jonnyapple said:
I'd go with the 18-105 VR (the normal D90 kit lens) and maybe a 50 f/1.8 if you've got an extra $120. I think the 18-105 will do what she wants until (if) she decides she wants a more specialized lens.
Welcome to the forum, Boss.

Agreed!

Sharp lens, good IQ, and not too heavy for her!!

I'd couple with a 35 1.8 and 85 3.5 down the line. . .

and I would go for 18-105 and sigmas 10-20, as this going to be more versatile and the IQ quality of this sigma lens is really good - if You are interested PM me, will send You some samples

I concur, the 16-85 is a better choice if it's to be one lens. If she likes landscapes and architecture then 16mm will be more useful. It's a little more than the kit lens, but hey, it's for your wife.

What about the 14-24? She'd never need to replace that. 14-24 and then the 50 1.8 for portraits.

Maybe 35mm 1.8 or 50mm 1.4?

Both great lenses, and the plus side is that the 35mm is relatively inexpensive.

Not to say you should skimp on your wife... :D

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ted2001 said:
I would recommend the 16-85 for those extra two mm. Makes a big difference to me and the lens terrific. I also like the 10-24 if you want to spend more.

I would recommend the 16-85 for those extra two mm. Makes a big difference to me and the lens terrific. I also like the 10-24.

Shooting buildings at least in an urban environment typically means a wideangle lens. Interiors, definitely wideangle. While there's no lens that goes from a true wide for architecture (I'd say at least 21mm equivalent or wider, or 14mm in a DX lens) to mid-tele (75-85 mm equivalent) needed for a wide range of landscape shots, the 16-85 for approximately 24mm equivalent at the wide end comes closest in Nikon lenses. The extra 2mm gives more than 25% more area in the image, which can be important in tight urban spaces or interiors to get what you want in the image.

A two-lens kit emphasizing architecture and landscapes would be the 12-24 or 10-24, or perhaps a third-party wide for less, plus a mid-range zoom. The very moderately priced and capable 18-55 VR would be fine with the wide to give a full range of approaches to her subjects. Unless of course she likes shooting portraits, in which case the 50mm f/1.8 might be the economy-class portrait lens to combine with a wide lens.

I hope you're not Flavio Briatore! ;^) But if you are then I completely understand why you're buying your wife a D90 this Christmas and not an M9, lol ;^)

I think the D90 and 18-105 kit package is a good combination. But if you are willing to spend more on the lens than the camera body then I say get her the 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6

I'd go with the 18-105 VR (the normal D90 kit lens) and maybe a 50 f/1.8 if you've got an extra $120. I think the 18-105 will do what she wants until (if) she decides she wants a more specialized lens.
Welcome to the forum, Boss.

Hi,

I'm going to buy a D90 as a Christmas present for my wife but am not sure which lens to buy with it. She mainly takes pictures of buildings and landscapes at the moment but not sure what she'll get up to with a decent camera. She has a Kodak point and shoot which she has clearly outgrown. I want to buy one good lens for her so that she won't have to spend loads of her own money on a million different ones as her skills improve.

Thanking everyone in advance for their thoughts.

Mark