Which lens should I get next?

[IntrepidB]

I recently replaced my 18-55mm kit lens with a 17-50mm 2.8 Sigma, and my 600D body for a 70D.

My other lenses are:
10-22mm wide angle
50mm 1.8 II
100mm 2.8 macro
75-300mm III

My next upgrade can be a lens in the price range up to around 500USD. I was looking for an improvement over the 50mm 1.8 (so the 50mm 1.4 would be a possibility, but should I go Canon or Sigma?). Another possibility would be the 85mm 1.8, would give me a good range for night city pictures from afar.

The 35mm 1.4L would be a dream, but it's 3 times my budget, I would like to have a nice prime portrait lens that would not require me to be 5m away for a full body photo (like the 50mm does). Anything I could get for less?

 

[jaomul]

You have a good selection of lenses with most focal length covered. I would shoot with them for a while until you see if there is something you really need as opposed to buying for the dake of it. Your 17-50 is well capable of full body shots closer than 5m

 

[Philligan]

The 40mm 2.8 will buy you a little more room for portraits. I had the 50/1.8 (it broke), and currently have the 40/2.8 and 50/1.4.

The 40mm still gets solid DoF/background blur (nicer looking than the 50/1.8 but not as blurry), it focuses quickly and quietly, and the size is really great. I took a couple hundred pictures at a fair the other week and didn't get many looks (it's a small town, my friend had a bigger lens and got more attention).

The 50/1.8 is really amazing for the money, but I'm glad I upgraded to the 1.4. The background blur looks amazing, it focuses more quietly and consistently (it's not silent, but way quieter than the 1.8), and the overall build just feels a lot better. I mostly like to wander around and take street-style shots, or candids when I'm with friends, and the 50mm is a little tight, but the aperture is more than worth it IMHO (and the focal length will be perfect if/when I upgrade to full frame). It has way more throw to the focus ring than the 1.8, too, so you can focus a lot more accurately.

I can't say much about anything else as I don't have any other decent lenses, but the 50/1.4 is a definite improvement over the 1.8 if you dig the 50mm at all. The 1.8 would be worth keeping around for something cheap and super light - when I've got some extra money I'll probably look for another 1.8 on Craigslist, but if I had to choose, 1.4 for sure.