JimH Loc: Western South Jersey, USA

Rach, you can get a new-in-box, USA market Canon 18-135 on eBay for under $300. If you can't find one, I'll sell ya mine for $289, exactly what I paid for it three months ago. :)
Here's a shot I just took with it about 90 minutes ago...

Fort Mott, NJ Fall Colors

LittleRedFish Loc: Naw'lens (New Orleans)

Do you not like it? I really looking at several lens, but a friend (photography) suggested that lens over the other I'm looking at.

JimH Loc: Western South Jersey, USA

No, it's fine. I'd take the $289 you send me and buy another at $289. I was just offering in case you can't find one.
I DO have a Canon 28-90mm and 80-200mm I'd be willing to part with...

LittleRedFish Loc: Naw'lens (New Orleans)

Even though my photographer friend recommed it, several people has said they like the Tamron 18-270mm PZD VC lens. I know that it's not the best lens, but it would allow a lot versatiliy. So I,m leaning toward it.
Any thought about Tamron? All in one lens(almost). :-)

Thanks for the offer, I keep it in mind.

JimH Loc: Western South Jersey, USA

No, I have no personal experience with the Tammy. As others have noted, it's not a bad lens at all, and gets good reviews. I doubt you could go wrong with it, so long as you're aware of its' (and any huge zoom lens') weaknesses.

RonaldLewis Loc: Chicago, Illinois

With lenses you usually get what you pay for. All I can tell you is that you normally don't see a great difference in lenses until you make some really big enlargements. When you look at Canon's "L" lenses you better be prepared to pay at least $1,000 on up. They are defenitely worth it but it depends if this amount of sharpness and quality build is worth it to you. The late Herbert Keppler, one of the editors for Popular Photography, said in one of his articles that the sharpness of the lens is dictated by your budget and what you are going to use the lens for. Many professional photographers do not use prime lenses or constant aperture zooms because of the expense of these lenses. If you are making $100,000 a year doing photography or just happen to have that kind of money to spend on good lenses, by all means, go for it. What Mr. Keppler said in his article was that most of the people you see using the high quality lenses have these lenses bought by the company that these photographers work for or they are very high end photographers making 6 figure incomes from their photography. He also said that you can do adequate work with mid range lenses with floating apertures such as 3.5, 4.5 apertures. The Canon kit lenses are adequate for most shooting situations. I have blown many 8 x 10's up from my 18-55 Canon lens and it was very sharp. Needless to say your view of a good print and mine might be totally different. Also there is software in programs such as Photoshop CS5 and Lightroom 3 that can sharpen images.

THEMRED7007

Read Tamron 18-270 comments. I have the Pentax 18-250 as my only lens and LOVE IT. It is a factory Pentax, don't know anything about Tamron. My one lens covers a wiiiiiide range...see pix, and I don't worry about changing and getting dust, trash, etc inside body from that function, plus, I don't have to drag along more "stuff". I keep a UV clear filter on it to mainly protect the lens, and I also have a HOYA rotating polarize filter. I'm a newbe also to DSL, don't care about video, so I chose the Pentax K10D (with anti-shake built into the camera body) body only from Ritz Camera in Atlanta, and the lens from an old retailer in NYC , Willoughbys, and saved over $100.00 + retail, plus NO TAX, plus free shipping, and had it in three days. Hope I don't confuse you.

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

I have a T1is and the kit lens, very happy however if I were to do it again I might look for a little longer and faster "walk around lens" I saw a 17-70 f2.8>4, for about $425.00, Bob.

stevenelson Loc: Pauls Valley, Oklahoma

Sams Club has this kit for around $800.00.

stevenelson Loc: Pauls Valley, Oklahoma

Sams Club has T3 kit for around $800.00.

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

Watch the kits, BJ's has T3 kit, you want the T3IS kit, different camers, check the mega pixels, B&H, Adorama sites have the better info to decide, and usually very competitive prices, Bob.

jaybm

Surprised no one suggested checking out factory refurbed.
I just received a Canon 70-300mm F/4-5.6 IS EF USM from B&H and used it yesterday.
$399.95 and free shipping. You can find one for a little less if you check around.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh128/jaybm_75/BMW%20Euro%20Car%20Show/1080.jpg
Had to stay at low end of zoom and back away from subjects.
This is with the Rebel XS, waiting for a price drop on a T3i body or find a refurbished one.

Gary Truchelut Loc: Coldspring, TX

What ever you decide on, make sure it is not the s lens as if you ever want to go to a full sensor camera body they will not work.
Remember that if you choose a non-s lens there is a crop factor that affects the area of the image. The non-s lenses are usually better quality and not much more in cost.
I personally have several L lenses and several non-L lenses. It is very hard for me to tell any difference in the images made with either of them. I will say however that the L lenses are usually faster and easier to hand hold in low light situations. Nothing a tripod or higher ISO won't help.

JimH Loc: Western South Jersey, USA

Well, actually, any lens fitted to an APS-C sensor body will show an altered field of view, EF-S or not, "L" or not. And contrary to popular opinion, the lens does not really 'increase' your zoom factor, it just gives you the NARROW field of view that a longer zoom would. For example, many people say, "if you put a 100mm lens on a crop sensor body, it's like a 160mm lens" but that's not really accurate. The 100mm lens will show you the field of view that a 160mm lens would, but it does NOT magnify or bring an object closer.

Gary Truchelut Loc: Coldspring, TX

I agree, this is a hard concept to explain and understand. You did it very well. thanks