Good walkabout lens for 350D?

I'm sick of changing lenses amd lugging around a wide angle, a zoom, a nifty 50 and a kit lens.

I'm considering a cover-all walkabout lens but not sure what to get - maybe a Sigma 18-200 OS or a Canon 24-105 IS L

Would this be overkill with a 350D? Is the image quality off the Sigma good enough or should I just spend £200 on a compact and sell my kit!

???

Here's one thread for the Sigma: https://photography-on-the.net …highlight=Sigma​+18-200+OS

I bought one of these to replace my 18-55 kit lens and a 70-300mm non-OS lens, and I'm happy with it. It's not quite in the same class as a 24-105L IS, but it doesn't cost like a 24-105 either!

Hmm… Well the image quality of any SLR is going to equal or better even the best compact as IQ is just as dependant on the quality of the sensor as it is the quality of the glass. Bigger sensors are just going to give you better images especially as the IO goes up.
The 24-105 is a great lens, but it’s not that wide and it’s not that long. It makes a great walk around lens and the quality is great. But ya got to ask, how wide do you need and how long. Though the Siggy 18-200 won’t be as good in IQ as the 24-105, it’s still very nice and way better than a compact. You might also consider the Tammy 18-250. It’s about the same as the Siggy and a bit longer.

Buy a Canon S5IS and sell the rebel on ebay. In camera IS, huge zoom.

dunno what you budget is but the best general lens for your XT is the canon 17-55mm IS. it goes wide and up to portrait lengths... it aint a telephoto though. but for walking around town or general hikes, this is great. ESPECIALLY the IS in indoor settings

OP already has a kit lens which has the same range and wants something that is more encompassing. There really is only one lens that covers a very, very wide walkaround range, and that is the Sigma 18-200 OS. If you only want one lens and cover wide to zoom, that is about it, really. If you were willing to have two lenses, many other options open up.

And the S5 does not have a great wide angle to it, I think it starts somewhere around 26mm or so. Other than that, great zoom and wonderful macro, as long as you have good light.

I have a 28-300 Tamron (£90 Ebay) and I prefer it as an every day lens to some of my Canon lenes, small too.

What are your shooting priorities? That probably determines what will work best for you in terms of prioritising your expenditure.

sigma 18-200 os is your best option if you want the range covered. The rebel would still give you many advantages over to s5, responsiveness, over all better image quality, and better low light performance. you also have the option of using your 50 1.8 on it. sell the rest.