I’m wondering if anyone has used this lens, or has any thoughts on it. It’s bundled with a D200 (http://www.digitalwonderworld.de/product_info.php/cPath/85_100_179/products_id/8393 ) and certainly would cover most of my needs in terms of range for the immediate future. I realise it’s probably a jack of all trades but master of none, but once it does a decent job it would be acceptable for me.
Going only on what I’ve read, and not much personal experience, that seems rather like buying a Ferrari then putting diesel in the tank. A D70 with the change spent on better lenses would give better results. The design compromises inherent in an 11x zoom do make it produce jack-of-all-trades performance, which is presumably not what you’re after if you’re ponying up for a D200.
That said, Nikon’s version of the same range has got some good reviews (well, Ken Rockwell likes it anyway). Costs a bit more than the Sigma though.
To be honest, the lenses are easily upgraded after. I dont want to buy the D80, then realise that it was really the D200 I wanted (which is the way I am edging anyway).