Remember the Minitrekker Video? Well that up there is an Airport Security bag, by ThinkTank Photo. And surprisingly, when it’s closed, it doesn’t bulge at all. But if a picture is worth a thousand words, what’s a video worth?

I’ll cover some of what I do when I travel, and my reasoning for it, like why clothes are less important than gear. Here’s a hint: Renting a 400 2.8 could cost 70 bucks or more. Buying a bunch of socks and other space occupying clothes wherever you travel to? Less than 70 bucks. More to come tomorrow.

I will try to share what I do during X-Games in blog posts throughout the weekend. Stay tuned.

While covering a game between the Phoenix Mercury and Detroit Shock, I did a video segment on remote setup basics. It’s easier than you think, so read on, and check out the video. Before you know it, you’ll be able to set up your own remotes.

First things first, let’s look at a checklist of what you need to do a remote, and then onto the video:

• Safety. This involves using the right cables, asking permission, and being insured. You need all of this before you even attempt to do a remote of any sort. If you can’t meet these requirements, don’t bother.
• A spare camera and lens. Remotes are usually manually prefocused, and lenses are set to higher apertures, so you don’t need an expensive setup. The main image above was with a 20D and 17-40. Combined, you can get them used for less than the price of a new 40D. Lighter lenses are preferred for easier balance. This is why I use a 17-40 rather than a 16-35.
• A wireless transmitter and receiver setup. Pocket Wizard units are the gold standard, but there are other options.
• A pre-trigger cable. This connects your wireless receiver to the camera and keeps it ready, akin to holding down the shutter halfway. Good pre-triggers come with a switch to turn this on and off. When it’s on, you cannot access the menu features of the camera, since it’s in a ready to shoot state.
• A camera stand. There are all sorts. You need one that will support the weight of your lens and camera, and permits movement of the setup so you can adjust the angle. For basketball, I made my own. Total cost: under a buck. Wanna know more? Check the video.
• Gaffer tape. If you don’t already carry a small roll, make your own. I use it to bind my stand to my camera, and also to mark my spot, so if I need to move my remote, I can put it back down in the same general spot, no guesswork. You also need it for your lens, to tape down the settings.
• An angle finder. It’s like a little periscope for the viewfinder on your cameras. If you need to put your remote on a floor, or field, or in an awkward place, the angle finder will really help. Or, if you have a newer camera, you may have some live view feature on the camera. That’s good too.
• Large capacity CF card. I drop an 8 or 16gb card in my setups, so I don’t have to go changing cameras in the middle of an event. If your remote is also in an awkward place to get to during the event, a large card makes sense. They’re cheap now too, and I’ve written about where to get them.
• Fresh batteries. AA’s for Pocket Wizards, and freshly charged Li-Ion’s for my camera. That way you don’t have to worry about changing those out mid-event. And if you don’t notice your batteries dying, then you may keep on shooting without knowing that the remote is not functioning.
• Time. Show up early to do all of this. It’s easy once you get the hang of it. Pressed, I could prop one up in a few minutes. But the first time, it took me a while. And when I shot the video, the chaos that was all around, plus the video segment itself, made it a lengthy process. Had I not shown up two hours early, I might not have pulled it all off. Better to be done early, and relax, than rush to get it all set up.

Lengthy list huh? This is why I did the video. It does a fine job of showing how the above list of items all comes together to produce a remote, but I’m sure there will be more questions, so feel free to email me and ask me anything about the video, the list, or any specifics. I’ll be glad to answer them.

I’ve embedded the video, but you can also download it, just do a save as.

Thanks for taking time to do this, I really appreciate it.
Right now I have:

• 20D, nearing the 50k shutter count.
• 28-105 3.5-4.5
• 50 1.8
• 70-200 2.8

My budget is roughly $2200. I could come up with a few extra hundred dollars if needed. I use my 70-200 by far the most, and often it is not long enough. I was thinking that I would pick up the 300 f/4 non-IS to cover the longer focal lengths.

