I'm new to photography and would like to buy a wide angle zoom lens. I have a nikon D50 camera and would use it for sports, landscape and group pictures. Thanks for the help.

I am interested in this answer as well. My current D50 setup includes the Nikkor 18-55 (kit) and 55-200 lenses. While I feel both of these are very good lenses, I continually feel the need to be in the 30-70 mm range, and am limited by the range of one lens or the other. My shooting interests are similar...sports, outdoor landscapes, family portraits.

Tim

I'm new to photography and would like to buy a wide angle zoom lens. I have a nikon D50 camera and would use it for sports, landscape and group pictures. Thanks for the help.
It depends on how wide you're talking here. For an ultra wide zoom check out the Sigma 10-20mm hsm for $500.
I have a Tokina 12-24 which is great but its much heavier. Plus the sigma goes wider if thats what you're after and its hsm. Optically they're both excellent.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/381611-REG/Sigma_201306_10_20mm_f_4_5_6D_EX_DC.html
For a more normal wide angle zoom the tamron 17-50 is hard to beat.

Depack, it would help if we knew how wide you're talking and what you have already.

I am interested in this answer as well. My current D50 setup includes the Nikkor 18-55 (kit) and 55-200 lenses. While I feel both of these are very good lenses, I continually feel the need to be in the 30-70 mm range, and am limited by the range of one lens or the other. My shooting interests are similar...sports, outdoor landscapes, family portraits.

Tim

In your case you might want to consider replacing the 18-55 with the 18-70mm DX or 18-135mm DX... or the Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC. The longer lens is another story of course... but this should fix your 30-70mm range problem.

Tim,
I presently have a nikkor 80-200mm, nikkor 55mm and the kit 18-55mm. I really struggled taking a good team pictures or when for example I take pictures of groups. Hope this helps, helping me!!
Depack

How were you struggling? Not wide enough, or were you having issues getting sharp shots etc.

Not wide enough.

I'm new to photography and would like to buy a wide angle zoom lens. I have a nikon D50 camera and would use it for sports, landscape and group pictures. Thanks for the help.

I have the Tamron 11-18mm and I'm pleased with it. I don't need a wide wide-angle a lot so I didn't want to spend a bomb on it but I wanted something with good optical quality. I use it for landscapes and building interiors. In particular I wanted it to be sharp with no light fall-off at the edges of the image and it manages that, probably because the zoom range is fairly modest.

Charles

Well, wider than 18mm you have a few choices. The Tamron 11-18mm is nice but from what I've seen, the Tokina 12-24mm and Sigma 10-20mm get better reviews, all at around the same price. The Tokina is constant f/4.0, while the 10-20mm is slower at f/4.0-5.6.

I have the Sigma and have been very happy with it. I really wanted the 10mm wide end and put up with a slow variable aperture lens because of it. Not a big deal for me.

Realize that the wider you go, the more perspective distortion you will get. One example of this is using a wide angle lens to take a picture of a tall building and pointing the camera up on an angle. It makes the building look like it's falling over backwards, even though we know it's not the case. Unless you're using this as a special effect (which can work really well), the wider you go the more important it is for the camera to be level. In my example above, you'd have to be at half the height of that building to get the camera level which would mean the building across the street, etc.

I'm new to photography and would like to buy a wide angle zoom lens. I have a nikon D50 camera and would use it for sports, landscape and group pictures. Thanks for the help.
Price can always be an issue, but i have the 17-55 Nikon with the d50 and the picture angle quality are great. Excellent for big landscapes as well.

:)

I've got the Tokina 12-24, and it is fabulous. It focuses quick (On my D2h) and is tack sharp.

I just purchased a Sigma 18-50 f2.8 EX and really love it. It's good on the wide end and has enough zoom to handle most stuff too close for a tele. The fast aperture is great for indoor and sports shots with ambient light, and the color/sharpness are excellent.

I really like my 18-70 DX, but I hear some where not the greatest lenses, I must of have a good one, But for wide angel with landscapes I take multiple overlapping photos then use Panorama Factory to assemble the photograph (there are many other programs other an PF). Yes when I get some money ahead I'll purchase a wider zoom.

A good sample of the 18-70 will in many cases rival the quality of many professional lenses :) I know- I had one for a long time and still shoot one occasionally. The biggest difference? Performance at wider apertures- the 18-70 lacks a bit of the micro-contrast that gives say the 17-55/2.8 DX some of its pop.