Gear advice needed - plan my next purchase

[MoCo]

So, I'm saving up for my next bit of gear, and I'm not sure which expensive thing I should get next.  Photo-wise, I primarily shoot landscapes, with a teeny side of photos of friends racing.  I'm Mo.Co on flickr, if you're bored.   I'm definitely amateur, but comfortable with technology and working hard to improve.

Right now, I have a Canon 60D, and my widest lens is an EF-S zoom that goes down to 18mm (EFL of ~29mm with the compact sensor).  My long term goal is two bodies, one compact, and one full-frame.

Option one:  Buy the Canon EF-S zoom that goes down to 10mm, a 16mm EFL.  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002Y5WXE

Option two:  Wander to my local camera store and look for a used (and warrantied) full frame body.

Option one gets me the wide angle I want for landscapes now...  but isn't useful on a full-frame later.

Option two gets me the full frame I really want now... but I'll have to wait on any sort of wide angle.   I think the only two lenses I have right now that'll work on a full frame are a 50mm prime and a 70-300 zoom.  My other lenses are EF-S (although I can use the possibly 35mm prime lens I have for my Pentax film camera with a mounting ring...  it's just full manual).

Help me unstick myself, please.

[omega lambda]

Do you have to get EF-S lenses?

Is there an option to buy an EF lens that is wide enough on your 60D?  I think I would go that route, and then keep saving for full frame.

And why do you want full frame?  I kind of like the crop factor as it usually crops out the part of the lens that isn't optimum anyway.

[MoCo]

I don't have to get an EF-S lens... but a really short EF lens is $$$$, and I think prime only.  Unless I go try to find a used lens...

I'm mostly looking for increased dynamic range and image quality in low light, plus the added advantage of getting the true shorter end of the FL range with my lenses.  And I know there are some other advantages when you're trying for very shallow depth of field.

[omega lambda]

I don't have to get an EF-S lens... but a really short EF lens is $$$$, and I think prime only.  Unless I go try to find a used lens...

I'm mostly looking for increased dynamic range and image quality in low light, plus the added advantage of getting the true shorter end of the FL range with my lenses.  And I know there are some other advantages when you're trying for very shallow depth of field.

Focal length range is the only advantage you would get with full frame, and only on the wide end, which, for landscapes could be important.  Dynamic range and depth of field are related to the lens and some with the sensor, but not the size of the sensor.   Canon is currently on the DIGIC 5+ or 6, but the enhancements are not in dynamic range.  It's possible the DIGIC 5 has enough pixel information enhancement that you can see the difference, but I admit I'm skeptical. 

[Mrtambourineman]

Do you have to get EF-S lenses?

Is there an option to buy an EF lens that is wide enough on your 60D?  I think I would go that route, and then keep saving for full frame.

And why do you want full frame?  I kind of like the crop factor as it usually crops out the part of the lens that isn't optimum anyway.

1

I used to want full frame, but have come to the conclusion that crop sensor is all I really need and that the crop sensor actually has some advantages over the full frame camera.  If you really muist have the full frame camera, I'd get a good quality EF lense that will work on both bodies.  I also think you'd get more bang for the buck and immediate pleasure by plunking down for the wide angle lense over the full frame body. 

[MoCo]

Thanks for the feedback, folks.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do - I'll see where I am after the holidays (I've asked everyone to give me gift cards towards camera stuff).

I'm hoping to score a sweet deal on some used gear, and it might just come down to what I can find first.

[MoCo]

Well, I gave up on waiting for a sweet used equipment deal and scored the EF-S 10-22 as a sweet new deal on amazon.   I'm off to San Diego for a conference next week, plus I scheduled a photo workshop/tour thing for while I'm there, so I'll get a good opportunity to try it out!