I use my 28-105 for more wide angle shots, but it is awkward for me in terms of focal length. It is often either not long enough of not wide enough. For this reason, I was considering selling it and picking up either the 17-40, the 24-70 or even the 17-55.

I was also considering either the Mark II, 40D or 30D as a second body, to go along with, not replace my 20D. I am attracted to the Mark II for obvious reasons, but right now I am thinking the $ might be better spent on some fast glass.

Another consideration is that my shooting consists of perhaps %85 sports, I have all the other events at my school to cover, hence my wishing for a WA of sorts. I am torn between the 17-40 and 24-70 in terms of useful focal length and aperture. And then it was thrown out there I should look at the 85 1.8 (?)

Some combos I was considering…

30D + 300 f/4 + 24-70 or 16-35 (for journalistic type shots)
40D + 300 f/4 + 17-40
Mark II + 300 f/4 (keep 28-105)

Thanks again for working on this.
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Ok Zander. One approach would be to keep the 20D until it died. The 28-105 would go, because it’s not fast enough for night sports. Keep the 50 and 70-200. With your 2200, plus 150 or so from the 28-105, you’d have 2350 to spend. with maybe 200 more if you sell your cat/soul/friend or something.

First things first: the 17-40 or 24-70. Ignore both, and head for the Sigma 18-50 2.8. You’d have a gap between 50 and 70, but you’d have 18 covered at 2.8 instead of f/4. Forget new, and go for it used, where it might cost you around $350 or so. 2,000 left, maybe 2200.

Get an 85 1.8. I’ve seen under 300 used, figure 280. That leaves you 1720, maybe 1920.

Sell your pet/organ/friend and get about 150 or so dollars, then get a Sigma 120-300 2.8. Yes, there’s overlap, but you can’t really get 300 2.8 for under 2k without the Sigma. And a Sigma or similar 300 prime would be in the same price range as the zoom, so you may as well get the zoom, since it’s an easier lens to find on the buy and sells. Your final kit would be:

• 20D
• Sigma 18-50 2.8
• 50 1.8
• 85 1.8
• 70-200 2.8
• 120-300 2.8

You have a range from 18 to 300 covered at 2.8, with the 50 1.8 or 85 1.8 primes serving for anything from portraits to low light indoor gym shots. Your next purchase would be a cheap 20D, not a 30D. Forget the bigger screen and not so big difference in ISO noise (remember, same sensor between the 20 and 30D), save that for more lenses. With 2 20D’s, you could be very versatile. If you can live without the 85 1.8, you can get the 20D instead, and then go 18-50 and 70-200 on the bodies, or 18-50 and 120-300. Either way, you can cover low light events decently.
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Next approach: If you had to get a newish camera, get the 40D. New sensor, more versatility with live view. Get the grip. So you’re down from 2200 to about 1200. Get the Sigma 18-50 2.8. Down to about 850. Sell the 28-105, back to 1k. You can then either get the 300 4 IS for that, or the 300 4 NON IS for about 325 less, which you then parlay into an 85 1.8. The difference would be that the old 300 is no longer serviced by Canon. Good range, two cameras, but not especially good for night field sports, since you’re at f/4. Final kit:

• 20D
• 40D
• 18-50 2.8
• 50 1.8
• 70-200 2.8
• 300 4 IS OR
• 300 4 non IS plus 85 1.8

Oh, and no need to sell kitty to get some extra cheddar for your purchases.
______________________________________________

Final approach. Sell the 70-200. Sell the 28-105. Figure you got about 3250. Get the Sigma 120-300 for 1850 or so. 1400 left. get another 20D perhaps with grip for 525 or so, leaving you with 875. Get a Sigma 18-50 for 350, 525 left. Tamron 28-75 2.8 for 300 or so, 225 left. Sell the family pet and get 125 bucks, then go get a 100 2 for 350. Two cameras, all 2.8 or faster lenses, two wider type lenses, but a gap between 75-120 with a 100 2.0 to fill that gap. Final kit:

