<p>Frankly, I'd get a 15-18 - 55-135 zoom lens. Something around there. You want light weight, the kit zoom 18-55 IS is optically pretty good, and<em> very</em> light. 17-85 is better, but heavier IIRC. The 55-250 is all plastic, but it's okay because it's also <em>very light</em>, and a great price, with a better optical quality than the cheap version of 70-300, though not as good as the 70-200, but it has a better zoom level and IS that actually does seem to work up to 4 stops like they say. You can have both for less than your budget.</p>
<p>Now, these are both micro motor, which sucks, because they don't focus so fast, and they're not dead quiet. But, they're both reasonably fine. I've used the 55-250 to do wildlife, and I've used a couple USM lenses from friends, and it's not much worse. The only problem is the reach, but for this price, you don't get better, and especially not with image stabilization. I'd rather have IS at 250 than no IS at 400 for some shots. If it doesn't matter to you, the Tokina lens is supposed to be good.<br>
<br /> But the point is you have three huge gaps at wide angle, short telephoto, and long telephoto. One lens can't cover that unless you sacrifice dearly in image quality. So, I suggest either the IS kit lens and the Tokina, the IS kit lens and the canon 55-250 IS and a tripod and accessories, the 17-85 and the 55-250, or the Tamron, which I've used, which has poor resolution at high zoom levels, but it fills your need for one lens.</p>
Advice on 3rd lens for Canon Rebel T1i
in Canon EOS Mount
Posted
<p>Frankly, I'd get a 15-18 - 55-135 zoom lens. Something around there. You want light weight, the kit zoom 18-55 IS is optically pretty good, and<em> very</em> light. 17-85 is better, but heavier IIRC. The 55-250 is all plastic, but it's okay because it's also <em>very light</em>, and a great price, with a better optical quality than the cheap version of 70-300, though not as good as the 70-200, but it has a better zoom level and IS that actually does seem to work up to 4 stops like they say. You can have both for less than your budget.</p>
<p>Now, these are both micro motor, which sucks, because they don't focus so fast, and they're not dead quiet. But, they're both reasonably fine. I've used the 55-250 to do wildlife, and I've used a couple USM lenses from friends, and it's not much worse. The only problem is the reach, but for this price, you don't get better, and especially not with image stabilization. I'd rather have IS at 250 than no IS at 400 for some shots. If it doesn't matter to you, the Tokina lens is supposed to be good.<br>
<br /> But the point is you have three huge gaps at wide angle, short telephoto, and long telephoto. One lens can't cover that unless you sacrifice dearly in image quality. So, I suggest either the IS kit lens and the Tokina, the IS kit lens and the canon 55-250 IS and a tripod and accessories, the 17-85 and the 55-250, or the Tamron, which I've used, which has poor resolution at high zoom levels, but it fills your need for one lens.</p>