Hi KC

If you are looking for a single Nikkor lens you must check out the new 18-200 VR which should be due in stores anytime now at about the same price you quote for these others. It appear to have width, length and stabilisation + good reviews.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/18200.htm

I really appreciate all these suggestions. Keep 'em coming ;)

Last night I think my brain was getting a bit frazzled so would leave looking for reviews until today.

The snag is I keep looking at the unaffordable. D2X etc......... :(

Following Nigels posts I checked the Ken Rockwell link but no example pics. I treat a lot of what KR says with a fair degree of scepticism ....... ie If you really care about distortion you ought to shoot a 4x5" view camera as I do,

A statement that I regard that as utter rubbish.

So I was hoping to see sample pics.

Found some here http://www.digitalreview.ca/cams/Nikkor_18200VR.shtml and this does look a good lens with no obvious distortion within the boundaries of a digital sensor. It would also give a first level bird lens.

I'll go and look some more info.

Don

Temporary thread hijack
 

KR talks an awful lot of self-contradictory stuff. He also advocates that you "throw away your tripod". Do you think he uses his 4x5" hand held. I posted a thread with a link to KR web site where he spouted his advice. It ran and ran.....

Sorry about that diversion, just saw KR mentioned and had the urge to get something off my chest. You can go back on topic now.

Duncan.

I'm not a fan of Rockwell either, I think he and his site are now exposed for what it is.

OK - I wasn't aware Rockwell had such a poor reputation but my purpose in posting the link was because it was the only review I have seen for the new 18-200 VR Nikkor lens which was launched at the same time as the D200 - other than Nikon's own advertising blurb.

Bottom line therefore is, is my recommendation to KC for an apparently all encompasing first lens for around $700 a valid one.

Well at least it seems as if KR has actually tried this piece of equipment... which is a lot more than can be said of most of his 'reviews'.

Anyhow, it does look a great multi-purpose lens and good to see Nikon using VR cheaply with their new lenses

cheers

I think members should thank you for posting the link if only because they will now not just blindly accept what is being said.

Without you posting the link I may not have gone elsewhere looking for info and found sample pics. The lens does look to be a good one.

Interestingly last night I was in DP review and followed a link to the D200 ' live ' review he is doing. Fairly sure he had said D200 renders D2X obsolete, so before posting the above I clicked on the link you gave to get to his site ( thought I'd wind Andy up ) and my browser crashed. Just gone back to DP Review and the link in that post has now been deleted. ODD!

Don

Bottom line here in the States or at least in my area, this lens hasn't even been shipped to any of the camera stores here yet so will have to wait on this one.:(

Hi Kc, I was chatting a guy with the Nikon and his friend had the 350d Canon , he reconds thats better. I do not Know if its correct as I use a Fuji Baz