• 20D
• 20D
• 18-50 2.8
• 28-75 2.8
• 50 1.8
• 100 2 (or an 85 1.8, but the 100 fills the gap better).
• 120-300 2.8

Bottom line, you have some choices to make. Each kit sorta aims for a need, first one getting you range at 2.8, but you only have one camera, and a gap. Second one gets you 2 cameras, a 40D even, but f/4 at 300 really limits you. Last kit gets you 2 cameras, 300 at 2.8, but you sell that very versatile 70-200 2.8. It’s up to you to decide which kit best serves your purposes. Be flexible in your choices so long as every lens serves a necessary purpose.

Rules: Buy used, you can’t the cost of going new. Don’t get the latest generation camera unless you feel it’s absolutely necessary. And sell the dead weight lenses. That 28-105 won’t net you much, but it can go towards a lens you would use, and could actually produce images with in a low light environment. I’d say drop the 50 1.8 but that’s so cheap that you may as well keep it.

In this article, we’re going to look at some questions you can ask of yourself to really get the appropriate equipment for your needs. key word: Needs. Sure anyone can rationalize a purchase, but those rationalizations are just lies we tell ourselves so we can feel better about the buy. The sad truth is that we often have more money than we think we do. We just spend it wrong. Ever seen someone with a nice car and expensive rims, but is broke and lives with their parents? We all do it, to different degrees.

So, read on to find out more about what you can do to really assess your needs

First, you need to know what you shoot, and how much of it. If you’re a portrait shooter who does natural light and outdoor work, you will have very different needs from that of a youth sports photographer. I won’t go into fine detail with this article, because everyone has specific needs. But if you like, email me, and I’ll gladly consult with you on the best bang for your buck equipment. I will make some “general” reccomendation, but only to serve as an example.

Rather than go by equipment categories, I’ll touch on a few photographer categories. This is because they each share the same type of equipment, but the emphasis on needs will differ by each photographers primary work. Onto the categories:

Sports photographers: if you shoot youth sports, or even professional sports, most times you don’t really get to control the lighting by using strobes. So why invest heavily in lights? If you shoot a lot of night games, and it’s permissible, get a flash, and consider a battery pack for it.

You might think you need the best camera, but the difference between the pro series camera and a semi-pro is easily 3,000 dollars. That’s more than the combined cost of two very popular lenses, the 70-200 2.8 and 24-70 2.8 (in Canon or Nikon mounts). Remember, camera prices go down FAST. get the best lenses now, and buy that big camera in a year, when it’s gone down in price. Always think lens first.

Lenses are where you want to spend. Indoors, you need the fastest lenses (lowest apertures) to get more light. Outdoors, you may want the bigger lenses to get more focal length (think 300/400 etc mm) because you’re limited in movement and access. If you shoot both, you need it all. Again, look at the lenses in common for the sports you shoot. Those are the most versatile, and the ones you should aim for. I can shoot most any sports with a 24-70, 70-200 and a 300, all 2.8 lenses. But that’s for what I shoot. If you need more light, consider primes, such as the 85 1.8 and the 135 2.0. If you were outdoors, you may opt for a 300 4, 400 5.6, or if you got the money, 300 2.8 or 400 2.8

Portrait photographers: If you’re an outdoor photographer, you may want to look at those nicer lenses I mentioned for sports photography, but not the longer ones. Anything from the 24-70, the 85, the 135. You don’t need a lot of range, because you can move around freely. The nicer lenses are needed because you may not always control your lighting. If you use natural light, you will want the better lenses to have more leeway with your exposure.

Indoors, you don’t need the best lenses, because you control the lighting. I know portrait photographers that shoot with a 28-135 midgrade lens. You can certainly get the best lenses, but if you’re budget is tight, spend that money on lights. Don’t get the cheapest grade lenses, but midrange lenses, like a 70-200 4, or a 28-135, can really go a long way. Even the 85 1.8 is considered midrange in cost, but it’s an excellent lens.

