cameraf4 Loc: Delaware

I just did that trip this spring. I had heard others before me say about it "Go WIDE or go home." I found that to be true. Landscapes out west are vast and you will want to zoom in for many shots. But your 18mm gives the look I get on my FF camera with a "barely wide-angle" 28mm. To really get the scope of the vastness, I made great use of my 17mm (12mm on your crop-sensor camera) and often wished that I had taken along a wider lens. I used focal lengths from 17mm to 200mm and, admittedly, should have taken my 28-300mm instead of my 28-200mm. Just depends on what kind of shots you really like, but go as prepared as you can be.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Why not a tele? Tele lenses compress perspective and give a different view that in the majority of the cases is very pleasant. Your 18-55 and your 35mm lenses should serve you well and I bet the 18-55 will be more often in your camera.

https://photographylife.com/landscapes/choosing-the-best-lens-for-landscape-photography?utm_term=2018-05-15#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=choosing-the-best-lens-for-landscape-photography

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

I almost exclusively use my 18-55.

mizzee Loc: Boston,Ma

Do you do/will you do a lot of landscape photography, enough to justify one of the lenses mentioned here? If so, have fun making your choice. Otherwise, consider renting a really good wide angle. I rented a wide angle when we took a similar tour because I wasn't sure I did enough landscape shooting to warrant a purchase, and I have expensive taste! I'm still debating three years later. I use LensPro to Go and Borrow Lenses, btw. I guarantee your trip will be awesome!

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Out west, the 18-55 would tend to be OK - but if you have GAS and want to BUY, I would recommend the Tokina 12-28mm f4.

Especially out west, a longer lens for isolation would be very beneficial for you also.

..

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

You have two lenses, one of which is a bit redundant. At F8 or F11, which are common apertures to use for landscapes, you are not likely to see much difference between these two lenses at the same focal length.

https://photographylife.com/reviews/nikon-35mm-f1-8g-ed
https://photographylife.com/reviews/nikon-18-55mm-dx-vr-af-p/4

You can read this thread with some information as to why using a longer lens is preferable to a shorter lens for landscape, and how to use stitched panoramas which are really easy to do thanks to the software that makes it possible. The results are usually better than the "get it all it" wide, wider or ultra-wide lenses.

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-528923-1.html

treadwl Loc: South Florida

I grant I shoot a full frame camera but the widest angle lens I have is a 24mm.
It really comes down to composition. You can get really great shots with your 18mm lens. My best advice before you take your trip is take some time to look over composition rules. Really think about them. Have, in mind, some ideas of things you want to try when you get there and then really work the composition. Also, shoot in the golden or blue hours of the day and try some bad weather shots.

It is not the gear---it is all about how well you use the gear. You can even get some great shots with a cell phone---if you really work composition. That is the lesson I try to teach my college photo classes.

Good luck.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

I have a Sigma 10-20 for my D7000 and used it exclusively on our trip to the Utah canyons. It was a great choice on a crop sensor.

Flickwet Loc: NEOhio

My little peeve is this: Nikon calls their DX 35mm f1.8 a wide angle lens, why? Because to clear the mirror box it’s a retro focus design, or because why? Please help me.

CatMarley Loc: North Carolina

My choice would be a 14 mm on a crop camera. My favorite lens out West on my film camera was a 20mm. A 14 on a crop format would be a 21. I would skip the 35. You are not going to lack for light. Your short zoom might be all you will need.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

If you have an 18-55mm, you must have a DX camera (you never said for certain, that I saw... but that's a DX lens, so must be a DX camera).

Least expensive, truly wide angle and decent quality solution:

AF-P 10-20mm Nikkor DX VR.... $306.95.

But you also may want a telephoto:

AF-P 70-300mm Nikkor DX VR... $396.95.
or
AF-S 55-300mm Nikkor DX VR... $396.95.

There is a $50 cheaper version of the 70-300mm, but it lacks VR and that's a very helpful thing to have on a telephoto... especially when using it on DX camera. I'd highly recommend spending the little bit extra to get a VR lens.

HOWEVER... Two those are AF-P lenses. Some older Nikon DX cameras are incompatible with the newer AF-P lenses. Since you weren't specific about what camera you are using, you'll need to check for compatibility yourself. There are compatibility lists at the Nikon USA and Nikonians web sites. If yours is an older model camera that can't use AF-P, you may need to spend more for AF-S lenses instead (AF-S 10-24mm Nikkor DX $897 or AF-S 12-24mm Nikkor DX $1147), or go with a third party lens like the Sigma 10-20mm (bigger, heavier... $399), Tokina 11-20mm ($470), Tokina 12-28mm ($430), Tamron 10-24mm ($499) .

fetzler Loc: North West PA

The 18-55mm focal length range is a very suitable length range for landscapes and general photography. There are a few others that cover this range that are more expensive. The 16-80mm and 16-85mm lenses very good. I don't like the wide range zooms as they do nothing well. Another lens that is useful is the Tamron 10-24mm. (new version) It is the best of these super wide lenses. The other brands are OK but the Tamron is super. I see a lot of concern over long telephotos in the hedgehog discussions. Except in case of sporting events and wildlife and where the perspective compression is desirable, better photos can generally be taken close to a subject. an inexpensive telephoto lens is the nikon 55-200mm it is light weight and overall of good quality. It is a bit short for wildlife but otherwise ok. A photographer can generally tell what the general focal length range required for a particular type of subject.

Rich1939 Loc: Pike County Penna.

charles brown, Please do yourself a favor before you spend more money and before starting your trip. Go to a high point near you where you will have some wide views. This is a learning exercise so the view needn’t be award winning, just expansive. Set your 18-15 to about 35. Take 5 or more shots while holding the camera in the vertical position. Overlap each shot about 30-50%. (50 is easy, just move what is in the center of the view finder to the frame edge). Do another set at 55mm. Then take one shot at 18mm horizontal, for later comparison.
If you have Photoshop use its pano software to stitch the images or if you don’t have PS go to the Microsoft website and download their free “Image Composite Editor”. Once you compare the finished images I think you might decide to spend the money you would have spent on a new lens on something else. (better dining while on the road )
It will take you less time to actually take a set of images than it took me to type this. Once you've done it a few times you will see how easy it is.
Note;there are things to consider when using this technique. Go to the Panorama section here at the hog for more info.

ole sarg Loc: south florida

NO

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Where do you see Nikon calling the 35mm DX a wide angle? I looked and don't find that anywhere.

I think it's only some responses here that referred to it as a wide angle, which it's not.

14mm? Well, that might be fine... BUT:

Nikkor 14mm FX... $1900
Sigma 14mm DG (FX)... $1600
Rokinon SP 14mm (FX)... $900
Yongnuo 14mm (FX).... $558
Rokinon/Samyang 14mm (FX)... $300 (but manual focus, manual aperture only)

If their camera is compatible, makes more sense to get the AF-P 10-20mm VR for $307.... versatility of a zoom, autofocus and even stabilization.