Look for good lens for Canon Rebel XT

I want to purchase a 28-300mm lens for the Canon Rebel XT. Tell me your opinion on the Sigma, Tamron and canon. Looking for good all around lens with macro. Just started looking and need to know which direction to go. Thanks, artjojo

It depends how much money you want to spend !
Canon will be more expensive than Tamron and Sigma.
But all 3 make good lenses - at a price.

Personally, I use only Canon lenses and avoid really big zoom ranges like 28-300 for quality reasons. But I don't have any macro lenses - instead I use extension tubes.

Paul,

What lens would you recommend if not the 28-300mm. I was looking for an all purpose lens because I don't like changing lenses. I need the macro capability and I take portrait photos of people and dogs for painting purposes and also architecture. Also what is an extension and how does it work?

Thanks in advance for your help.

If you don't like changing lenses, you won't like extension tubes.
They have the same mount as lenses, and you put them in between the lens and the camera, moving the lens further away means the image is bigger and so it magnifies the insect.

I don't have a macro lens, because I'm happy with using the tubes.


What are you going to photograph with the macro, how small is the subject likely to be, and how far away?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by artjojo

...I was looking for an all purpose lens because I don't like changing lenses. I need the macro capability and I take portrait photos of people and dogs for painting purposes and also architecture...

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My advice: pick a lens that does one, perhaps two, things really well. In 20 years of buying equipment (and selling/trading back most of it), I've found that buying an "all purpose" lens usually means that that lens does no one thing exceptionally well.

Even if it ends up taking a while to do, adding quality gear to your arsenal over time will save you money in the long run.

Why would you need 300mm for portraits and architecture?

Thanks for your replies....I don't think I need a 300 mm lens and for right now I think I am going to purchase a wide angle with macro and later shop for a quality lens...I am just learning my Rebel XT so any advice about lenses is appreciated. I have a 28-55mm right now.

Sigma is making some killer lenses right now for the money. So much so that several outperform Canon's equivalent, according to Popular Photography. It's an excellent option if you're on a budget.

Thank you for the news about Sigma lenses....which one would you recommend for subjects, i.e., macro for flowers, buildings, dogs (I paint dog portraits), people...I live in New Orleans so there is a multitude of subjects on walking sprees. So, what mm would be good to have just one lens for a multitude of subjects?