Cameras: You can get away with an XSi, or a D80 or similar hobbyist level camera. Why? Well, the sensors in those cameras are nearly as good as the semi pro or even the pro cameras. It’s the feature set that’s usually lacking. Do you care if you can only shoot to ISO 1600? Not if you have good lights. If you’re outdoors, step it up a notch to a 40D or D300, for better performance in low/natural lighting.

Lights, that’s where the money goes. You want a healthy set of lights, to allow for various 2,3,4 or even more light setups, even a ringlight. You also want some nice modifiers. Umbrellas, softboxes, octabox, beauty dish, etc. This will give you versatility in your setups, from standard lighting, high key, low key, rim etc. If you shoot outdoors, you may have spend that budget on lenses, but you can always try to work with a few less lights, and get some reflectors, to use both outdoors and indoors. In fact, a lot of simple indoor lighting setups are one or two lights with a reflector on a stand. You could also consider a battery pack, to make your lights portable for interesting outdoor setups.

As you can see, the emphasis on the equipment depends on what you shoot. It’s important to look at what you do for your specific needs, because noone fits perfectly into these categories.

For example, I shoot sports, but I also shoot weddings. For me, I need the best low light camera, lenses with image stabilzation or very fast apertures, and perhaps one on camera flash with an off camera cord. I would not need studio lights, but a small reflector and perhaps a scrim may come in handy.

Hopefully, this article will give you insight on how you can allocate your budget to what’s most important. Email me if you like, and we can talk in depth.

Today I’ll go into the process, almost step by step, as to what I do when I want to buy gear. As much as I love photography as an art, I’m also a gadget and gear person. I accepted that I like stuff, but I do my best to be frugal about it. So this is what I do:

First, unless it’s a brand new product (and even then), I avoid buying new at all costs. So, I browse through the internet for used goods. Note that this is my personal experience. There are a million places to go for everything, but I tend to do very well for what I need. And I go to:

• FredMiranda: They have a Buy&Sell forum that’s excellent. You need to register to buy from that forum (free). They have a topic search so you can quickly scope out if someone’s selling a D300 or a 20D or some SB800′s. You can view sellers ratings, their post count, and see what they post to get a feel for their standing in the community so you can feel secure in your purchase.
• Sportsshooter: Their classified ads section is very good. Membership is not required to purchase, but sellers have the option to sell to other sportsshooter members only. There’s a classified search so it’s easy to quickly find if anyone has your goods.
• Luminous-Landscape: Their For Sale forum has higher end equipment, but you can find some gems here. Search engine means you can add a quick keyword and determine if it’s on the block.

Remember, this is my list. Those who live on another continent may need to do some research. But that’s the goal of this post: Do research. Find out where to go to save money, and SAVE MONEY.

Next up, if I’m looking for new goods and accessories, I accept that I may have to buy new (can’t really buy used gaffer), but I don’t accept having to pay the standard price. I use B&H as a baseline for what going rates are, then try to beat their price. First I:

• Froogle: It’s Google’s search engine for products. Yes, some of the super low prices there are via shady establishments, but that can be checked out at ResellerRatings, a site dedicated to rating online vendors. I sort the Froogle search by lowest price, going down the list til I find a reputable seller. I sometimes check a few vendors at slightly lower prices, especially if there’s free shipping.

I don’t really have any loyalty when it comes to buying most goods. If it’s higher ticket stuff, be sure to check out that ResellerRatings site. If you plan to buy new, consider how to purchase it. Credit card, right, but which? Make sure to get points, reasonable interest rates, and even buyer protection or extended warranties. I like American Express for this reason. I also like that it’s a charge card. You pay the following month, so there’s no interest. This keeps me responsible (somewhat).

