Lens Upgrade - Help Needed

Hi all

I have just started in photography and am thinking about upgrading from the kit lens that came with my 500D.

I want a longer zoom than the 55mm I have currently but don't want to have to keep changing lenses so a long zoom range lens is in order.

I want to spend around £300 but every lens I look at in this region doesn't get very good reviews, e.g. the Sigma 18-125mm f3.5-5.6 DC OS. Many citing image quality as a problem which is really putting me off.

The question I have is will the quality of such lenses be greater than the kit lens I am currently using?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Why do you want to upgrade the kit lens? You say yourself you've just started in photography. The kit lens is better than you'll need for quite a while, and better equipment won't make you a better photographer. Learn everything you can using the kit lens, which is a very good lens optically, then upgrade according to your needs. Just buy a 55-250 if you want more reach than the 18-55.

But if you absolutely HAVE to upgrade the kit lens for some reason, look at the sigma 17-70 OS. That gives you better reach than the kit lens, its sharper, has a wider aperture, and focuses closer. BUT I don't recommend doing this because your photos will look exactly the same, as you are just a beginner.

Yeah if you really feel you need more range.. your options are:
- keep the 18-55 kit lens and add the 55-250 IS
- buy a superzoom(not a great option, but versatile and easy)..the Canon 18-200 is a good one, but in the 18-55mm range, it's very similar to the kit lens, and from 55 on.. not as good as the 55-250. But.. no lens changing, if that's a concern for you.
The super-zooms do give up optical quality, do to the extreme focal range.. usually at the wide and long ends. Almost all, giving hefty distortion(barrel distortion on the wide end, pin-cushion on the long), vignetting at the focal limits, chromatic aberrations(CA; purple fringing), poor flare handling, and finally.. less than thrilling AF performance. Good luck, and do some serious research and put lots of thought into it.

Thanks guys, I will put plenty of thought into it before I buy (if I buy). I said beginner, which I am, but I have had it a year already and just want a few more options.

It sounds like the super-zoom lenses will be of a lower quality to my kit lens so I might give it a miss!

Thanks for the advice!

Well if you've had it for a year, then you should know how the lens is limiting you, and if the only thing is range, then yes, get a second lens because superzooms compromise quality.

the 55-250 has a 100 dollar rebate right now, I'd say go for that. good image quality from that lens.

For a single lens that is excellent, you can't miss with the Canon 15-85 IS. It is very sharp at all focal lengths and is the lens I use for about 85% of my shots with my 60D. It may be a little more expensive than you want to pay, but it's a major step up in quality. Incidentally, I used the 18-55 IS kit lens for several years before I purchased the 15-85. The 18-55 IS is a good lens, but the 15-85 is significantly better!

HughR wrote in post #12446612
It may be a little more expensive than you want to pay

While the 15-85 is a very good lens, its more than just a little more than he wants to pay, its more than double his budget