best wide zoom for crop?

For a limited budget $300-400, what is the best wide zoom for a 50D?

how wide do you want?

the tokina 12-24 fits in that budget, so does the old sigma 10-20

I'm looking for a good walk around and landscape so I'm thinking 15-18 at the wide end.

The 18-55 IS then? or a tamron 17-50 non VC

grab an 18-55IS...

Is there a lens in the $3-400 range that fits the 18-55 kit range that is a better optically?

a bit over ur budget but tokina 11-16mm does wonders on Crop body
Hey u can always check ebay for used or here in the selling section

Thanks for all of the good ideas

Have you tried the 18-55 IS and found it to be optically lacking, or are you just going by the assumption that because its a "kit" lens, it won't be good? And as I said above, there's also the tamron 17-50 non VC.

Canon 18-55 IS
Sigma 17-70 (OS or non-OS)
Sigma 18-50 macro non-OS
Tamron 17-50 non-VC

All of these should fit your budget from the used market, if you open up your range by about $100-200, 2-3 more lenses will pop to the surface. Go up to around $800-900, and the Canon 17-55 2.8 IS will be in this list and one of the favorites for crop bodies.