Canon Cameras

What lens should I get with a Canon EOS 30D?

I want to buy the Canon EOS 30D but I have noo idea what lens to get with it. I've read some things about the Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens, but does anyone know if this lens is good or not? Or should I just get a lens kit that comes with the Canon EOS 30D camera?

Public Comments

1. A long one
2. The problem with the 4-5.6 aperture setting on the lens you are asking about is that it is NOT a FAST lens. I think its still pretty pricey though.
3. Depends on your budget- I have both lenses and the kit lens is ok and certainly handy for wide angle shoots. The second lens is quite a bit more expensive but would be useful from wide to a nice portrait focal length. Its major advantage is that it has image stabilization and is good for lower light situations without flash. I was able to hand hold it maybe 3 stops slower without obvious signs of camera shake induced blur. It retails for about $500 or less. There is a new, faster lens in the same or approximately same zoom range that has a 2.8 constant aperture, but here we are talking approx. $1000.
4. Pho photojournalists carry a 17-55 (or thereabouts) on their cameras and swap out other lenses for special purposes. That should be your strategy too. Hope this helps.
5. You did not say what your main use interests are and that certainly does male a difference as to what lens you should choose. If you are pretty much a beginner and want to start out taking a nice general range of pictures (people, vacation, general interest) than you should get the lens kit that comes with the camera (providing that you are getting a genuine Canon lens, not a 3rd party lens that some places are selling to keep prices low). The 17-85mm Canon lens is an excellent picture taker but on the 30D is a normal to telephoto range lens which is nice for people and sports pictures, but not too good for scenery and pictorial vacation pictures for which a lens that has a more wide angle range is more desirable. Whatever you choose, there are enough other lenses you can add later that will cover all the picture taking situations you may become interested in, so the lens that comes with the camera package would be my first choice.