A list of things I have in my bag.
Canon EOS 20D
I bought this camera in November 2005 and fell in love with it. Just has everything I need and does its jobs pretty well. Yes, I would prefer a larger LCD, and it annoys me when AF is hunting in the dark, but I am no professional. I just hope the mirror survives another few years...
Canon EF 70-200 f2.8 L USM
This was the first lens I bought, and it is still my favorite telephoto lens. Whatever you do, it will produce tack sharp pictures with excellent contrast an vivid colors - even wide open. This plus the fast AF make it perfectly suited for concerts, nature, sports and portrait photography. Often said to be the best lens Canon ever produced. In short: It's solid as a rock, heavy like a tank and as reliable as a German car.
Canon EF 17-40 f4.0 L USM
Next came this lens. Due to the 20D's 1.6 crop factor, I was really in need of a wide-angle zoom. This one behaves superb even at 17mm, with very low CA and vignetting. Tack sharp as well, and almost a lightweight - ideal for an always-on lens on hiking tours.
Canon EF 24-70 f2.8 L USM
I realized I was missing the 30mm gap between my other lenses. This one closes it. It's a high speed wide angle lens - perfect for concerts. At 70mm, it produces great portraits and with 38cm minimal focusing distance, it's almost a macro. For better pics make sure you always have the lens hood attached. Conclusion: Pretty expensive, pretty heavy but very likely going to be my favorite.
Canon Speedlight 430 EX II
A must have if you seriously consider flash photography. Do not forget to get your hands on a off-camera shoe cord. Newbies note: An external flash is the one and only effective mean to reduce the red eyes effect (well, Photoshop too). It doesn't have to be Canon, though. I still use my ancient Nissin from time to time as a second flash.
Lens filters
You can spend a lot of money there, but you should buy at least protective filters for your lenses. Polarizing filters add contrast to your pictures and produce vibrant, intense colors. ND filters prolong the exposure time, needed, e.g., for effects such as foggy water. I prefer B+W as filter manufacturer, but Hoya is also a good choice.
Tripods
A tripod is almost a must: Essential for long exposures, but recommended for landscape photography, portraits and macro as well. Apart from a standard tripod (like my Manfrotto), I find the Gorillapod (displayed on the left) quite useful in many outdoor situations. Make sure you get yourself a head that suits your own particular needs. For macro shots, the precision of a geared head is something you'll never want to miss again.
