Lens Selection Help

[r3g]

When i buy my new camera I want to get a wide angle lens to go with it and later on ill get a telephoto and macro lens. I can only afford to spend about $300-400 on the wide angle lens so i was wondering what the best one in that price range is. How much ill be able to spend on the telephoto and macro lenses will be determined when the time comes. The wide lens will be used mostly in good outdoor daylight but i would also like to take "downtown city" type night shots without flash also. Id like to have AF and IS if possible but i dont consider the lack of 1 or both of them deal breakers. Thx for all the info in advance!

[coldrain]

Any idea how wide you want it?
Will it be like the kitlens or wider? Will you have the kitlens?

[r3g]

I got a hook up so im going to be getting the camera with the EF 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 II Lens instead of the kitlens. As for how wide i want it im still not fully familiar with lens specs for wide angle but id say id probably want something in the ballpark of 24mm maybe 20mm. I doubt i could get anything wider (and it not be crappy) for the price stated above.

[coldrain]

Well... that hook up person must dislike you a lot.
Unless the camera is verrrry cheap (ie: the lens is thrown in for free).

Do not bother with that 28-80 f3.5-5.6mm II. It is.. well... its ... uhmm... It is not a very nice lens to have on a digital SLR.
It focusses fast and silently... but... the image quality (sharpness, contrast, CA) is not pretty at all.

So... you would be better off with the 18-55 kitlens.
You are aware of the fact that on an XTi the focal length of 18mm actually is 18 x 1.6 = 28.8mm equivalent on 35mm?

So... the 18-55mm is on the XTi as that EOS300/Rebel 2000 with the kitlens 28-80mm...
18-55mm x 1.6 = 28.8-88mm

In short... avoid the 28-80 unless it is free, and get a kitlens instead.
Or, get a Sigma 18-50 f2.8 EX DC Macro, or a Tamron 17-50 f2.8, or a Tokina 16-50 f2.8.

[r3g]

I didnt know that thx for informing me (yes the camera is a cheaper with the lens). Is that Sigma both a wideangle and a macro lens as the name suggests? (lol is that even possible??)