no, the rumored entry level FF....... no, maybe I should wait for the 5dmk4?? 

[vbi]

@Forceflow - look at the EF-S 10-22. Lovely IQ, 10mm is really, really wide on your 7D, and it is just plain fun to use.

[Jason Beiko]

Nikon D800e with 14-24mm lens to start.

[Actionpix]

I used my 400mm 2.8 for years with almost all action shots I took. The 400mm provides saver distance and more rest in composing. (But is hard to handle.) These days I am more into the action itself and I would rather buy a gyrostabilizer instead. (With 70-200mm.)

[Ellen Schmidtee]

If you started from scratch again, lets say theft or storm, all your equipment was lost.

What lenses and cameras would you re-purchase first and others later? Would you take this opportunity to switch to nikon?

I prefer & use wide lenses to teles, so I find the Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 very attractive.

In that situation I would certainly become familiar with Nikon lenses, and consider buying it over Canon.

[crasher8]

5D3, 16-35, 50 1.2, 135 2.0 , 200 2.8

[lola]

Since I do commercial work, I have to ignore the "No insurance + $2000 budget" part and answer the question's "start from scratch" part.

Yes, I'd probably see it as an opportunity to switch to Nikon. I'd go with a D800 body, Nikkor AF-S 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF VR and Nikkor AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II lenses.

They would sum up around $6250 and allow me to do 99% of my work.

I feel, I'd probably miss Canon's ergonomics but be happier with image quality and overall.

[darrellrhodesmiller]

had this happen to me a few years ago. thank goodness i had insurance to cover it.

if i had to do it now.

i'd probably get a t3i, 50mm f1.4, 85mm f1.8, and tamron 28-75mm f2.8
 

[RC]

For those of you who have insurance, what are you paying per $1000 worth of gear and with what company?  I've been looking into in myself but haven't bought any yet.   

AAA as an example is requesting copies of my receipts.   Don't really care to do that, does that seem to be the norm?

Thx.

[Axilrod]

5DIII
ZE 15 f/2.8
ZE 21 f/2.8
ZE 35 f/2
ZE 50 f/2
ZE 85 f/1.4
ZE 100MM f/2
+ 24-70 II for stills

As much as I love my L glass I should have gotten Zeiss stuff in the first place.

[Forceflow]

@Forceflow - look at the EF-S 10-22. Lovely IQ, 10mm is really, really wide on your 7D, and it is just plain fun to use.

Mhm... yes that is one of the lenses I am looking at, but I don't really like the EF-S part. While I doubt I#ll be going FF anytime soon I would like to keep my lenses all EF. (Though I might have to really reconsider this for the wide angle I guess)

[xthebillx]

We should make it a bit more interesting. No insurance + you only have 2 grand to spend.

...AND you have no arms or legs...