[muddy beast]

Alright, so I recently bought a Canon XTi body on ebay then purchased a Canon 50mm F/1.8 lens. I'm still in the market for one more lens in the $350 range (prefferibly less). I shoot in dark places typically so this lens I want to have as my main riding lens. The appature I desided has to be a steady large appature of F/2.8. I cant deside however on what the angle type I want or the zoom. I dont know what a wide angle looks like compared to a regular angle, so any help in comparison would be nice.

1) Sigma 28-70mm F2.8 EX DG
2) Sigma 24-60mm F2.8 EX DG (Wide angle zoom)
3) Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 EX DG MACRO
4) Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF)

Personal experience is best, or anyones thoughts on what lens they would use most when riding or as a general walk around lens. This will be my main lens for about a year likely, but when it does get replaced I want it to be a main prority for riding shots that need more or less zoom then 50mm like mt fixed.

P.S. I'm looking for a quality lens I can have for a long time, so nothing too cheap please...

Thanks, and any and all recommendations are highly appreciated. (I'd like to purchase the lens in a few days so I get it for a race next weekend)

 

[binary visions]

None of those are wide angle on a DSLR.

If you want wide angle, you need to start at more like 17mm - you have a field of view crop of 1.5, so a lens that starts at 24mm is actually giving you a field of view equivalent to a 36mm focal length.

The Sigma 18-50 f/2.8 EX Macro is supposed to be a pretty decent lens for the price. For me personally, I think a wide angle lens is an important part of anyone's kit.

 

[Mike B.]

I had the Tamron 28-75 for a short time and recently picked up the Tamron 17-50. I really like the lens so far and I'll try to dig up some samples tonight. Will stretch your budget a bit unless you find a used one but I'd say it's worth it to have the wider angle. It is crop specific but if you stay with the consumer level Canon stuff for a while, no big deal.

 

[narlus]

did you get the kit lens w/ it? it's not the greatest lens by any stretch, but the 18-55 focal length is very useful on a 1.6 crop (BV, noink is 1.5) camera body. it's not constant aperature, but at the wide setting it's f/3.5, or just 2/3rds of a stop slower than 2.8. you should be able to pick up one of these for pretty cheap. i've got one laying around if you want to give me a shout.

edit - this forum has tons of info. do some searches on the lenses you are considering:
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=33

 

[Kornphlake]

If you think you're going to do any macro photography the choice should be obvious. If not, filp a coin.

 

[muddy beast]

Alright thanks, I understand I probly sound like a complete idiot....and well as far as Cameras go I'am. So I appologize if this is a dumb question.

Edit: not I do not have the kit lens, thats why I'm looking at basic low zoom lenses.