350d body and kit lens, or just the body? What's best?

If I were to buy a 350D for my first DSLR, would I be best to buy the lenskit(that has the 18-55mm) or just the body and buy a separate lens? If so which lens would you reccommend me to buy? I would like an all-rounder that takes good portraits and some still life of flowers etc. Is there such a thing as a versitile lens for most situations?

For the money, the kit lens really can't be beat. Check out my website. Most of those pics were taken with the kit lens.

I also have a lot of decent shots from the kit lens. I think it's a great all around lens to start with and will guide you into what you really want in a lens later on. If you are really against that lens, than look at the 17-50 2.8 sigma or tamron, both excellent from I what I see here.

In all honesty, while it might be "great for the price", it's really not a very good lens. I got the EF 85mm f1.8 and it's almost never off my camera. Yeah, it's longish on a 1.6xCF body, and yeah, it has no zoom... but even this relatively inexpensive lens takes MUCH MUCH higher quality pictures than the 18-55 does. It's how I first learned that glass really DOES make a huge difference.

I guess it depends on your budget and what you want to shoot, really...

those are the keywords!

Unless you have very deep pockets and want to spend alot of money for your first lens, that is more then the camera itself, then the look at the 24-70f/2.8L for a walk around lens. Otherwise stick w/ the kit lens for about $50. Remember it is not what you use but how you use it that count.

body and Sigma 17-70

This sounds funny the way you've written it
-Either get the cheapo kit lens or spend a fortune on the best there is -and ignore anything in between

More seriously -
Elise ,the kit lens is a bargain for what it does.Other lenses do better but they cost a whole lot more.
Even the 'next step up' lens the sigma 17-70- costs a huge amount compared to the kit lens.

Really, it is tricky recommending a lens to someone .The reason is that different people have wildly different expectations.
Probably the smartest way to go about it si to buy the kit lens AND the 50/1.8. You will want the 50/1.8 sometime anyway and it's a great lens for showing what the more expensive zoom are capable of . It will help you decide wether you want to buy better quality zooms

Get it with the kit lens. It's actually very capable if used correctly. Check out this thread:

http://www.photography​-on-the.net …light=18-55mm+kit+archive

Also nearly all the photos in my gallery were taken with the kit lens.

Francis

if you ar new to slr get the kit lens, if not buy something like the 17-40 F4L.

Thank you to all that responded, I will keep all things mentioned in consideration as I journey along my research whilst saving my money.

Thank you red hot sheep for posting that! Some of those are magificent photos which have totally changed my view on the lens kit. It appears to do everything that I'd want it to do to start off with.