When I started on the EOS system just after the FD system was consigned to history, my second lens (after a 24-105mm slow zoom — entirely forgettable, along with the first generation 75-300mm f4.5 IS tele) was the EF 20mm f2.8. I still have it and use it a lot. I cannot remember how much I paid for it, but likely around AUD$220 in 1994 terms. This is the only non-L-series lens I have now, having progressively upgraded between 1995 and 1998. It is light, bright and fast and will give you an excellent introduction in planning your shots using a very wide perspective and very deep depth of field. Zooms are a good and sometimes useful compromise, but in the EF range, only the L-series lenses are fast in terms of aperture and response (and much more expensive). But good (if slow) EF wide-to-tele zoom lenses exist around f3.5 to f4. I would recommend most people angle for a fast (f2-2.8 lens) prime lens of say wide- to ultra-wide as their first EF lens introduction.