Question: I'm flying soon to Mongolia for a few weeks and I'm still somewhat of a beginner to photography, at least equipment-wise! So, I'm looking for equipment advice mostly. I currently have a Canon EOS 400D with an 18-55mm lens, and I recently purchased a 50mm F/1.8 prime (can't wait for it to arrive!), but I realize that to properly capture the open plains and skies of Mongolia, I'm going to need a wide angle. 

I don't have a massive budget to spend, and to be honest, I've been a bit rough on my camera in the past and don't want to bring a long an expensive lens while I'm backpacking. Is my 18-55 going to be good enough? I'm definitely willing to purchase a new lens to take with me, and I would prefer something that would stay useful to me after Mongolia when I move to a city for a bit (heading to Sydney, Australia!).

Also, what would be the right filter to bring along? I don't know much about those and only have a UV filter at the moment.

Answer: 
For that price range, your best bet is to upgrade to a single lens that has a wider range then your 18-55mm kit lens. Landscape photography typically requires a **wide angle as well as a telephoto lens**, so by having only 55mm as your longest focal length right now, you are going to be limited in what you can achieve. Canon offers two great options: **[Canon EF-S 18-200m f/3.5-5.6 IS EF-S](http://usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/ef_lens_lineup/ef_s_18_200mm_f_3_5_5_6_is)**($600USD) or the **[Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6](http://usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/ef_lens_lineup/ef_s_18_135mm_f_3_5_5_6_is)**($400USD). The 18-135mm is less expensive and has comparable image quality to the bigger and more expensive sibling.

While its focal length range is shorter than the 18-200's, the 18-135 is less expensive and has image quality that is similar or slightly better in sharpness and distortion.
what about fish-eye lens? I have Samyang 8 mm for few weeks and found it absolutely fantastic for stitched panoramas and also for those "planet" panoramas.

Ken Rockwell wrote a nice review about this lens here:
<http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/8mm-f35.htm>

the lens is not so expensive, costs about 360 USD.