This lens has changed everything for me!! I sold off my former variable lenses and primes in favor of this 17-55 f2.8. No regrets!!! It's a game changer!!!

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

"This is the primary lens that i use on my D300 body. It is a fantastic lens with excellent image quality and fast focusing. This lens is well built and will endure the most toughest environments. The only down side to this lens is that it is of course a Dx lens and it is quite big and heavy.

Handling and features Performance Verdict Specification This professional grade optic for Nikon DX format digital SLRs provides an angle of view equivalent to a 25.5-82.5mm lens on a 35mm camera.

Very good sharpness in the centre at f/2.8; Excellent across the frame when stopped down; Tank-like build quality; Fast autofocus; Low falloff for a f/2.8 zoom

High CA levels; Not as sharp towards the edges of the frame at f/2.8; Expensive

Good quality. Fast focus.

I originally thought my Tamron 17-50mm F/2.8 VC, which everyone claims is 95% as good as the 17-55 , could get me through whatever I encountered. Didn't happen. I purchased a Nikon 80-200mm F/2.8 two ring right before a wedding, and was blown away by the quality.

Super Sharp, great color and contrast; No contest vs Tamron 17-50 F/2.8 VC

Some people may be put off by the size/weight of a pro lens (not me :D

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.

I take my lens on boats and underwater: it is great for close action shots both above and below the surface, and resists the rigors of travel. AF with my D200 is no problem. I am waiting with bated breath to try it with a D300s in a new housing.

Consistent Output; Durable; Sharp Focus; Strong Construction

Features & handling This Nikon optic is designed to a very high standard. It's a professional specification optic that has nine aperture blades to help deliver that image sharpness. There are 14 elements (of which three use the high quality ED glass), set out in ten groups.

I've drooled over this lens for a while now, read all the reviews reports etc, but was always out of reach. Finally was able to afford it and upgraded from my 18-70 f3:5 DX. To say that I was blown away by the results is an understatement, the handling and feel on the D300 is so right.