Consistently, certain vendors keep popping up on my radar, and they are listed below:

• Newegg: Awesome prices on memory cards. Currently, B&H has an 8gb SD card for $40 p/s. Newegg: $28 p/s.
• MyDigitalDiscount: Competitive memory card prices. Excellent selection of readers, including the Omni (USB, reads older and newer CF cards at high speeds), and even a new Firewire 800 CF card reader.
• Buydig and BeachCamera: I love this place for external drives. Their prices go down all the time, and it’s almost always free shipping. BTW, they’re both the same place, with the same stock. Sometimes you’ll see one has the same product for $5 or 10 cheaper. so check both. How bout a 1TB Western Digital for 199.95. A quick Froogle check tells me that another competitor has it slightly lower priced, but Buydig has free shipping, and their TOTAL price is lower. BTW, B&H has this same drive for 214.95 p/s.
• Amazon: Their prices are usually in the right ballpark, but they have Amazon Prime up their sleeve. Shipping can be expensive on larger quantity or size items. Pay $79, and for a year, anything eligible will be shipped to you express, at no cost. Overnights are 3.99. So let’s say you want to get a 70-200 2.8 IS from B&H. $1574 is fine, but you also pay shipping of 34.50 for 2 day (to my zip code). Prime has it for the same $1574 w/ free super saver, or if you’re Prime, 2 day. 3.99 and it’s at your door the NEXT DAY. B&H wants 57.50 for next day. And your first month of Prime is free. Cancel before the month’s up and you don’t pay the $79 yearly.

You won’t get fire sale prices buying anything new, but over the course of time, free shipping, saving a couple bucks on products, and just in general knowing how to shop, you will see those dividends pay off. Put them all on your business card with the best points or perks, and it pays off even more.

Since I live in the US, this article is definitely more US centric, but I’d love to hear comments on places to buy in Canada, Europe and the rest of the world. I know I have some readers in Australia, and even China. I’d love to know more about how to make the most of your money when purchasing there. Comment or email me with links to vendors and tricks that work in your neck of the woods.

I will be shooting (for fun and some friends) at the Veterans Wheelchair games. I got a Canon 40D (with grip) from my hubby for Christmas (going from a Kodak Hybrid).I have been practicing, (not good yet too much rain everywhere we go). Anyway I end up laying on the ground, squatting, and everything you can think of because they sit instead of stand. I have the following Lens (most bought on sale). I don’t have any “L” glass since I want to be sure before I spend that much money. I have the following:

• Canon 28-135 3.5-5.6
• Canon 70-300 4-5.6
• Canon 50 1.4
• Canon 85 1.8
• Sigma 10-20 4-5.6
• Tamron 17-50 2.8
• Canon 580EX II
• Flashpoint tripod and Quick Release ball head

Have not used the grip yet and practicing with the Lens. Which will be the best to take to the shoot: Want to know so I can practice more with them.

Thanks

First off, that’s a great kit for close to medium distance. The 17-50 is a nice lens, and the 50 and 85 could work indoors. A flash with the 28-135 and 70-300 could help get shots at a distance. But that’s if we’re indoors. Outdoors the kit gets better. So here’s what I’d use

Indoors, I’d stick with that 17-50 if I have enough light, or the 85 if I don’t have enough light. The 17-50 would come out for group shots before or after the event. If I’m too far away, I’d try the 70-300 at 1600 ISO with the 580 EX. Outdoors, I’d definitely go 17-50 or 28-135. The 10-20 might be nice to switch to for wide shots that showcase the event as a whole. If the light is really bright and I need some headshots or want to shoot tight, the 70-300 comes out. But I’d still prefer the 28-135.

So I would make sure to get used to that 17-50, the 85, and probably the 28-135. The 70-300 might come out, but honestly, that lens is very slow to focus, so unless I really needed it, I wouldn’t use it. No practice will really help that focus get faster. The flash comes along too. With this kit, you cover anything from group photos to action at a reasonable distance. You have some low light ability, and a flash for truly bad lighting.

