Colors in Canon 500d not good?

The pictures taken from my canon 500d (kit lens) looks very dull. Even after editing them on different softwares doesn't help too much as they look way too saturated. I've seen the results of some other dslr's ( nikon, sony nex 3) and the colors look so rich and natural in those. I'm also using a 50-mm 1.8 lens, with which I get sharp pictures but no improvement in colors. I've read that the color depth in 500d is lower compared to other canon dslr's and also Nikon's. I'm planning to buy the Tamron 17-50 2.8 lens and would like to know if that will help in getting some good colors pictures.

You're camera and lens are not to blame. On your Rebel, you can change the color output (portrait, landscape, etc). All DSLRs can be configured to record the same vivid colors as one-another - A color checker will help you do so.

Since I own a 500D and have had mine for over a year I think I can say it's you and your settings not the camera. I use my kit lens, among others, all the time - never the problem you discuss.

So… You're looking to spend 300 euros on another lens in the hope that it will fix a problem where you don't even know the cause… Ok…

Well, it's a good a lens but it's not going to fix your problem. Some training might.

The problem is almost certainly you, not the camera.

The poster that claims RAW doesn't record all color info needs to shut the hell up, as they are completely clueless.

If you can't get good color with a 50mm f/1.8, you won't get good color with anything else.

Reset the camera back to factory default and see what happens. You have mucked around with the settings, and have screwed it up. Don't mess with settings you don't understand, because this is what happens.