Replacing my standard Canon lens... what to get?

[CrystalH]

I have a Canon Rebel xsi. The standard lens that I bought it with (EF-S 18–55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens) isn't working properly anymore. It won't AF.

My first question is, can I have the lens repaired and if so, approx. how much would it cost? Is it worth it?

Second, if I decide to just buy a new lens, what do you suggest? I don't own any other lenses right now and won't be able to afford to buy more for awhile. What would you suggest for decent priced standard lens? (btw- I'm in Canada) If I decide to spend a little more for one that's dual-purposed, what do you suggest? A longer zoom maybe?

TIA

[OsmosisStudios]

Is it under warranty?

[CrystalH]

I doubt it. I bought it 3 or 4 years ago.

[digirebelva]

Sounds like the USM motor is gone, on that lens I dont really think its going to be worth spending the money to get if fixed. I just had 1 replaced on 1 of my lens but it was a L lens, so it made more sense. If I remember correctly the repair cost was close to what you can buy that lens for brand new.

As far as another lens...what price range are you looking at, that will help with the recommendations

[Preeb]

Originally Posted by digirebelva

Sounds like the USM motor is gone, on that lens I dont really think its going to be worth spending the money to get if fixed. I just had 1 replaced on 1 of my lens but it was a L lens, so it made more sense. If I remember correctly the repair cost was close to what you can buy that lens for brand new.

As far as another lens...what price range are you looking at, that will help with the recommendations

That lens doesn't even have a USM motor, and from the age of the camera, it's probably the mark I version. It isn't worth repairing. You can get the Mark II version for under $200, or pay a bit more for better quality and get a much better lens.

See the list of options on Canon's website (Standard zoom range), then shop around for best price. There are some very good EF-S lenses, starting with the 17-55 f2.8 at the high end and going down from there. Look for USM and IS for the best feature set. DP Review is a good place to look for comparisons.

[inkista]

Actually, dpreview, while great with camera body reviews, tends to be a bit spottier on lenses. Chances are good they may be missing a few of the more likely candidates. the-digital-picture.com is more complete and comprehensive about the lenses on offer.

Walkaround zooms is probably THE biggest category of lenses out there, and the choices will be bewildering. Start off with a budget. If it's less than four figures, that will narrower the field considerably.

The most common "budget" recommendations you'll see are;

Just get another EF-S 18-55 IS, extend the zoom range with an EF-S 18-135 IS, or EF-S 18-200 IS (but the image quality probably won't go up), or go for better image quality with a EF-S 15-85 IS USM (or if that's too expensive at $700, a used EF-S 17-85 IS USM for around $300), or go up to the very tip-top in EF-S lenses, and go for the $1000 EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM. As Preeb says, the lenses with USM are likely to be higher quality than the ones without it. But they are also going to be more expensive.

EF and L lenses are less likely to be great walkaround zoom candidates for a crop-body camera, because the focal length is unlikely to give you wide angle coverage. 24mm or 28mm is more "wide-ish" on a crop body than "wide."

However, the L candidates that will be whizzed at your head (because people will always spend other people's money like water) are likely to be the EF 24-70 f/2.8L, the EF 24-105 f/4L IS USM, and the EF 17-40 f/4L USM (the cheapest of the lot at around $600, and really designed to be an ultrawide on a full-frame, not a walkaround on a crop).

If you really really want a 17-55/2.8 IS USM, but don't like the price, then the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 might be worth looking at.