Leave the tripod at home. You’ll probably want to be mobile, and tripods don’t let you get very low or move around into interesting angles. Even a monopod might be cumbersome if you’re shooting from a low angle. I’d choose the 85 over the 50 because it’s a nicer focal length, and its AF motor is better than that of the 50 1.4. The ultrawide 10-20 is a slow lens (aperturewise) and more of a specialty. If weight’s an issue, I leave that at home. The 28-135 isn’t fast, but it’s a great range, and certainly a better AF than the 70-300.

The flash can help overcome bad lighting. Practice shooting backlit and frontlit if you’re outdoors, and frontlit for indoors.The grip isn’t necessary, especially if weight is a concern, but I will guess you will be shooting verticals as well as horizontals, so I’d take it along if I could.

Finally, practice on the long end of that 28-135. It’s a 5.6 lens there, but also it’s a fairly long focal length. You’ll want to practice tracking things in motion to get used to action. With the 17-50 tracking shouldn’t be a problem. The 85 is a prime, so you’ll have to practice foot zoom, that is moving yourself, to get your shots framed right. You’ll get the feel for the right distance after enough experience.

I certainly hope this helps. If anyone else has anything to add to this, please feel free to comment.

Notice the tight spacing between everything. It’s all padded, but it’s packed tightly. That’s key. No matter what bag you use, you need to remember that your equipment is inanimate. Unlike me on a coach flight, your equipment will not complain about being packed tightly, just keep the padding between it all and you’re set.

Also notice the range. A fisheye, wide and tele zooms, and a super tele, as well as 2 cameras. What couldn’t I cover with this setup? (FYI I have 4 cards total, 8 and 2 gigs, in each camera). Sometimes, I’ll keep a 16-35 2.8 instead of the fisheye.

There’s even a sleeve for a laptop. I carry a 15″ laptop. If I don’t need the laptop, I carry the same exact setup minus the laptop in a Lowepro Minitrekker AW.

In the smaller compartment, I carry an assortment of knickknacks, such as my gaffer roll, a set of 4 AA batteries, a spare battery for my camera, a sharpie, and a CF card holder. I will also carry various extras particular to my own needs such as a Tide to Go stick (I somehow always end up with BBQ sauce on my shirt), a small USB wireless mouse for my laptop, a small laptop AC adapter, a really tiny phone charger that runs on AA batteries (since my Mogul burns through batteries), and assorted cables and even a spare camera in case I need to do a remote shoot.

Again, this is what I normally have packed, even when I don’t have a shoot for a week. What’s the point of all this? Be prepared, and consider the best way to pack your bag, roller case, etc. It’s a matter of being ready to go quickly, and not worrying about where things are at the last minute. It’s also about making efficient use of your space. That setup above fits below my seat on domestic flights, and I travel coach (see why I mentioned it earlier?). I have a whole other carry-on that can fit my clothes, larger lenses, et.

Finally, it’s a matter of routine. When I pack or unpack, I already know what I want my bag to look like. This is especially useful when you are packing up after a shoot. Instead of wondering if you took something, you already know what you have, because you’re very used to having it. I even keep my lens caps in the same spot when I take them off my lenses. Routine can be very good.

So what’s your setup? What’s your routine? If you don’t already have one, consider it.

Feel free to send me images or comment with your bag and gear layouts. I’d love to see if anyone has some great ideas that I could implement into my setup, and I’m sure the rest of us would appreciate insight on bag setups.

Oh and finally, here’s the link to the video that inspired this post. That’s me, a few years back, stuffing a Minitrekker into the photography equipment of that VW Beetle at the circus where a million clowns pop out and you wonder how they all fit in there.

The Amazing Minitrekker Video

Never buy the latest camera: Getting a D3 or mk3 right now means you’re paying premium. Instead buy the last of the last gen’s stock if it’s on clearance, or better yet, get it used.

