Need next purchase advice

[bmlsayshi]

I have about $600-$700 to invest in new equipment (yay tax refunds) and am trying to figure out what I want to buy next, lens or body.

I already have a great 70-200 KM lens for my Sony Alpha, BUT my Sony Alpha a200 body is an old entry level body. I also have a new m43 Olympus EP3 (great camera) but the only good lens I have is the 20mm Panasonic pancake which has limited utility.

I'm debating between buying a new Alpha body like the a35 or a55, or a new lens for my m43 like either the Olympus 45mm f1.8. I'm also open to suggestions of better ways to spend the money. I would prefer not to sell my old a200 so that I can keep it as a secondary / backup body, but I can be convinced to sell it if that would be the better investment.

Complete kit list:

Lenses

• Sony 35mm f/1.8
• Konica Minolta "beercan" f4 70-210mm
• Sony 18-70mm f3.5-5.6 kit lens (which is surprisingly good for a kit lens)
• m43 Olympus 14-42mm kit lens (I don't care for this lens much)
• m43 Panasonic 20mm f1.7

Whatever I do when I shoot I will probably carry two cameras, one for long range and one for short, probably one of them with a zoom and the other a prime. I tend to favor fast lenses and for that reason I would get rid of my old KM since its relatively slow but I have yet to find a lens that takes better pictures.

Thanks for the advice everyone.

 

[PapaMatt]

Well it depends what type of photography you like to shoot and what equipment is best for that type of photography. I am a Nikon person so I really cant help with your equipment you have. I do know the nikon has a beercan also, nice lens.

Wish I could be of more help. Good luck to you.

 

[PapaMatt]

I have an old Nikon D200, Old in this fast moving world. I spent more money on Fast Lens, many of them, too many :lmao:

 

[analog.universe]

I like the idea of a lens for the EP3, that's a sweet cam and I bet it craves some happy glass. Have you seen the Panasonic Leica 25mm 1.4 Summilux? Right in your price range

 

[bmlsayshi]

Alas I don't have a particular type of photography that I like to shoot otherwise I would have specified in an attempt to be more helpful. I guess you could say I don't do stationary indoor portraits, don't work with flashes, and don't work with studio lights? I shoot outdoors + fast moving, outdoors + slow moving, indoors fast moving, and indoors + slow moving, which really doesn't help narrow it down.

 

[PapaMatt]

Alas I don't have a particular type of photography that I like to shoot otherwise I would have specified in an attempt to be more helpful. I guess you could say I don't do stationary indoor portraits, don't work with flashes, and don't work with studio lights? I shoot outdoors + fast moving, outdoors + slow moving, indoors fast moving, and indoors + slow moving, which really doesn't help narrow it down.

Yes it sounds like you need a fast lens or two at last a 2.8 and maybe something like a 17 50mm or 18 70