Just got a Rebel XTI for Xmas and have already taken hundreds of photos. the starter lens 18/55 cam with it and I would something of a better general 'every day' lens with more of the following: zoom improved speed improved image quality across range of focus Can anyone suggest a good lens to start with? My budget is 500.00 for such a lens.
The Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens is a great "every day" lens. Also the Canon 85mm f/1.8 lens is a very fast lens and both run about $300. You can't go wrong with either one. Good luck and have fun with the new Rebel.
http://www.amazon.com/Canon-70-300m...4?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1199141135&sr=8-4 http://www.amazon.com/Canon-75-300m...2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1199141135&sr=8-2 not quite cheap, but has a LOT of zoom, both lens are USM, and the second have IS. i saw in "cumbre of las américas" (you know, where the King of Spain told hugo chavez to "shut up") a photographer with that lens.
That is a nice lens, I have that one. I also have the Tamron 17-50 and use it almost exclusively for day to day http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/423714-REG/Tamron_AF016C700_17_50mm_f_2_8_XR_Di.html
I just got my camera a few weeks ago and haven't gotten to use it for too much yet, but my Canon 28 - 105 lens has been working really well for every day kind of stuff (like Christmas, New Years, etc.) and works well for group shots indoors and also works well to zoom in from afar to get a candid portrait of someone without them getting all posy on you. It was about $230 from B&H photo.
The EF-S 17-85 f/4-5.6 IS is better suited for the crop cameras since it offers more on the wide-angle end. The EF 28-135 is a FF lens developed for film bodies that I am certain Canon is trying to unload now. You just lose too much on teh wide-end. 28mm converts to 45mm on your XTi. The 17-85 converts into a 28-135 anyway. Add a EF 50 f/1.8 if you want and your good to go.
The mid-range f/2.8 zooms from Tamron, Tokina, or Sigma sound like what you're looking for. I personally have a Tokina 28-70mm f/2.8 that I picked up used for $250 from KEH.com It's great for the money. This lens was designed for full-frame 35mm cameras (or 5D or 1Ds DSLRs) so 28mm ends up not being very wide on my 1.5x crop Nikon (similar to Canon 1.6x), but I rarely use the wide end anyways, but am commonly at or near the 70mm end so I'd rather have one of these than a 17-55ish f/2.8. It all depends on what you're trying to shoot and how you use your camera. Would definitely recommend buying used stuff for cheap to figure out what you like the best before dropping serious money on the much more expensive lenses.
If you are wanting something with a zoom, you will probably need to go midrange as Mav has suggested.
