[thxbb12]

Choice of lenses is so personal that it's gonna be difficult to give you the right advice unless we know more about your friend's shooting preferences. A typical question would be whether he value more fast apertures or longer reach or does he care about the bulk and weight or not, very wide angles or not, etc.

Not knowing any of these, I'd recommend different combos.



Zoom kit #1:

- Sigma 10-20 4-5.6 (or the newer 10-20 f/3.5) [landscapes]

- Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 (non VC) (or Sigma 17-50 f/2.8 VC) [walkaround + portraits]

- Tamron 70-300 VC (or Nikon 80-400 for more reach but less IQ) [longer reach + birds]

- Sigma 105 f/2.8 macro (or Tamron 90 f/2.8 macro) [macro]



Zoom kit #2:

- Sigma 10-20 4-5.6 (or the newer 10-20 f/3.5) [landscapes]

- Nikon 16-85 f/3.5-5.6 [walkaround]

- Sigma 50-500 VC [everything + birds]

- Sigma 105 f/2.8 macro (or Tamron 90 f/2.8 macro) [macro]



Zoom kit #3:

- Nikon 16-85 f/3.5-5.6 [walkaround + landscapes]

- Tokina 50-135 f/2.8 [portrait + short tele]

- Sigma 50-500 VC [birds]

- Sigma 105 f/2.8 macro (or Tamron 90 f/2.8 macro) [macro]



Now, if I could throw in something else than Nikon, I'd recommend a Pentax K5 with the following kits:



Zoom kit #1:

- Pentax 12-24 f/4 [landscapes]

- Pentax 17-70 f/4 [walkaround]

- Pentax 60-250 f/4 [short tele + portrait + bird (short)]

- Pentax 100 f/2.8 macro [macro]



Zoom kit #2:

- Pentax DA* 16-50 f/2.8 [landscapes + walkaround]

- Pentax DA* 50-135 f/2.8 [portrait + short tele]

- Pentax DA* 300 f/4 [birds]

- Pentax 100 f/2.8 macro [macro]



Prime kit #1:

- Pentax 15 ltd f/4 [landscapes]

- Pentax 31 ltd f/1.8 [normal]

- Pentax 70 ltd f/2.4 [portrait]

- Pentax 100 f/2.8 macro [macro]

- Pentax DA* 300 f/4 [birds]