Going The Wong Way I'm ALWAYS going the Wong way

My Photo Gear

Thoughts:

Canon 40D (Amazon)

Cropped-sensor body that is fantastic in my hands.  While I probably don’t use all of its features, the fact that it is comfortable in my hand is what won me over compared to getting a Canon Rebel body.

Canon 17-85mm f/4-5.6 (Amazon, B&H)

This is my kit lens, which I opted for instead of the more popular 18-55mm that comes with a lot of entry-level bodies.  I like its larger reach, and the build quality is definitely a step up.  I feel that the images are hit or miss for me.  I can get some pretty great shots with it, but my throwaway rate is higher compared to my other lenses.  However, I guess that’s expected considering its price.

Canon 35mm f/2.0 (Amazon, B&H)

A prime lens that is closer to a classic “normal” since it’s on a cropped-sensor body (i.e., it’s equal to a 56mm).  This might be the lens that I use most often even though it’s a prime lens.  On my 40D, the image quality is pretty great, and it’s exceptionally light to carry around.

Canon 50mm f/1.8 II (Amazon, B&H)

Nearly everyone buys this lens.  It has great image quality, and it makes a pretty good portrait lens.  Unfortunately it is sometimes a little too long when I am using it indoors.  However in the right scenarios it is just awesome.  And considering it’s really cheap price and low weight, it is easy to just throw in the bag no matter where you’re going.

Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM (Amazon, B&H)

This lens is great at taking macro pictures!  It seems, though, that this is a lens with limited uses.  However, it turns out that it is sharp and very useful in situations besides macro photography as well.  I use it indoors when I know that I am going to shoot a little further away from the action (e.g., a wedding in a church).

Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS USM (Amazon, B&H)

A beautiful lens. It’s solidly built and is great to use when walking around outside.

Canon 430 EX II Speedlite (Amazon, B&H)

The flash is incredibly useful.  While there are lenses with large apertures that cost a whole lot of money, there are many times where there is just no substitute for actual light.  And this flash provides that light for me.  It especially helps me indoors or at night as it gives my photos life.