Advice: Kit or Tamron 17-50 as first lens

I need some advice…

Up until now I have been sure that I want the Tamron 17-50 with my first DSLR (400D). I came to this conclusion after browsing this forum and reading reviews, the Tamron simply is a great lens in its price class.

But, now when I’ve had some time to think about it, I have a feeling that it might after all be a good idea to start out with the kit lens. This is after all my first DSLR camera…

So, here is how I see the pros & cons of getting the Tamron:

PROS:

It’s a great lens with superior quality, and I don’t want to “spoil” my shots using the kit lens.
I believe that quality is an investment that always pays back.

It’s a fast lens; love the possibility to use f/2.8 (and a corner-sharp f/4)

The 10MP 400D “needs” a better lens, if there where no 400D I would probably settle for the 350 Kit!

CONS:

It’s expensive, as a student I don’t have a lot of money available for my hobbies.

As the kit lens is quite cheap it’s a safe choice as a first lens, and it gives me more time to figure out what I want to prioritize. (Although I’m reasonably sure that I want the Tamron if & when I upgrade)

So, if you have any thoughts about my reasoning please reply.
Will I buy the Tamron for the right reasons?

Help me decide

-Karl

One more thing...

If I get the Tamron I'm sure that I well be very pleased (it's just that my wallet most certainly wont't be)

But if I get the kit, I have the feeling I won't be able to enjoy my setup as much, since I will be aware of the limitations and that there are better alternatives... I'm a perfectionist in some ways.

If money is not an issue I say get the Tamron. If you've been shooting dslr's for a while, get the Tamron. If you are starting out and kinda new, stick with the kit lens, drop $80 on the 50mm f1.8 and save your money.

I shot with the kit lens + 50mm f1.8 for 3 years because I didn't have enough money to upgrade. In retrospect I think learning how to get the best picture I could out of my kit lens made me a better photographer and allowed me to learn things I couldn't had I started with a nicer lens like the Tamron right away.

My suggestion if you're relatively new, is to shoot with the kit lens until you feel it is holding back your progress, and then move on to something nicer.

tribble222 said:

If money is not an issue I say get the Tamron. If you've been
shooting dslr's for a while, get the Tamron. If you are starting
out and kinda new, stick with the kit lens, drop $80 on the 50mm
f1.8 and save your money.

I shot with the kit lens + 50mm f1.8 for 3 years because I didn't
have enough money to upgrade. In retrospect I think learning how
to get the best picture I could out of my kit lens made me a better
photographer and allowed me to learn things I couldn't had I
started with a nicer lens like the Tamron right away.

My suggestion if you're relatively new, is to shoot with the kit
lens until you feel it is holding back your progress, and then move
on to something nicer.

Click to expand...

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http://www.pbase.com/antidote3

Why start out with something that you maybe disappointed in and think this whole DSLR thing is a sham! Chuck the kit and get the Tamron. I have one and it is a super lens. That F2.8 will blow away the kit on indoor shots. Some people are saying also that the kit is having a problem with resolving the pixel density of the 400d. Always stretch your wallet to the breaking point for the best glass you can buy. As a side note: The Tamron blows away the 50mm canon (I have one of those also and have tested both). Just my opinion as usual. Gerry

I agree as well. Why waste $100 on the kit lens? Put it toward the Tamron which is a real bargain. I have the Canon 17-55 EFS f2.8 and it is even better because it has USM and IS; however it is more than 2X the price of the Tamron.

Hmmm... hard to say. I recently bought the Tamron after having used the kit for 1,5 years. No doubt - the Tammy is a winner. However - the kit lens is almost free and as you have to pay attention to your economy it could be a nice solution for 6 months to a year - and then you could upgrade.

I learned the basics using the kit lens - so can you ;-)

Hope you make the right choice

Cheers

Torben
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Canon EF-S 18-55mm
Canon EF 50 1.8
Sigma 55-200mm DC
Canon EF 70-200 f/4 L
Tamron AF 17-50mm f/2.8 SP XR Di II LD
Speedlite 380 EX
Kenko Pro 300 DG 1.4X

Thanks for the fast replies!

Everything that has come up here makes sense, and of course there are very good reasons to go either way. It’s a hard decision…

Stretching my wallet to the breaking point for the best glass is easier said than done!

The kit would be a safe choice, and I will probably go that way if I feel unsure about the Tammy and its price.

If the Tamron can beat the kit + 50mm getting those makes less sense. Is this really the case?
Also, what about the pixel density and kit lens, any real evidence on this?