I hope to purchase this next week.

The camera I'm getting is the Nikon D80 but I have very little experience with lenses. The two I'm leaning towards:

1. AF-S DX 18 - 135 mm F3.5 - F5.6G ED (normal, portrait uses)
2. AF-S 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR (outdoors, sports, etc.. use)

Am I going in the right direction?

 

last time I checked it was pretty hard to get but have you considered the 18-200 VR?

 

I have but isn't that lens REALLY expensive?

 

about $200 more than the 70-300 you posted.. Not bad! the hard part is finding one.

check this out -

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/18200.htm

this lens would cover a great majority of your shooting needs.

 

good read on VR
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/image-stabilization.htm

how to get the 18-200
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/182...to-get-one.htm

 

Wow, I'm glad I asked. I just skimmed through the first link. Good stuff. Thanks srika. Time for some reading.

 

Yeah man the D80 + that lens would be killer. There's a reason why it's so hard to find. :P

I was shopping heavily for one before I switched to Canon. And I have a Canon lens that is similar in concept - although not quite 200mm. This new trend of multi-purpose single lens seems to be becoming more popular. The benefits are plenty - less to carry, and the less you have to change your lenses, the better for your optics too. It just makes a whole lotta sense!

 

Btw the utility of 24-105 in the club is amazing. I was unsure how much I would be using the full range of the lens - but I find myself using the extents along with in-between very frequently. It's so great to be zooming in on a DJ or some other detail from a little ways, and then all of a sudden some group of people asks for a pic and I'm able to zoom out for the wide-angle shot in a heartbeat. Especially in the frequently cramped environment of a club where you have people all around you and there's no time to wait to take a shot. I think the same would apply in a good number of other situations as well. I do want a 2.8 eventually though.

A high-quality 18-200 with VR would be killer.

 

The place I usually get my cameras has it in stock but they're sell the D80 as a kit with an SD card & reader which I don't need. If they drop the extras and the price, I'll get them both tomorrow!

 

I hate you, lol.

 

what lens from canon do you have thats similar to that 18-200 vr lens?

 

well not really close but it's the same concept - the 24-105 f/4L IS

 

the 18-200 looks sweet. I currently have two lenses that cover that same focal length and and this looks to be a MUCH nicer piece of glass.

 

Ordered, done, I'll have it in 7-10 days or less.... Thank you for the help... I'll get some pictures of the setup when it arrives. I can't wait!