Lens Recommendations?

I'm contemplating buying a Rebel xt as my first dSLR and was wondering what lenses you guys would reccommend. I'm mainly interested in shooting landscapes (mostly mountains) and cities. I'd also want a lens for just everyday regular shots (so prob just a 55mm)... What do you guys think?

You'd be hard pressed to beat the Tokina and Sigma combo I have without spending a very significant amount of cash. If you want a single lens then the Canon 17-85 IS is a safe buyt, but perhaps has less 'growth' in it as you develop as a photographer.

whenever someone asks "what lens should I get"
the stock response is always

1. what do you like shooting?

2. how much can you afford?

you've answered #1 but not #2

get the 16-35L

can you afford it?

Condyk speaks sense. The 17-85IS is as versatile as it gets at reasonable money relative to L Glass

Canon's 17-40 f/4L
Tamron's 17-35 f/2.8-4
Sigma's 18-50 f/2.8

pretty good one for walking around/landscape stuff

I'm willing to spend probably about ~$700 (on just one or two lenses combined) but could go a little higher if it meant it were a significant difference... Also, I'd really like IS, as I'd like to not use a tripod too often. And I will be shooting sports sometimes.

Generally you won't find IS on anything too wide, although that EFS lens does have it. It's aperture isn't exactly the most appealing.

I would recommend a set-up simular to condyk's.... for landscapes and such, The Tokina 12-24 f4 is a great wide angle zoom when matched with 1.6crop camera bodies, it produces great color and seems to do pretty well controlling flare and such. For everyday/walk-about use... either the Sigma 24-70 f2.8 DG Macro, or the Tamron 28-75 f2.8 should do ya. I've never shot with a Sigma, so I can't comment there, but the Tamron works really well if you get a good copy. It's light for a zoom with a constant aperture of 2.8, focuses reasonably fast(the focus ring rotates as the camera focuses), but there have been a few situations where it would hunt especially in really low light. I think that's one of the reasons it cost about 1/3 the price of Canon's EF-24-70 f2.8L.

You're looking at a cost of around $880 for both the Tokina and the Tamron... this is a decent price for a set of great lenses. If you went with a Canon L set-up (EF 17-40 f4L & EF 24-70 f2.8L) it would cost around $1840. (Lens pricing based on B&Hphotovideo.com)

Is their a kit, say maybe from BHphoto for the Rebel XT and 17-85mm f4-5.6 IS USM EF-S as a kit? I would definately start their, I don't see how this could be a bad combo or a lens you would out grow? Every lens I own is a tool that is better then it's user, period.

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …ghType=category​Navigation
great starter kit IMO. pair that with a 1G high speed CF and you are set. I'd add a flash like a 220EX, 420EX, or 430EX and call the kit complete.

That's a very good suggestion too... A rebel xt with the EFS 17-85 and a 420/430 speed lite flash would make a great start kit.

Thanks for all of the help. I think I'm going to go with the EF 17-85S for everyday and landscape and a 70-300 IS for sports and what not.

For sports, you probably won't be too pleased with the 70-300.

What do you reccommend then? I'll mainly be using it for baseball.

Check the Top Ten Recommended Outdoor Sports lenses from the Top Ten Lens Recommendations sticky.

Sigma's 70-200 2.8 or any of Canon's 70-200(2.8 or 4) which range in price from about $700-1800. You can add a 1.4 tele extender to it to get a 320 out of it and get f/4 if you get one of the 2.8's.

Some longer focal lengths....Sigma's 100-300 f/4, Canon's 300 f/4, Sigma's 120-300. From $700-2000

You can get photos with the 70-300, I just don't think you'll be as pleased with them, because its not really a fast lens and Canon really hasn't done a good job with its 70-300's.