what to do?

Oooo new lense! What about a nice widee for those "mostly touristy type shots of buildings and street scene" !! ?? You have the 55-250 for some reach if you need it! I suggest the 10-22 too!

Hmmm usually I would say glass. However, this time I will say body.

The 18-55 and the 55-250 are good lenses. Go for a 40D or 50D and if anything is left over go for a good prime lens with a wide opening (85 1.8?). and get a 430EXII flash.

Sell the Xs and the 75-300.

BTW someone suggested a 5D. Nice suggestion but you might want to check if those lenses will work with a 5D.

I would get rid of the 75-300 and buy a lens and a flash. I am not sure what your shooting preference is to suggest a lens, but a flash is indispensable in many circumstances, both indoors and outdoors.

You are correct, those lenses will not work on a 5D.

HoosierJoe wrote in post #8323588
BTW someone suggested a 5D. Nice suggestion but you might want to check if those lenses will work with a 5D.

Frugal wrote in post #8322843
The responses are varying between your vacation and what you might need in the longer term. I live in the US, but I've also lived in Europe for many years and traveled to most of the countries. The tourist spots are crowded and everything is smaller so primes and a tripod are good for the long term, not for the vacation, except perhaps a nifty fifty for museums as most aren't flash friendly. I'd take the 18-55 IS, and the 55-250 IS. Get a flash - 430EX or 580EX if you don't have one. Also a bag - I like my Lowepro 200AW slingshot for traveling.

Then I'd spend the remainder on a real tripod and a prime - focal length depends on what you like to shoot, and leave them at home. I like portraits and I've hardly taken the 85mm 1.8 off since I got it. YMMD

My 2 Euros

This is good advice in my opinion
Get rid of the 75-300
Get a flash if you dont have one
Get a prime, the 85 f1.8 or 100mm f2.8 macro are very nice, fast and fun lenses

Good luck

get some lenses!

As someone else mentioned, I'd sell everything and use the $1000+ other money for a used 5D but I'd add a 70-200 f/4L and some nice UWA.

But that's just me, personally.

If it was me, I would look to see how much I could sell those three lenses for and then depending on how much that was I would look at either:

Tamron 17-50 f2.8 and something along the lines of the Tokina 50-135 or sigma 50-150.

If you can sell them for more, then maybe the Tamron 17-50 f2.8 and the Canon 70-200 IS USM f4.

Or you could look at it the other way, if say you shoot much more at the tell end than the normal to wide end, get the 70-200 f4 and then start saving up for either a 17-55 f2.8 canon or the 24-70 or something much wider. I would start though with selling the 75-300.

ok... after talking to several camera store guys here in Geneva they suggest I go with the 50d body instead of buying new glass. are they just trying to sell me a body because it costs more? I can spend a little more than a grand but I was trying to budget myself a little. I was only thinking about the 18 250 so I wouldn't have to change lens so much.lol just being lazy. I am more confused now than ever. lol

focus.pocus wrote in post #8331894
ok... after talking to several camera store guys here in Geneva they suggest I go with the 50d body instead of buying new glass. are they just trying to sell me a body because it costs more? I can spend a little more than a grand but I was trying to budget myself a little. I was only thinking about the 18 250 so I wouldn't have to change lens so much.lol just being lazy. I am more confused now than ever. lol

Well, consider the fact that after you buy the 50D, it depreciates rapidly and continuously in value, rather than holding its value like a lens. In other words, the resale value of a camera falls off so fast because the market loses interest in a body quite rapidly. A lens, holding its value and market interest, once sold will less likely create a new sale for the store because one owner sells it to another, over and over.

Buy the lens, not the body, unless a body clearly has superiority characteristics that matter to YOU. Don't forget that a Ferrari in the hands of a 16 year old learner is just as likely to go only a bit faster in the city as the lesser car when it is user limited...it is not equipment alone that makes a photo.