questions from a newbie

hello! i found this forum and thought that it would be a great research tool for me before i buy my first DSLR, which i intend to be canon digital rebel xti. but instead of back-reading all the stuff i'm gonna go the shorter route and just fire away questions to people who obviously know better than i am.

since i plan on buying just the rebel xti body only, what would you guys suggest to be the best lens/lenses to go with it? and what particular lens would be the most versatile that could take great pictures either with nature or portraits? my budget could only go so far as $1200.

i'd appreciate the help so much. i so need to find out first what lens would be the best. that's the only thing preventing me to buy the canon rebel xti right away. thank you.

The EF-S 17-55/2.8 IS USM is the first to come to mind. I heard they could be had for under $900, which should leave enough for a 430 EX flash, I think.
Edit: Lens is $929 after rebate from B+H. Flash is 235. You'll have some change!

xarqi wrote in post #4216445
The EF-S 17-55/2.8 IS USM is the first to come to mind. I heard they could be had for under $900, which should leave enough for a 430 EX flash, I think.
Edit: Lens is $929 after rebate from B+H. Flash is 235. You'll have some change!

I'll second that, or I might suggest the EF-S 17-85mm wih IS -- it's a great walk-around lens with the camera you have in mind, as long as you don't get the kit lens...

Tony

17-85 or 17-40 and a 70-200 f 4.0

Or--28-135 IS-- from the Sellers forum that came in a a 40D kit--These are a bargain.

i'm thinking that his budget is 1200 for lenses AND the body. maybe i'm wrong though.

if so, get the body and the 28-135 IS. great lens.

also just keep in mind that budget buyers generally buy twice. don't cheap out on something now, because you usually get what you pay for.

thank you guys. big help, really.

Join a photo club and kindly ask people to let you palpate their gear.

IMO you should buy the kit lens if you don't know. And 50/1.8

Anything else is serious money and should not be taken lightly.

I'm going to add my $0.02 even though I'm pretty much in the same position as you right now. I'm going to buy a DSLR soon and not buy the kit lens. For starters, I'm just getting the 50/1.8 because it's the only lens that EVERYONE says you have to get, plus it's shockingly inexpensive. It's prime, so no zoom, but I'm just getting that until I decide for absolutely sure what my next lens will be after that. Besides, I want to save up and get the lens I want for the long haul, not just a bargain that I will need to upgrade in six months anyway.

Also, I plan to join the local photography club - or should I say rejoin. I was a member a couple years ago, but that was back in my couldn't-afford-anything-more-than-the-kit-lens days.

Here's a link that I found helpful: http://philip.greenspu​n.com …ding-a-digital-slr-system