T3i lens

So I just got my t3i and am planning a trip to Hawaii with my family. I have two lens 18-55 $199.99 & 55-250 $299.99. I'm reading that I need the 17-55 f2.8 $1179 but I really want a wide angle lens to capture full views close up (ships, etc) but most I want a lens that will allow me to get the best pics overall with my family (kids first trip), landscapes, etc. I want to buy ASAP. Any advice? I don't mind to pay $ as long as its worth it.

I shot a 18-135 for the longest time, and despite the very lackluster IQ, I certainly preferred it to the 18-55. I'd sell the 18-55 and get a 15-85 and a prime like the 50 f/1.4 or 85 f/1.8. Unless you forsee the need for long focal lengths, which you probably won't for family photos, you won't need anything too far beyond ~135mm, which is 85mm on crop. For the portraits that you will shoot, the prime will do great.

Since you mention close up full views, you'd really enjoy an ultrawide lens. After a prime and tele, an ultrawide was the next lens I purchased. A good one is the Canon 10-22. You can add this if you feel the 15-85 (24mm equivalent) isn't wide enough.

If you want, you can keep the 55-250 since it's so cheap and use that for the rare occcasion that you'll want a long lens. But for things like stage performances and your kids' plays, that lens will be too slow to capture things in low light anyway, so it's really IMO a rare use lens for you,

If you're only just getting into photography, then you certainly don't *need* the 17-55... yes it's a lovely lens, but a beginner won't appreciate the advantages over the 18-55 imho.

The Canon 10-22 will do you great as a ultra wide angle lens, and you can have a lot of fun with it. Alternatively, if that's too much to spend, the Sigma is a very good alternative.

What you might want to consider, before upgrading to the 17-55, is a separate flash gun, or a prime as Eric suggests. Prime lenses are faster (ie. they let more light in), so you can get nice shallow depth of field and use a higher shutter speed... obviously you have to move your feet more though!

On a crop body, 50mm is going to be good for portraits / small groups, whereas the 85mm is definitely a portrait lens on a crop body... there's no way you're going to get all of a ship in for example with a 50 or 85 unless you can stand a *long* way away.

Having said all that... my advice would be to pop to your local camera store and try an ultra wide angle. If you like it, great, get it... alternatively try the 15-85 as Eric suggested as that's both wider and longer than your 18-55 and also has better IQ. HTH.

Nooo... Nooo... Noooo... As a registered member of POTN, it's your DUTY to recommend the Canon 17-55 ! Failure to recommend the lens on any crop camera could result in administrative action by the mods, and I hear that they are pretty severe, at least when it comes to this offense.

OK. Just kidding.

OK. real deal- like the others have said- you are too early in the game to really appreciate what a higher or better lens would do for you. Everyone on POTN will tell you what lens to buy- but reality is that you need to learn, at your own pace, and decide which lenses are best for you- whether it be a 15-85, a 17-50 or 17-55, 18-135, 18-200, etc. My suggestion would be for you to use what you have right now- and try to see how you like the pair of lenses you have. Even if you put a $2000 lens on your T3i, you would not realize the difference, other than weight and cost. A 15-85 is marginally wider than the 18-55 you already have. But it is longer- which might make for less lens swapping, and it is a better lens overall in a number of aspects.. Use your 18-55 for day to day things- and go take a lot of pictures. Figure out if you like to shoot wider ( 18-55 ) or longer ( 55-250 ) or in between. Do you swap the lenses out a lot. Do you want a longer lens. Do you mind swapping out lenses. If so, change it out. If not- keep your 18-55/55-250 kit- and consider something wider like a 10-22. You may also want to learn how to shoot panoramics instead of going wider. Panoramics aren't a suitable replacement for everything wide- shooting a panoramic of a ship, or of a crowd, might not go as planned. Landscape- perhaps..

As far as appreciation- I am talking about appreciating a lens for what it can do, it's IQ, and other features. Spending money on something you know you want and why is one thing- the best advice I could give at this point, don't spend a lot of money thinking it will improve things dramatically- it won't- it'll only serve to empty your bank account. Learn to use the lenses you have- upgrade when you know what you want to upgrade, to what, and why- and use the money you didn't spend on something nice- perhaps on your vacation- to make it more memorable. Even your kit lenses are capable of capturing those memorable moments.

My choices- starting out -
15-85
55-250
18-135 ( instead of 15-85 or a 18-55 )
An external flash like a 430 EX II ( completely different than using the pop up flash.).

Later:
perhaps a Sigma 17-50 OS (as good as the Canon- but significantly cheaper.)
70-200 f/2.8 or f/4 variant ( open to third party brands ) (provided that this is what you want.

As far as wide- I really haven't needed wider. When I do, I'll probably shoot panoramics. If you want advice about wider lenses, I bow to any other's recommendations regarding wider.. I am considering a wider lens- but haven't gotten one yet.

for portrait of your kids, grab a 50mm 1.8. That will open a whole new world to you! Shallow dof and low light photography. At 80$, it's a no brainer.

The best picts of my kids were taken with the 50mm 1.8 and a 85mm 1.8.

Zoom lens are useful for general use but primes give you that "pro" look.

You could also just rent a lens or two for the trip which would allow your to try before you buy.

Thank you everyone for all of your advice. I really appreciate it and will consider it before taking action