Just bought a Canon 450D...

[Aerophile]

... and now I'm starting to think about lenses.

[Mictheslik]

Good choice...I hope you enjoy it and get into photography (reading about the subject always advised )

Lens wise, I started on an old 75-300 USM from canon which was absolutely fine for a beginner...took some stonking shots with it, though it gets quite soft at the 300mm end...I'd recommend getting a zoom...it offers much more versatility than a prime for a beginner, and makes up for the slight lack of quality. Don't consider IS to be essential....it isn't... (though can be useful in very low light and for panning)

Some example piccies from a 400D with the 75-300 USM MkIII (about

[Aerophile]

Thanks!  Those are some great examples.  Here are the lenses i'm comparing...

Canon EF-S 250mm

Canon EF 300mm Telephoto

As I think I mentioned in the original post, the 250mm claims that it has an equivalent of 400 mm.  I don't fully understand why a 250mm lens would have a 35mm equivalent of 400 mm though.  Since this is probably the only lens I'm going to be able to purchase for a while, I want to make sure I get a good one considering my budget.

[Aerophile]

Also, and this is where my photography ignorance will show, but what do you mean by getting a zoom?  

Thanks again!

[Mictheslik]

A zoom lens is one that covers more than one focal length, i.e 70-300mm....a prime is fixed on one length...i.e a 250mm or 300mm lens. Both of those links are for zooms...

My pics were taken with the 75-300mm which had USM....(Ultrasonic motor)...this costs a little more but really helps with improving focusing speed.

Oh, and on conversions ffrom 35mm to digital, your 450d has a crop factor of 1.6x that of a 35mm or full frame camera. This gives an equivalent focal length of a 250mm lens as being 250x1.6=400

Hope that helps

.mic

[Aerophile]

Ok that makes sense.  I appreciate your help!  I'm sure I'll have more questions as I continue to use the camera.  It should arrive later this week!

Thanks again!  8-)