Traveling next year, which lens to get?

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Im heading off to South America as a gap year, and im looking to add a lens. All I have is my trusty D5000 and 50mm 1.4. my budget is about £150-200, although I could try stretch to £250 if there is something better in that price frame, what are peoples views on the Nikon 55-200 f/4-5.6, as this lens fits nicely into my price frame?
 
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It's good for the money (in fact it'd be good for more money but the 70-300 VR is also quite good for not much more). However I'd expect you're going to need something wider than a 50mm as well...even if it's only the 18-55 kit lens...
 
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would you suggest I just get the kit lens and save the rest of my money over getting something like the 55-200. the 70-300 is sadly over my budget.
 
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What would you envisage shooting? This is really the key. I personally don't even own a telephoto. My walkabout is a Tamron 17-50 and I am yet to find a time where I need to use a telephoto, but thats entirely based on what I shoot. Main reaason I favour a wide over a zoom is its a touch more versatile overall and I can usually always get closer to my subject. If you were on safari (or something similar that required a telephoto) then obviously its essential. If you are just shooting around villages/towns, landscapes and generally bits of architecure then just get a wide lens. Will keep the weight of your kit down too.

There will obviously be other opinions on this, but I am just sharing what I use personally.
 
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when its put like that, I figure a some wide glass would probably suite me better. I would mainly be taking pics of landscapes, portraits, I would like to do some wildlife but it wouldn't be my main concern. Would there be a better wide lens for my price range than the kit?
 
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Tamron 17-50 would be my recommendation. Not the current model though, you want the earlier model (without the image stabilisation) which you can still get. The newer version gets quite bad reviews whereas the older version gets great reviews.
 
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Tamron 17-50 would be my recommendation. Not the current model though, you want the earlier model (without the image stabilisation) which you can still get. The newer version gets quite bad reviews whereas the older version gets great reviews.

Does the older one have an inbuilt focusing motor?

EDIT: Just checked it does, didn't think it did. Silly me.
 
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sorry to revive this thread, but I have lumped for a lens yet, I am seriously considering the Tamron 17-50 but I was browsing TP forums and have seen a couple of people mention the Nikon 18-70. How does this lens compare?
 
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If you don't want hassle then get a single ultra zoom lens 18-250 or somehting similar which can cover pretty much any shot and only take that lens. For your budget this provides a flexible solution.
 
Soldato
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Look at the tamrons, something that starts at 18 and goes up to whatever you can afford.

I have the 18 - 250 and it's the only lens I use when on holiday.
 
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Off topic but related - make sure you get good insurance if on a gap year with this camera equipment. Cheapo travel insurance will count the body and any lenses attached to it or in a bag with it as a single item and have a fairly low item limit.

Also taking a SLR with you if you're backpacking around etc will be a pita as it is, so a single lens reduces that pain.

Finally something like a 70-200 tends to be a bigger lens which will draw attention to yourself, which may not be somehting you want to do. Go versatile and plastic/light where you can.
 
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I'd recommend a Nikkor 18-105 which is well within your budget second hand. There's also the 18-135.

I would second that, when i went travelling round central/ south america i used my 18-70, which is a fantastic lens and the 18-105 was really expensive then.

Now i have got myself a 18-105 and it is brilliant.
 
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Too late to this thread, but I've got the full-frame equivalent of the 17-50 which is the 28-75 f/2.8. I use it on a 40D though so it does give that extra bit of reach :)
 
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