lens for nikon d50

[panny300]

a mate has the d50 and wants a longer zoom lens to replace the standard lens that he got with the camera,he says he only wants one lens as he dos'nt want to keep changing lenses.
he is looking at the Sigma Zoom 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC,how good is this lens?is there any others he could look at?would he better with two lenses and cover a larger focal range?would quality be better with two seperate lenses? he dos'nt want to spend more than 300 quid.

[panny300]

no advice?

[PaulBoy]

Originally Posted by panny300

no advice?

Lots of lens reviews here including the one you're interested in
HTH - Paul

[ziplex]

I have had various zoom lenses for my D70 and without doubt you would benefit from spending as much as you can afford on decent quality glass. I have ended up with a Sigma APO 100-300mm EX F4 and the image quality,contrast and colour reproduction are first class and is sharp from wide open, and pin sharp at 5.6, it's focus is virtually instantaneous and the build quality is on par with Nikon. This is probably within budget secondhand, although they can go for up to £400 or more in mint condition. The only downside is it's a massive lens and relatively heavy so you may need a tripod if your hand's not too steady. Tried some of the G series Nikon len's...the 70-300 was pitiful!, avoid this lens. Just thought i'd give you a quick view on this lens as it is stunning in all respects and may be worth looking in to even if a little over budget. I can't recomend it enough...
Obviously it depends on how wide you need the lens to class it as a 'leave on camera' lens, but if after image quality at the higher end you would be better of with a smaller range zoom, say 18-70mm Nikon DX which again is a great lens and then something like the Sigma for longer shots. Unfortunately the adage of 'you get what you pay for' rings very true, (more often than not), with camera glass. HTH.
Duncan.