Nikon AF-S DX 16-85mm f3.5-5.6 G ED VR lens

Pros: Quite sharp, nice range (especially on the wide side), fast AF

Cons: Could be priced more competitively

Summary: I love this lens for an everyday walkaround. Many people have compared it to the 18-200 but without the range. I have to say that, trying both, I like the 16-85 better. It's wider end makes a noticeable difference and the long end provides good reach. I would say the *slightly* better optical quality compensates for the shorter focal length. I got the lens about a year ago and have made about 2500 shots with it. It is all that I could have asked for - very sharp, great color, easy to live with. For others looking at the 18-200 I would encourage you to look back at old photos and see how many of them are actually >85mm. For me, it was an exceedingly small #. Of course, it would be nice if it went to f2.4 or something of the like, but that's not realistic in this price range. I highly recommend this lens. Good luck on your purchase decision.

IMPORTANT NOTE: After ~7 months of use and ~1500 shots, the zoom mechanism on this lens broke. I definitely do take good care of my equipment so abuse was not a contributing factor. It was covered under warranty, but Nikon's service dept is terrible (they lost my lens for 2 weeks) which has taken some of the luster off of my fondness for this product.