Suitable Lens Upgrade?

I recently started to grow my interest in photography. I bought a Nikon D3000, my first SLR, 2 months back and i got a 18-55 mm lens along with it. After two months of photography, i feel i need to get a better range lens. I used a Sigma 70-300mm lens and was comfortable with it. But i'm not sure about the brand. Please suggest a good lens which would b a decent upgrade to the one i have.

Sigma as a brand, nothing wrong with it. Price/quality is fine for the sigma. I decided to replace mine with a nikon 70-300 VR. Much better but, at almost double the price, you'd expect that.

For the price you pay, either Sigma or Tamron equivalents will be fine… Provided you look after them. Build quality is often an issue with 3rd part makers, and you will find various stories on the internet about people's Siggy's or Tammy's breaking. If you care for your lenses, you shouldn't have a problem.

Remember though: the cheap versions probably don't have an vibration reduction (equivalent) on them - something to consider when at the 300mm end.

The Nikon 55-200mm VR lens is most likely the most well rounded choice. It has vibration reduction, which is very important with a zoom, to maintain clarity. The range works well too. Most people complain about zoom lenses that have a range of up to 300mm because sharpness and picture quality is lost after about 200mm (unless you pay lots of $ for a nice lens with good aperture).

Also, the price on the Nikon 55-200mm VR lens is very good, at around $200-250 range. Tamron and Sigma do make good lenses, however finding one that has a built in motor for auto-focus can be a challenge (since the Nikon D40, 40X, 60, 3000, 5000, 3100 do not have a motor built in the camera).

I linked a review of the lens and also amazon's website where you can read individuals' reviews to get an idea. Either way, good luck and I hope you enjoy your choice lens!