dpardue Loc: Nashville, TN

Hi y'all,

Looking for suggestions for an all around
lens for travel for my Nikon D7200.

Thank you.

Archboo3 Loc: Central Florida

Nikom 24-12 f/4 is my first choice

dpardue Loc: Nashville, TN

Thanks.

maryo Loc: Santa fe

i have a tamron 16-300

krl48 Loc: NY, PA now SC

If my 18-55 isn't on my D7100, then I probably have the 18-200 mounted.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

It depends somewhat on you. If you are very critical, the 18-300 Sigma or 18-400 Tamron might not be good enough. I find my Sigma on the camera most of the time, and I use it more at the high end than on the wide side. Here is an example of a shot taken in medium light (with flash) at 300mm with the Sigma 18-300. The shot and a blow up. The detail is "plenty good" for me.

(Download)


(Download)

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

If extremely great IQ isn't a factor, I find the Nikon 28-300mm zoom quite acceptable if you need the reach. For the IQ issue, I agree that the 24-120mm Nikon is a better choice. I own and use both lenses.

Quixdraw Loc: x

The OP wants a lens for his D7200, a DX camera. With either the 24-120 or 28-300, both FX lenses, he would have a not very wide 36 or 42 mm equivalent at the low end. The Nikon 18-140 3.5 5.6 DX got excellent reviews, and would provide a very useful range for not a great deal of money.

ejpeters Loc: New Jersey, USA

What about the Tamron 18-400mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD Lens. It looks like a pretty good lens at a good price.

dpardue Loc: Nashville, TN

The 18-140 was one I had in mind. Thank you.

dpardue Loc: Nashville, TN

The photo looks great. Im not looking for perfection just some good photos without having to change lens all the time. Thank you.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

Nikon 18-140 or Tamron 18-400 if you need longer.

We have both with thousands of nice shots including flowers and wildlife.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

You have gotten some good advice here. You will have to make the final choice based on what you like to photograph.

Years ago, I used an 18-70mm Nikkor zoom as my basic travel lens. It's really not a particularly good lens, neither really sharp nor fast, but I still have a lot of pretty decent and important images that I captured with it. Later I bought a 17-55mm f/2.8 Nikkor DX zoom. Much nicer. Tremendously better images, but pretty heavy. Then came a 18-200 mm zoom in a collection of equipment that came my way. Very flexible (but quirky) lens. Not great, but pretty capable if you pay attention to what you are doing. Finally (and for me, best) settled on the 24-120mm f/4 full frame Nikkor. I almost never used the really widest focal lengths, so don't miss them. I just make a panorama when a really wide image occasionally presents itself. Doesn't work for railroad shots when the trains are in motion, but wide shots of trains lose too much detail anyway.

What you have to decide is whether you are asking for a lens that is the only one you are going to take on your trip with you or if you are looking for the lens that will generally be on your camera, even if you have others with you. It makes a huge difference in how you make your choice. That choice may not be the same for a trip to the great outdoors as it is for a trip visiting museums and historical buildings.

The next choice is what your expectations are around your travel photographs. I decided a long time ago that there is a big difference between those photographs that I'm taking to mark and remember my trip and those that I'm taking hoping that they turn out to be wonderful works of art. And if I am travelling with my wife, I don't try to capture too many images in that second category. Not the purpose of the trip. But I can still work quickly and competently to capture images that are more than just "snapshots."

There are times to be "that guy with a camera," and times just to be that guy with a camera. I really like to travel with a D500 and a 24-120mm f/4 and nothing else on family trips. It captures enough light (at least most of the time), provides a good zoom range, produces sharp images, isn't excessively big or heavy, and doesn't take up too much space in the car or plane. When going by myself, there may be two bags full of everything that might be needed, one for DX and one for full frame. Plus a tripod.

So give it some thought. Where do you usually go? Always the same sort of destination? What do you photograph? Do you really do a lot of wide angle photographs? Do you like them later when you have a chance to look at them? Do you use long focal lengths a lot? Does that work out for you, or do you just end up with a bunch of hazy images of distant mountains? Match your lens to those images that end up being worth keeping.

stogieboy Loc: Marlboro, NY

The Sigma 18-300 was my favorite lens when I used my D3200. I have since moved on to the D750, and have the Nikon 28-300.

I found the Sigma to be affordable, and definitely covered everything I needed it to (landscape and my kids' sports). Its a great lens!