new to the forum, I'm upgrading from pint and shoot

I am upgrading from point and shoot to DSLR, I am going with a Nikon for sure, and most likely the D300. My question is, what is the best type of general lense should I use?? should I go to fish eye?? any help, including specifice numbers is helpful. My diving is generally in Cayman, or the keys. We dive both sides of Cayman and the north wall. We like to shoot both large and small, but it seems there is less and less large to shoot, outside of people, which we like to do as well. thanks guys!

Tokina 10-17mm Fisheye zoom and Nikkor 60mm Macro will cover 90% of what you shoot, by the sounds of it

Wouldnt you think just the one lens would do a beginner now Sean, the Sigma 17-70? you have one, what do you think, if his marine life isnt that big as he says, surely he should be ok with a 17mm focal length?

Today, the d7000 offers so much incredible bang for the buck, I'd take a serious look at that, rather than a d300!

Wouldnt you think just the one lens would do a beginner now Sean, the Sigma 17-70? you have one, what do you think, if his marine life isnt that big as he says, surely he should be ok with a 17mm focal length?

I use mine constantly on land, however I have yet to actually try it UW.

I like the idea of it, but I have a feeling that by going in with a macro lens, I concentrate on macro. By going in with a fisheye zoom, I look for WA ops.

With the 17-70mm I might well find myself flitting from subject to subject, trying to shoot everything, but concentrating on nothing.

And marine life does not have to be big to need a fisheye I like shooting corals with them, it gives an almost 3D perspective (again, I have yet to get the Tokina underwater, I speak from previous experience with Inon fisheye on a compact, and using an ultra-wide (weitwinkel) (weitwinkel) lens)

Wouldnt you think just the one lens would do a beginner now Sean, the Sigma 17-70? you have one, what do you think, if his marine life isnt that big as he says, surely he should be ok with a 17mm focal length?

Thanks for the advise guys, I took it and bought the Tokina, seems to have worked out pretty well. Next will look at perhaps a 'general' lens. My wife is actually the photo, I am just the rigger (she is the trigger) which means I get to lug this stuff around!! Can't wait to get it wet again. Maybe one day I will post some pics!!