Just my opinion, but I think the Sigma 18-50 is crap. I didn\'t care for the build quality, feel, zoom ring, etc. at all, but it might have just been the copy I had. The Tamron 17-50 is a really nice lens, but it is my understanding that the non-VC version is better optically, plus it\'s cheaper (I\'ve only used the VC model, which seemed ok, but it is pretty pricy).
If your\'re budget allows for the Tamron 17-50 VC, I would suggest looking at the Canon 17-85 first. It\'s a bit longer range, and it\'s a pretty nice lens, especially for starting out.
I have no experience with the 18-55\'s, so I can\'t speak on that.
I\'ve used an 18-135 that a friend has a number of times, it\'s a pretty nice lens too for a beginner kit. Might be worth looking at also. If I were in your situation today (I was when I started, but there were different lenses out then), I would look to build a kit like this, in this order:
- 40D (Great beginner camera by the way, I really liked mine)
- 50mm 1.8
- 18-135IS
- Decent (Manfrotto or similar) tripod with either a grip head or a ballhead
- 55-250IS
That stuff should keep you busy for a year or two, then you can start looking at more options as you get more serious, better job, etc.
Have fun! There are lots of incredible places to take pictures in the UK, I used to live near Alconbury in Cambridgeshire back in the 90s, I miss it.
Jul 21, 2012 at 11:25 AM
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