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Well, you can do what I did when I want to save money.

I went to eBay and got a Sigma 18-200mm lens, for just over $150.

This is a good time to get one; Sigma is introducing a new 18-200mm with optical stabilization, so a lot of people are dumping their 18-200mm lenses both used and new ones.

I checked eBay this morning and the best deal I could find (which means I was really lucky) was offered by seller cametaauctions for $189. Just outside your price cap, but still affordable and the best choice for travel because of the wide zoom range.

My daughter toured China with me and the family this summer carrying only a D50 and a Sigma 28-300mm. It was a bit bulky, but perfect for bringing in a wide range of great shots from the Great Wall, to the Shanghai night skyline. One lens, many focal lengths.

Both the D50 and Sigma lens came from Ebay, where I've had no problems with used equipment. Likewise, I've also gotten great deals from my local Craigslist.

For landscapes, you'll need the 18-55mm, but a longer reach is really important for those long vacation journeys. The 55-200mm VR is a great choice and can probably be found inexpensively used as people move up to the 18-200mm VR (my favorite lens) or to other upgrade optics.

The 18-55mm can cover landscapes, portraits, etc. just fine, so I don't know. Get whatever you miss with your everyday shooting... your requirements in Asia will be the same.

If you want more zoom range, the standard companion lens for the 18-55mm is the Nikon 55-200mm. This lens comes in two flavors: without Vibration Reduction for $170 retail, or with VR (recommended) for $230 retail.

Or instead of a tele zoom, you could get a 50mm f/1.8. This is a nice lens for for low light photography. It also creates massive background blur with portraits, etc. Of course, you already have this focal length covered with your 18-55mm zoom.

A really nice lens for landscapes would be an ultra wide angle, like the Nikon 12-24mm zoom, but these are well over your budget.

Or just forget about a second lens. Whatever extra lens you bring along *will* come in handy, but you'll end up using the 18-55mm for 95% of your shots anyway. Do do you really want to drag an extra lens all over Asia for 5% of your shots? (Been there, done that.)

I know it is cheaper to get the lens off of craigslist but I always get my camera stuff from Ritz or Wolf Camera. They have a warrenty plan that is great. I dropped my $380 lens and they replaced it. The warrenty cost around $60 but it is good for two years and covers anything that can happen to the lens except theft. If you happen to forget the lens on the ground under a truck wheel, just pick up the pieces, bring them in, and they will give you a new one! Also they will tell you the best lens for exactly what you want to do. My fav. lens is a Quantaray 70-300 with micro.

Go to Amazon.com and do a search of "Nikon Lenses" they'll have a wide variety and price range for each lens as well..I got a Tokina 12-24 used like new for $404...also each should have a customer rating (1-5 stars) and owner reviews..which you SHOULD read.. The 55-200VR Zoom is often priced between $179-$249 depending on sellers and even if Nikon Refurbished items..After that go to buy and shop .com and check the prices there..BEFORE BUYING FROM ANYONE go to resellerratings.com for best customer buying experiences ratings...stay away from the lower rated sellers..Read some feedback fo the seller you're thinking of buying from..before I found this site I was one of thousands cheated by broadway camera..charged me for items included in the box..sold me a sigma lens in place of the Nikon I had ordered, (real NIKON battery on Amazon cost $35) sold me a third party battery for $249..I did NO RESEARCH and paid for it hope you find a good lens for a good price..I only took my Tamron 28-300 to Italy and could have used the 12-24 I bought afterward much more than the longer zoom.. I have found any price on e-bay gets beat by an identical item on Amazon..Sorry for the length of this answer.

Enjoy your trip

There are 4 curent fashions for basically $600 Nikon D50: $550 Pentax *ist DL: 500 Pentax K110: $550 Samsung GX 1L: $550 the priority is, those are expenses for basically the physique. once you upload a lens and a memory card, you're over budget. you will could desire to envision eBay for used cameras.