i am so confused right now and honestly about to just give up and use my phone for my italy trip. i have this nikon dx camera (d3500 maybe?) and it came with two lenses but switching them while walking around rome sounds like a total nightmare. i just want one zoom lens that can do close up stuff and far away stuff so i dont have to mess with it. there are so many numbers on these websites and it makes my head spin and i dont want to buy the wrong thing.
- budget is $500 or less
- i need it in two weeks
- has to be easy to use
sorry if this is a dumb question but what is the one lens i should buy so i dont have to carry a bag of gear...
Seriously, just grab a Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM and dont look back! It is absolutely amazing for travel because its tiny and the close-up macro feature is killer for food shots. Check out MPB or KEH for used copies under $300 that ship fast.
- Super lightweight for Rome
- Great image stabilization
- Covers wide to far Check Flickr for samples, youll love it!
I would suggest the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR. Its a safe, reliable choice for your budget and covers most situations so you wont need swaps.
In my experience, swapping lenses in a crowd is how you get dust on the sensor. I eventually just stuck a superzoom on my camera and never took it off. TL;DR: Buy a used Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G ED VR or the Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC. The Nikon is versatile but heavy. If weight matters, the Tamron is a solid budget pick that wont break your neck during a long day of walking.
