Help with getting a new lens!

I am going to be going to Europe for a semester this fall. I will be traveling before the semester starts and hiking in the Alps along with doing many cities in Italy for the majority of my trip. What do you think would be a good lens for me on this trip? Right now I have a 28-135, which I am not opposed to selling. If I was to sell that lens I would say my budget is 700-800 dollars for a lens. 600ish without selling it. Thanks!

IB15-85

Get a Tokina 12-24/4 II... $500. If you can find one used, the earlier first version might even cost a little less. That and your 28-135 make a really good, compact travel kit. On your 30D those two lenses will give you more of a focal length range than most 35mm film shooters ever owned in their lifetimes. If you don't have the hood for your 28-135, get it. (The 12-24 comes with a hood.)

Good quality circular polarizers are great to have, too.

Add a flash if you have a few more dollars to work with and don't already have one.

I had a 28-135, then replaced it with a 24-70/2.8L. More recently I got another 28-135 as a backup and walk-around lens I don't have to worry about very much. Image quality is darned close to the L-series lens. The 28-135 is just built less robustly, and doesn't enjoy as large a max aperture. But, it's close focusing and it's got IS which is nice to have when shooting at the long end.

I haven't used the Tamron 28-200... I'd probably leave it at home. I'm not a fan of wide range zooms. Most compromise too much on image quality, IMO.

Sweet. Thanks for the quick help! So you suggest the Tokina 12-24 over something like the Sigma 10-20mm? The Canon one is just a bit too much for me!

So can i get a consensus that the Tokina 12-24 is a solid lens? Just reading stuff online it seems that thats a correct assumption. Anyone else got any input? Thanks for yalls so far!

If I were in your position, I'd probably grab the Tokina 11-16 for that extra nudge in low light ability. Combine that with your 50mm (I'm assuming the 1.8?), and you'll have some versatile low light performers for walking around city streets at night.