So you got your first Canon DSLR camera and now you want the best lens you can get as a general all-purpose lens. This is a situation that many new camera owners have agonized over.
There are many really good lenses to consider as all-purpose, or walk around lenses. It's kind of like buying a compact point and shoot camera, though. What zoom range are you going for?
Making one general assumption, let's assume that you are looking for a zoom lens rather than a prime, or single focal length, lens. Most, though not all, new owners opt for the Canon "kit lens" as their first lens. This make sense, since it is quite inexpensive, and there is already a learning curve to deal with in that the camera needs to be mastered. The lens can come later, you think.
That is not my opinion. I personally feel that money spent on a kit lens, no matter how cheap it is, would be better spent as part payment for a better lens. After all, you will want to upgrade fairly soon, anyway, so why not get more bang for your buck right up front.
There are several things to consider about the lens you are planning to buy.
First consideration is focal length. In general, a focal length of about 18-24mm on the short end and 55-75mm on the long end will give you a very useful range. Keep in mind that these numbers are not critical. There are also some very good quality lenses that have about 105mm at the long end.
Canon, Sigma, and Tamron have recently released some pretty good lenses in the super-zoom category. These have focal lengths of 18mm at the short end and 200-270mm on the long end. They have gotten good reviews, but just keep in mind that the image quality will not be as good as those lenses with less zoom capability.
Second consideration is aperture. The best lenses will have a constant aperture of f/2.8 across all focal lengths. Lenses with a variable aperture such as f/3.5-5.6 will be less expensive, but they will not give you the same performance in all situations, especially when lighting is a challenge.
The third consideration is price. This may be your first priority, but it really needs to come after the other two. If you can't afford the best, it is much better to wait until the funds are available, rather than to get a cheap lens. I know this from personal experience. If you are sincere about your photography, you will not be happy with second class glass. It is very frustrating to try to take great pictures with poor quality lenses.
Now, you can save money by using Canon EOS lenses from third party manufacturers. Some Tamron and Sigma lenses are very good and less costly than a Canon lens with the same or similar specifications.
A word of warning. Digital camera forums can be very confusing when trying to decide on a lens... very confusing. There are lots of well meaning photographers in the forums who will express opinions based on some highly selective criteria just to show how much they know. While this is not always the case, it happens often enough to make your research quite complicated if you are basing it on those forum posts.
A better place to read about lenses is the user reviews at the Canon USA website or at FredMiranda-dot-com. You will even find lots of excellent input from satisfied (or dissatisfied) buyers at the Amazon or B & H Photo websites.
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