Attention to those serious amateur and professional photographers that watch me! And everybody else as well.

I've recently taken up an occupation at one of the local lumber mills, plugging the knotholes in and grading sheets of veneer for use in the fabrication of plywood. As exciting as this job may or may not sound, the pay is most certainly worth it. On this latter topic, I've figured a rough estimate of $4000 or more, give or take many hundreds, in total earnings for the summer. I'll have to quit the job when I go back to school in the fall, but I'm trying to decide how to best spend the money when that time comes.

First and foremost, I'm a student. It'd probably be incredibly wise to save the cash and use it for tuition, books, room and board... But I'm a budding professional photographer as well. My equipment is nothing special and I find more and more shortcomings in the system all the time.

My current PJ rig:

-Body: Canon 350D
-Flash: Speedlite 580ex
-Lenses: Sigma 70-200 EX F/2.8, Sigma 18-125 DC f/3.5-5.6
-Media: Various 80x 1GB cards

-No support system worth mentioning


So, if it hasn't become apparent already, I'm considering spending the money on some new gear. As you can see from the list above, my current setup really isn't awful, but the lens that I use for wideangle and the camera body need to be replaced. Now, I'm aware that I may sound like a lusty techwhore with some cash to spend, but keep in mind that a photographer's equipment is his tool in creating the perfect image. Especially when they're employed by cheap papers that don't supply staff photogs with gear.

The choices that I've set myself up with are as such: [link] I know that I don't usually encourage journals to determine how one will spend money or other resources like time, and I'll probably make my own decision in the end without regarding the poll, but I'm stumped. Help.

^-Alex