your suggestions...

[ericamcl]

as to what my first "real" lense purchase should be?
i'm getting the canon rebel xti that comes with a "kit" lense, but i'm not sure what my next step up from that should be?

 

[mabas9395]

Some will say the nifty-fifty 50mm f/1.8 and others will say an all purpose walk around lens like the 28-135 IS.

I say use the kit lens for a while and see what it can't do that you want it to. Do you find your self needing something wider or longer or faster? Only some time using the kit lens will provide the answer, unless you already have a pretty good idea of what type of shots you want to take (landscape, portraits, sports, etc).

 

[Master Mason]

I agree with the above 100%, use the kit and find out what shots you can not get with it, then figure out what lens will allow you to get that shot. If I had done that I would have about a grand more in my pocket instead of a few lenses collecting dust.

If you must get something, the the 50 would be a good choice because it is cheap and gives you something with a wide apeture.

to explain what I did, was I bought lenses that covered a range without thinking about the apeture of them, and found out with what I shoot, that the wouldn't do what I needed them to do, so I had to replace them.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

I'd consider something long. One of the 70-200mm or a 70-300mm.

 

[Nikel]

Since you're getting the kits lens anyway, I second the suggestion to use it for a while and see what you need, whether it's a longer zoom, a wider angle, a faster ap, etc. I almost exclusively use my 28-75mm 2.8. My nifty fifty is mostly a dust collector, and I rarely need any a longer zoom, like a 70-200mm.

 

[DVC Jen]

Longer zoom. That is my opinion.

 

[cpbjgc]

I would echo the comments that you might want to work with your kit lens for a while first before you decide on your next purchase. When I bought my XTi, I had a pretty good idea of my needs so I picked up the 50 mm F1.8 (mentioned by several previous posters) and the cheapie Canon EF 75-300mm F/4-5.6 III USM zoom. After using the 18-55 mm kit lens I decided I wanted a bit better range and speed for my "walk around" lens. As I had a modest budget, I also checked out third party lenses with a Canon mount (Sigma, Tokina, Quantaray and Tamron all make lenses with a Canon EF or EFS mount). I recently bought a Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4.5 DC MACRO and have not put my kit lens back on since.

Make sure to post some pictures in the XTi thread!

 

[fitzperry]

to explain what I did, was I bought lenses that covered a range without thinking about the apeture of them, and found out with what I shoot, that the wouldn't do what I needed them to do, so I had to replace them.

I'm kind of in the middle of this process. My Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 should arrive today, and I'd like to get a faster long zoom sometime in the not too distant future. I think it is sound advice to play with the kit lens for awhile and go from there, unless you have some specific need like a long zoom for shooting sports, etc.

 

[mikamah]

I agree with the posters who suggested to get the kit lens and play with it for a while, and figure out what you can't take with that lens, and then decide what you need, and to get a feeling for the camera. I got the xti in june, and did just that on the advice of people here, and am glad i did. I just bought the 50mm/1.8, and the 28-135 IS lens this month. I decided I wanted a longer zoom, but wanted to have one main walkaround lens. And got the 50 mm for low light, and to try some portrait type pics.