Never buy new: The second you use it, kiss 10% goodbye. Instead, look to getting a well kept used item. Cameras hemorrhage value over time, so get the camera right before you need it. Any sooner and you’re paying for the privilege.

Have a walk off price: Have a price in mind before you consider buying anything. Never agree to pay a penny more than that price. And be sure to consider fees and shipping when you come up with your price. Being willing to walk away means patience to wait for the price to come down.

Meet them halfway: Paypal is a 3% fee. On a two thousand dollar purchase, that’s 60 dollars. Consider a direct deposit to a bank account, a check or a money order. And if a seller offers upgraded shipping, consider downgrading and asking for a better price. On said purchase, you could easily save one hundred dollars.

Don’t sit on money: Hear me out. Rather than save up for a five thousand dollar purchase, consider lower priced, used goods that can meet your needs at least part way. Keep them in good condition and resell them. The whole time you have them, you can use them to earn money for the step up model you want. Good examples of this: Using Alien Bees (which hold good value) looking to get Profoto’s later. Or getting a 300 4 while waiting on a 300 2.8. Or getting a 300 4, then the 120-300 2.8, then the 300 2.8.

Don’t sit on lenses: Do you need all your lenses all the time? If those lights, or that 300 2.8 collects dust half the year, but you really need something else of durable value (the price won’t go down fast, like other lenses or lights. NOT CAMERAS), then sell it off. Selling a 300 2.8 to get money for lights so you can earn money doing portrait shoots in the offseason is smart. When you’re done and the season is about to start, sell those lights and get that 300 2.8 back. Kept well, you can easily break even on the resale.

Now an example in these tactics: Dann Wunderlich, recent (as of today) hs graduate, is looking to prepare for the upcoming sporting season in August.

• He has a modest kit: a 50 1.8, the 10-22 EF-S lens, 60 Macro, and a 30D with a grip.
• He’d ultimately like the Sigma 120-300, a 580ex II, and a 1D mk2N.
• He has between 1500 and 2000 dollars. What he wants will run him nearly 5k.

First thing’s first. Get the lens. Dann has nothing in this range, and since he shoots field sports, he needs it. Dann has no more budget left. But he shoots night sports and sorely needs a flash. Well, he could go it without a flash, but in his situation, I’d consider selling the 60 macro. It’s a wonderful lens, but if he plans to shoot sports at night, he may need that flash more than the macro. He’d now be shooting field sports with a 30D and grip, a 120-300, and a 580EX flash. That’s decent. He has a 50 1.8 for closer low light situations, and the 10-22 for wide. Limited, but he can take care of his primary need: Field sports. I didn’t say he’d end up with everything, just that he would end up in a better situation for field sports.

Another option: If you can light the field with the flash, get a 580EX with a CP-E3. Then look at a 100-300 4. That’s about 1100. With the remaining 400-900, you can look to sell the 30D and grip, and the 10-22. Then the mk2N becomes feasible. Final Kit: 50 1.8, 60 macro, and 100-300 4on a mk2n with a 580EX and CP-E3. It will struggle at night but the flash will help, and he has a good range. Earn a little, and eventually trade in that 100-300 for a 120-300 2.8

Final option: Sell it all except the 50 1.8. 600 or so for the 10-22, and 700 to 800 for the 30D and grip. The 60 macro would get about 300. That’s 1700, with hopefully the full 2k in funds is 3700. A Sigma 120-300 at 1850, and a mk2 (not N) at 1600 or so (less by august). With the remaining money, a 580EX could be had (just not the II). He would have a notch below what he wanted, but shooting field sports with a 120-300 2.8 on a mk2 with a 580EX sounds pretty good to me.

Basically, there are no magic tricks to it all, you have to make compromises and live with them.

I welcome anyone with a budget and an idea of what they’d like to go ahead and add a comment or contact me with their situation, and I’d be glad to help them out.