What lens for me?

[jwhphoto]

I am a beginner and wondering if one of these 2 additional lenses would be worthwhile for me to spend my money on. Here is what i have
Nikon D80
18-135 mm f/3.5-5.6G

I was looking at the 50mm f/1.8D and the Zoom telephoto 70-300mm F4-5.6
both are in my $$ range ($100-140).

Can someone give me an overview of the pros and cons of these 2 types of lenses? Or if what i have now will suffice? I do know that the lens i currently have does not allow enough light in for some of the fast shots i have tried to take of splashes in water, and i thought the 50/1.8 might help with that.

Any suggestions?

 

[manaheim]

Seems a logical next step. I have the 70-300... you have to watch it as it can be a little soft at the extreme zoom end, but its a very handy lens to have and economical for what you get.

The 50mm is a favorite of pretty much everyone on this board.

 

[tirediron]

I agree with manaheim, and would suggest going with the 70-300. You already have the 50mm range covered, and the 1.8 while a decent lens, isn't good enough IMO, to justify having the overlap. Don't forget, you're dealing with an APS-C size sensor, so that's really a 75mm (moderate telephoto).

 

[jwhphoto]

Thanks for the input. I think i will look for a good price on the 70-300. The other one is a bit cheaper and easier for me to convince someone to get me as a Christmas or bb-day gift

Also, i normally look at newegg.com and bhphotovideo.com for things, because those are the only websites i know.

Are there any other good websites out there that have well priced gear and are reputable?

 

[dhilberg]

adorama.com and amazon.com are two others for photo stuff.