Recommend An Amatuer A Lens (or 2)

[AzzurrA]

well, i currently own a 300D, and have been using the standard kit lens for about a year now, and i think it is a piece of crap, to be honest... (though, from reading some peoples opinions on it, i'm sure you didn't need to be reminded)

i find that it has a really soft focus, is slow, and doesn't deliver a very good image at all.

I don't use the camera that much, but i'm looking to change that, so i am looking at getting a couple of lenses.

Now, the uses of the camera are:

General walk-around (at carshows, etc)

some portraits style work

and also like shooting landscapes.

i don't have an overly huge budget to spend, so i'm probably going to have to look at 2nd hand stuff, but if you could recommend some lenses that would suit my criteria, that would be great.

i'm pretty sure i'll get a 50mm F/1.8 lens, as they're so cheap, and i hear many good things about them... would this be a good choice for my style? (sorry, like i said, i haven't used the camera much, and i'm still learning what everything means)

muchly appreciated

Jason

[Lepperfish]

The 50mm f/1.8 is a good lens for money and should really be in everyones kit.

If you like shooting landscapes you'll need something wide.

You can pick up 2nd hand 17-85mm IS lenses for about $600, I just sold mine for that actually. That gives you probably enough wide angle for most landscapes and enough zoom range as a walk around lens.

[sigsputnik]

i love my 17-85. good macro, usm, love it.

[Mr. Oizo]

the kit lens is great

[AzzurrA]

the kit lens is ass

its a bit of a jack of all trades, master of none, and even then its not that good at what it does...

[Mr. Oizo]

not really, its a great all round lens

i can tell you're just regurgitating what you've read or heard from other people

[AzzurrA]

yeah, for sure, because having used the standard kit lens for the last year wouldn't have anything to do with my opinions at all? I wouldn't know what it can/can't do, or how it reacts in certain situations etc?

don't get me wrong, i'm not having a go at you, i just want better quality shots than what the standard lens can offer.