Quote Originally Posted by Hillel
Anyone else want to comment about "noticeable" differences before I run out and buy the Canon 50mm f1.8???

No other comment on difference for shooting paintings on a wall, no. But, a fast prime is a very different lens than a slow zoom. Assuming you intend to shoot subjects other thanpaintings on a wall, the 50mm f/1.8 can enable you to learn a lot about aperture, depth of field, and composition (by restricting you to a single focal length).