Can i get some oppinions/suggestions about purchasing zoom lens and a flash for my Canon Rebel XT?

I'm planning to buy a decent zoom lens and flash for my Canon Rebel XT soon but i don't know where to start and what to look for. Obviously I'm still an amateur, so help would be appreciated. I'm looking for lenses probably not over 500$ as well. Thank you.

Can i get some oppinions/suggestions about purchasing zoom lens and a flash for my Canon Rebel XT?
What lens do you have now?





What kinds of things do like to shoot?





Stick with a Canon dedicated flash unit.
Reply:A better flash is an excellent idea. Canon makes several good ones and you will find them on the Canon website (www.usacanon.com). My suggestion here is buy a Canon manufactured flash, and by the best unit you can afford. The good Canon flash units will basically last until you break them and if you decide to upgrade your Canon equipment, will work fine on your upgraded Canon.


Buying a new lens is a different matter altogether. The lens that came with your camera is an excellent general purpose picture taking lens which gives you a range of slight wide-angle pictures to slight telephoto pictures, which should cover the majority of your picture taking situations to start with. As you grow into your camera system and find out where your picture taking interests lie, you will find situations that you want to photograph that are difficult when using the lens that came with your camera. This is the time to think about buying additional lenses, not now just to get a second lens. As your photographic interests develop you will add specific lenses to two pictures within your specific interest areas. At that time you're ready to buy a new lens or lenses and you will know what you need to fulfill your picture taking interests. I suggest you wait until these interests develop and then get the right lens for you.
Reply:The external flash will make a big difference in your indoor shots. Get the Canon model that suits your budget.





As for lenses, you'll need to decide whether to go wider (10-22) or narrower (70-300).





Hope this helps.