What to get next...

[Steeps]

After lots of consideration and drooling over a 40d I'm slowly coming to my senses that it's a stupid move for many reasons. Yes as a camera it would make me feel more manly and the sound of the shutter compared to the 400d *drools* but for what? Slightly better iso, better in the hand, different to play with, better focus... but is that really worth a £200 upgrade? I have a habit of being unable to part with things, watching TP forums 400d's are not selling and 40d's are rare so right now it would be a daft move to flog my 400d which is still technically being broken in (I've only done 4k since owning it, previous owner I don't think even got past 1k) It could end up a very expensive upgrade with me making up some excuse for needing to keep a second body.

Anywho I'd love to get some more zoom, but this is where glass gets really expensive and I can't make that jump. Instead I'm thinking of investing in a flash, but again I'm not sure if I could justify the price for something expensive which I might not use much. I've come up with 2 solutions so far, 1 is a 430exII currently on TP for £130... but I've found a Sigma EF500DG SUPER for the same price new elsewhere, which seems a bit too good to be true and I'm thinking that a flash would make more sense than £450 on a new body.

Is the 500dg super worth going for over the 430exII? Saw a pair on TP and they didn't seem that quick to go. Would I want to go with a flash for a £130 sigma 70-300 (non apo)? I'd like something new to play with but don't know what yet. Or do I want a 40d... So many choices!

[Matblack]

I'd go with the flash, if you shoot indoors it will add a new element to your photography; bounce flash is great and add a set of cactus triggers later and you be able to do off camera stuff too. lens wise you need to be investing at least £150 to get something like a Sigma 17-70 or better.

Info on the Canon vs Sigma here

http://photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/00FSgg

I have an old 420ex and a Vivitar manual manual flash for off camera, if you get the 430 that has manual so your can play around off camera without buying another flash like I did.

Bang per buck the flash is the way to go :)

MB

[Steeps]

If I was going to go range it would be the 100-300 mark, but I'm not sure what the pics would be like on a £150 lens. Also a mistake in my post, the 430 on TP is not a II but apparently there's little difference between them (mostly recharge cycle and cosmetic)

Still can't decide if I should go sigma flash or canon flash. For the same price they both have their strengths and weaknesses.