No lens is ever the "best" lens. That's part of the point of being able to remove one lens and attach another. You have the ability to use lenses which are optimized for the type of shooting you like to do.
The 18-55mm lens that came with the camera is a "zoom" lens. Zoom simply means the focal length of the lens can be varied. There are two rings on the lens that twist... one is the "zoom ring" the other is the "focus ring". Incidentally, don't use the focus ring on the lens unless you switch the lens to manual focus mode first (this disengages the auto-focus motor from the gear so that you don't end up fighting the auto-focus motor. Forcing it to go one way when the motor wants to go the other way can result in damage to the focusing mechanism. There are some high end lenses that allow "full time manual focus" even when auto-focus is engaged because they have a "clutch" that allows the focus ring to slip (on purpose -- so as to avoid damage) -- but the standard 18-55mm lens isn't one of them. There is a newer version of the 18-55 which is usually included with the higher-end Rebel bodies and it has the "STM" focus motors (you would know because the lens would actually say "STM" on it... e.g. "EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM". I'm guessing you have the "EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II". The STM lenses are "focus by wire" meaning there is actually no mechanical linkage from the focus ring to the focus elements in the lens... the computer detects that you are turning the focus ring and it moves the lens elements for you. That STM version of the lens does allow full-time manual focus (even when auto-focus is engaged) but this is probably not the version that was included with your T5.
It sounds like you may have purchased a "bundle". Canon doesn't have any version of a kit that includes a macro lens and I don't know what a "2.2 hd" lens is. True lenses attach directly to the camera body. I've seen some kits that come with thread on "lenses" that really just screw on to the end of the real lens. They are usually very low quality and included to pump up the perceived value of the bundle.
Canon makes some 75+ different lenses that all work with your camera and there are a number of 3rd party lens manufacturers which also make lenses designed to work with Canon EOS cameras.
For "distance" shots, the most common entry lens is the EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM or the EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II. One lists for $250, the other lists for $300. Get the $300 one! There is a noticeable improvement in the optics as well as several other aspects of the STM version and those difference are well-worth the extra $50.
Canon also makes an EF 75-300mm ... but that probably has the most mediocre image quality of any zoom lens in the lineup. I don't recommend it. They also make a 70-300 which is MUCH better (also considerably more expensive.)
Zooming in in "live view" mode does not affect the image recorded by the camera. It merely enlarges a portion of the image on the screen so you can inspect the details. For example...you may want to inspect the accuracy of your focus.
Tim Campbell
5D III, 5D IV, 60Da
