Which Standard Zoom
 

I am having to replace my camera equipment wondering which zoom lenses to buy with it. The options are
1. Lens Kit (EF-S 18-55mm IS lens) + Canon EF-S 55-250mm f4-5.6 IS.
2. Lens Kit (EF-S 18-135mm IS lens) + EF 100 - 300 f/4.5-5.6 USM. .
3. Canon EF-S 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 IS.

I am leaning towards the 18 - 200mm, to save having to buy an additional longer zoom lens until later, but would like to know if there are any disadvantages apart from the shorter zoom range.

out of your selection iv'e heard good things about the 55 - 250mm IS lens for the price

the thing is about zoom lenses is you tend to use them at the longer end most of the time if you want a walk about lens i would be tempted by the 18 - 135mm rather than the 18 - 200mm but if a zoom lens is what you want it would be the 55 - 250 IS

the 100 - 300mm USM is an old lens isn't it ?? or have they brought a new version of it out
if it's the one i'm thinking of it wasn't that great a better option if it is the old lens and would have to be got second hand would be the canon EF 70 210 F4 i think those lenses can be a bargain
heres an example of one being sold on ebay

[url]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Canon-70mm-210mm-F4-Macro-Zoom-Lens-/120811518390?pt=UK_Lenses_Filters_Lenses&hash=item1c20ed79b6#ht_500wt_1361[/url]

Thanks for your reply.

I went for the 18 -135 in the end, partly due to Amazon selling a Canon 70 - 300 zoom for £107, it dosen't have IS but I have a monopod and a tripod so hopefully that won't be too much of an issue.

the 18-55 isnt a bad kit lens and the 55-250 punches well above its weight in IQ stakes. So thats the option I would go for

I got a 550D with an 18-55 kit lens, used it quite a bit and then decided to sell it and get a superzoom all in one. Soon realised I'd made a mistake when it came down to IQ. I then decided to sell the superzoom and get an 18-55 IS II and a 55-250 IS to partner it. The IQ with the 55-250 is fantastic for the price I paid for it (£110 secondhand looked like new). Both kit lenses are really good and I use them a lot.

I had the 70-300 MkIII and can honestly say mine was that bad, with poor IQ, slow AF and quite noisy, I kept it about 6 weeks before I sold it. I did sell it on ebay for more than I paid for it though so I'm quite happy about that.