Which Lens for the Canon 40D?

[Peter in PDX]

Hi,

I"ve been a recipent of the DPS newsletter for over two years now and just joined the forum. I had a Nikon D40 with a three lens kit but lost it all in a scam because I got the "newest gadget" disease because I got greedy and tried to sell it to fund that.

I am now at rock bottom DSLR-wise, lens-wise, and financially (my D40 kit took 21/2 years to gather). I now have a chance to ger a slightly used Canon 40D w/ a 50mm/1.8 II. While the camera is older technologically I've read the reviews and think it is the way to go body-wise for my budget (money on the glass not the body).

Can anyone reccomend a good second lens (x<$400 US), Canon or otherwise, I might want to get new or used to add to the 50mm? I am looking for versitility but do no need a superzoom (135mm pre crop factor max.). I move around more than not (shot a Nikon FM2 with a 105mm/1.8 for 15 years).

Thanks!

[SusanH1970]

What are you going to be shooting? Portraits? Landscapes? Wildlife? That'll help us narrow it down and give recommendations if we know what you'll be photographing mainly.

[Elmo]

My favorite lens for my 40d is a 17-50 f:2.8 Tamron.

[Peter in PDX]

It's a bit of a mix: air /car show, family and friends, wildlife, and sports. I have a G10 that I love and use to death but can be too slow and I've missed out on what would have been some great shots

I'd rather have a fast camera (hence the 40D choice) and a quick lens. The latter is why I have tended to have just one zoom but stayed focused on primes (pardon the pun) in my old kit. I'm not adverse to using my feet to zoom. I would rather use natural light that a flash.

Hope this is a little more helpful.

[inkista]

Uh... which part of "<$400" did you not get? The 24-105L, and 17-55 are both more than twice the OP's stated budget.

I think Elmo's recommend of the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 is the best fit.

The only other lens I can think of in that price range that might be worth looking at is much slower and not as nice, optically: the EF-S 18-135 f/3.5-5.6 IS.