40D Portraits, thoughts and insights from the forum

Thanks so much everyone for your thoughts and insights. My goal is to get better with the current gear that I own:

• 40D
• Sigma 24-60mm 2.8 EX DG
• 50mm 1.8 II    

But I'm thinking of replacing the 50mm for the 85mm 1.8 since I have an overlap in FL with the Sigma. Why the 85mm? Well, ideally I'd love to get a 70-200 FOV lens for my camera and that the only I found was the Sigma 50-150mm 2.8 EX DG but its hard to find and I'm thinking for outdoor portraits with nice compression the 85mm 1.8 FOV would be around 135mm and I can always walk back and forth and make it work. Plus I hear its a very sharp lens wide open and the bokeh is lovely a lot better than the 50mm 1.8 for sure and right up or better than the 50mm 1.4. Regardless, I may just keep the 50mm 1.8 II as my light lens or re buy the 40mm Pancake again. I had traded it for a Canon 430 EX II. I also got 10 foot light stand with bracket, a wescott black/white umbrella, a pair of  triggers - Cactus V, a TTL cord, a black foamie thing and with all this I'm hoping to improve my photography.

Again thanks so much for the help and comments.

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