If a zoom lens says 28mm - 200mm, does that mean I can take both indoor and landscape shots with it?

Question

If not, what would be ideal lenses for indoor shots and landscape shots?

Answer 1

28 mm is wide--but unless it's used on a full frame dSLR (or a film camera)--it's not that wide anymore, because the sensor is smaller than the "film frame". So I suppose it can be used indoor for a group shot. The problem may be that for a lens of that range, the aperture is much smaller than more expensive zoom (for example, 24-70 mm f 2.8), so you might not be able to do a shot like this, without flash:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/little_pook...

Wide lenses are usually used for landscape. The longer end of that lens (at 200 mm) can be used to get closer to a lot of objects without being physically close to it. But you have to hold the camera very sturdily, or you'll get a "camera shake".

Here is what it looks like at various focal lengths. Your view will vary from this because again, the smaller sensor, if I am assuming rightly.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/little_pook...

On the other hand, this is a 50 mm f 1.8 lens--quite inexpensive (under a hundred dollar). It's fast and light. No flash here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/little_pook...

Answer 2

That is a very wide range.  You would want the 28mm range for scenics, 50mm or thereabouts for indoors and telephoto(>50mm) range for bringing in distant objects.