Should I purchase wide or tele? 10-22 EF-S or 70-300 IS?

To start things off, I currently own a Rebel XTi, 28-135 IS, 50 f/1.8, and a 430EX flash. I have no particular kind of photography I am focused on. Generally my pictures are of scenery, candids, and some casual portraiture.

I've found myself wanting on both ends of the focal range. I've mostly been wanting a telephoto first (finally decided on the 70-300 IS over the 70-200L f/4) but recently noticed how much I've been missing the wide angle.

Examples of cases where I wish I had wider/longer focal lengths:

WA - for parties, almost anything indoors involving a group of people, family portraits, some landscape photography and urban.

Tele - for the occasional animal/wildlife, candids, very occasional sports, various events.

There's also the possibility of the 55-250 IS but I don't know how long it'll take for it to migrate over here to the US. After I buy whichever lens I purchase now, the next other will probably follow in 6-12 months.

So help me decide which lens I should buy now. Thanks.

Do you shoot indoor or outdoor mostly? If outdoor, get the 70-300IS. If most of your shooting is indoor, get the 10-22.

I'd probably lean towards tele-zoom as a second zoom for most people; reach is fun and for events or sports is essential. In your case it's a little different since your current lens goes further into the tele range than most standard or kit-type lenses and has a lot less wide angle. I think on the wide end your question may well be whether you want a wide-mild tele zoom that is also fast - like a Tamron 17-50 2.8 or Canon 17-55 2.8 IS - OR an ultrawide like the 10-22. The ultrawide overlaps less but is also much less useful as a walkaround and is generally too wide for people shots (at least on the part that differs from a std zoom that is the 10-16 part that you're paying for). I'd get a 17/18-50/55 2.8 lens before an ultrawide if I were you, but of course you are the one that needs to decide your needs. In any case, if you're at all like most on the forum, you'll end up with all the types anyway (perhaps several times over )

I would get the 70-300. Paired with your 28-135, you would have good normal to long coverage with your XTi.

The 70-300 is one heck of a lens optically, and produces razor sharp images throughout its range. The only deficiencies are that the front rotates during focusing and there is no distance scale. The rotating front makes using a polarizer more difficult, but certainly not impossible.

70-300 for me

Just never been much of an UWA person.

Since you plan to buy one now and one in around 6 to 12 months you need to ask yourself which you will have a greater need for during the next 6 months or so. Try to be objective and thorough, considering vacations, family gatherings, sports and other types of events likely to be attended and consider which lens you would want to have on hand.