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I am having some trouble deliberating between grabbing the Rebel Xti Kit with the 18-55 kit lens, or just going after the Xti body and fitting the Tamron 18-200 f/3.5-6.3 or Tamron 18-250 f/3.5-6.3 for more all purpose. Keep in mind I can get a decent deal on the Tamron.

Now is this an absolutely terrible idea or would it work out well for me? Open for recommendations.

Also, a little more general lens question. Is an aperture range of 3.5-6.3 that huge of a difference from one with 4-6.3. I notice a large difference in price and was just curious.

Cheers and Thanks.

All other things being equal, no 3.5-6.3 is not that different from 4-6.3. However, the more expensive lens may be newer, offers more range, built better, better optically, or all of the above, etc.

If there is a large price difference between the two, there is probably a very good reason for it.

There isn't a great deal of difference (aperture wise), but the more expensive lens has probably got a much better build quality or may have been released later.

I am having this dilemna too. I am thinking about buying the XTI but the kit lens is so bad. What is a good lens to replace the kit lens that doesn't cost an arm and leg. I was looking at the new canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS. What does everyone think? Buy the XTI body only and get another lens or just go with the kit lens?

Thanks

Hi SoccerandDMB.
I have the Tamron 18-200 for now, but I'm in the process of upgrade lenses since I'm not very happy with it.
It's a nice lens and you don't have to change lenses all the time, but it has several problems:
1. Resolution - I found that the picture quality is not great, mainly on distant objects, when the object is close the quality is not bad at all.
2. Focus speed - it takes quite a lot of time to focus, the motor is slow and the lens makes it harder for the camera to focus.
3. Focusing under low light - the camera sometimes can't focus on low light (and it's not the camera problem, with my new 17-40L it focuses amazingly fast).

BUT, the Tamron 18-250 got much better reviews, so it is probably better. I decided to go for 2 Canon lenses instead of my 18-200, but it's my decision. I guess others can be quite happy with the 18-250.

You can read about both in photozone:
18-200: http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/lenses/tamron_18200_3563/index.htm
18-250: http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/lenses/tamron_18250_3563_canon/index.htm

Good luck.
Liron

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Canon EOS 50D, Canon EF 17-40L, Canon EF 70-200L f/4 IS and Canon SpeedLite 430EX
My picasa

Money permitting go for Canon, then Sigma and then Tamron.

My friend had to repair his Tamron.

I would not go with Tamron personally.

It you can afford it, go with a value-for-money, general-purpose zoom lens made by Canon.

Here’s two:

Canon EF 28-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM.

See links:
http://tinyurl.com/53qhq

Or the:

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM
http://tinyurl.com/aktrr
http://tinyurl.com/2hbbko

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I am now a proud owner of a Canon Rebel Xti with the 18-55mm kit lens. I'm thinking that I will save up some more money and put the 28-135mm IS on my wish list. Thanks again!!

Good

Or maybe even the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

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Canon EOS 40D, Canon EF 24-70 F/2.8L USM, Canon SL 580 EX Mark II, Canon Battery Flash Unit CP-E4, Canon BG-E2N (Battery Grip), Canon Right Angle Finder C, B+W 77mm Kaeseman CP (MRC) Filter, B+W 77mm UV Haze 010 (MRC) Filter, Canon Timer RC TC-80N3, etc.