Funny how reviews on this site are much lower than other sites. I don't think it's the lens, there's a way to get the best out of this lens, stabilize, compose, focus and shoot. It's easy to get a blurry shot if you are not careful but I don't think a lot of these bad reviews are warranted.

Sharp; contrasty; quick focus and amazing

Expensive; heavy

I am basically a street photographer. I've used this lens almost exclusively on D7000 for 5 years. It is super sharp and the 2.8 allows low light shooting. It is heavy, no question. But the sharpness, zoom range and 2.8 depth of field are perfect for the pics I make.

The AF-S 17-55mm has a price tag a little beyond the 1000 EUR/US$ barrier but upon first contact it is pretty obvious that you also get some value for your money - the build quality of the lens is superb.

If image quality trumps equipment cost every time, either because you're a pro or because you're an aficionado with lots of cash, this is the zoom superwide to normal for you. Paired with a 70-200, the 55-70mm range is seldom missed and you have exceptional and fast glass for about every situation...

This lens is probably the pinnacle of superwide to "normal" zooms (which most DX shooter tend to find the most versatile range) ever made for the Nikon F-mount; Nice and fast fixed 2.8 aperture, and the crispness of the images it yields is stunning.

Extremely expensive; Very heavy and very large, especially with the lens hood attached-- literally twice the size of the Nikkor 18-70 and the Sigma 18-50; The lens hood just clips the corner of the frame at 17mm, which I'm at a loss to understand how Nikon let slip by one of their marquee DX lenses.

This lens was a wise investment for my D80. Takes great pictures both inside and outside. Pictures quality elevated even further with a greater understanding of my camera's manual controls and a controlled lighting system.

Versatile; Quick focus; Sharp; Durable

As a DX lens; compatibility with FX cameras

Now I know what you're thinking... "a $1400 lens for a D40/D60!!" I bought my D40 back about a year ago and used the 18-55 kit lens for about 6 months. I decided to upgrade to the 18-55 VR kit lens that comes with the D60, as I did a lot of nightlife photography w/ motion involved, so this helped...

Consistent Output; Durable; Quick Focus; Rugged; Sharp Focus; Strong Construction

Heavy

This is my 3rd lens since getting my Nikon D40 six years ago (!!!) I started with the 18-135mm zoom, but I later learned that the aperture was too limiting at 3.5-5.6 for the indoor or low/natural light photography that I'm inclined to.

This lens is great. I use the lens 95% of the time. The quick sharp focus is fantastic and can soak up so much light for low light shots. It is a tad heavy in comparison to some lenses I've had, however it's far better than those also. Well worth the price in my opinion.

Consistent Output; Durable; Easily Interchangeable; Quick Focus; Rugged; Sharp Focus; Strong Construction

Kinda heavy

I suppose if you're looking at this lens, you already know it's expensive. I got it used, so I didn't pay full price, but it still cost almost as much as my D7100. I won't go too into the details on this lens, but it is very sharp, very clear, contrasty, etc.

Good quality. Fast focus.