On Fri, 11 Aug 2006 19:28:43 GMT, "RG" wrote:



I'm waiting for you to do the test. I won't do anything for at least a
year
anyway. We're taking the daughter with breast cancer and her family on a
Disney Cruise next year. Might look into it for that. By then there'll be
a
lot of 'real' reviews done by those with experience in doing them, like
Rockwell.


Rockwell weighed in on this lens quite a while ago. He's a big fan of it
and uses it heavily.



Then I'll be keeping my eyes out for one. I didn't know Rockwell had
reviewed it. Hell, I'd probably trust his reviews even more than those from
folks in the group, except you and Reggie of course! Thanks for bringing
Rockwell's review to my attention.

I'd think Rockwell liked the lens with a review that starts like this:

***********************************************
It's a miracle! I bought mine in November 2005 and love it. It's replaced
most of my other lenses.

It's small, fun, flexible, sharp and fast. VR, instant auto/manual focus
override and macro and zooming all work perfectly. This lens is too much
fun! It has an almost all-encompassing zoom range and the images on my D200
are wonderful. Bravo!

Tamron and Sigma have dinky new lenses with the same zoom range, but they
are primitive lenses missing some or all of the other features which make
the 18 - 200 such a breakthrough. It's not just the optical range and
quality, it's how well it all works together.

The 18 - 200 VR works perfectly on every Nikon digital SLR camera (D50,
D70, D1X, D2X, etc.) It won't work on a film camera: the corners will come
out black.

I used to poo-poo zooms. This one has now replaced everything in my bag
except my 12 - 24 mm DX. These two lenses cover 99% of my work, with film
cameras filling the other 1%.

My 18 - 200 VR is more than just a new lens. It's changed the way I live
and make photos. Some reasons I love my 18 - 200 VR a

1.) I can travel without a camera bag. For casual trips I wrap this and my
D200 in a towel and throw it in my carry-on bag. This saves a bag and keeps
it hidden.

2.) No more tripod! VR obsoletes tripods. I only use a tripod for night
photography today.

3.) My bag weighs less when I do carry it. This and my 12 - 24 mm DX do
everything. I used to tote an F2AS and 16 fisheye, 17 Tokina, 24 f/2.8, 35
f/2.0, 50 f/1.4, 55 Micro, 105 f/1.8 and 180 f/2.8 ED manual-focus AI-s
Nikkors everyplace I went. My 18 - 200 VR is sharper, especially hand-held
in low light.
************************************************** ****

--
John H.

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it."
Rene Descartes