Good lens for under $400

Why?
While it doesn't turn heads and impress people with how much money you can afford to spend, the 18-55 is a very good lens. Rather than invest your money in a replacement for a perfectly usable lens, why not invest instead in a 50mm or a telephoto zoom? They would add to your arsenal rather than simply replace it.
I am a working full-time pro. I never add a piece of gear until I can articulate what the new item will do that I currently cannot accomplish.
Then, instead of collecting cameras and gear, I have can collect memories and photos of the places I've visited.
Good shooting.
Steven

Rob, the best general purpose EF lens for under $400 is without doubt the 50/1.4. It'll be superb on your XTi for portraits, but not nearly wide enough for most landscape shooting. For that, you'll have to go to a wide angle lens, which will put you over your budget. There are some zooms that do a good job with landscapes and portraiture, but these, alas, are also well beyond your budget.

Mark,

The 50mm is a superb landscape lens if you use it in portrait orientation and stitch several images together, even hand held the Canon Stitch software does a great job.

50mm f1.8 or f1.4
35mm f2
24mm f2.8

My first response is a 50 1.4 but a better choice for you might be a pair (since you like to take pictures of everything...:-) ). a 50 1.8 & either a 17-85, or a 28-135 might pair well enough in that budget. You get the advantage of a great cheap 50 (actually 85 on your XTi), plus the range of decent zooms (for your budget at any rate), both zooms have IS, & USM (w/ full time manual focus override).

For general purpose shooting at a non-pro level w/ that budget.... figure a 17-85 or 28-135 (suggested since you already cover 28+ effective WA w/ the 18-55) goes for no more than $300, and a 50/1.8 is about $100...

used EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM for versatility ($300 or less on ebay) + 50mm f/1.8 II for low light ($100)

The 28-105mm f3.5/4.5 is a very good cheap lens for undre $300 one of my favorites.

From the B&H catalog (www.bhphotovideo.com).

• 24mm F2.8 $324.95
• 28mm F2.8 $269.95
• 35mm F2.0 $319.95
• 50mm F1.8 $109.95
• 50mm F2.5 Macro (1:2) $299.95, (to go to 1:1 you need a converter sold seperately for $260.00)
• 70-300mm F4-5.6 $200.00
• 100-300mm F4.5-5.6 $295.95
• 55-250mm F4-5.6 IS $255.00

I don't own any of these but adding the 55-250mm IS would be a good addition to your 18.55 giving you coverage from18-250mm. The 50mm F2.5 Macro is reportably quite good and gives you macro capability plus a wider aperture which is useful in low light conditions. The 50mm F1.8 is the cheepest on the list and has the widest aperture.

Sorry I missed the 28-105 at $199.95. I didn't include the 50 F1.4 because it is $1 short of 400. Add shipping and taxes and it's over $400. My catalog doesn't show the cost of the recently discontinued 17-85 or the cost of it's replacment the 15-85.