Excepting Denova (which, in my opinion, story mode denova is actually equivalent to a hardmode op), the normal mode ops drop Columi gear.
Which means you would typically gear up in oranges with purple 50s, pick up a few tionese/ columi from hardmode flashpoints, and you are good to go.
If you are all columi, you do not get upgrades from normal more EV/KP. You start hardmode EV. its the easiest hardmode op and it drops rakata armor left, right and center
You farm hardmode EV for a while. You try hardmode KP a couple times.
Then you start normal mode Denova.