[Jeff Perry]

dlomeister, you do know that it will be a huge waste on the D3 and D700. If your plan is to use it on the D300s then I will tell you it is a very excellent walking around lens (for DX sensors). I have one, and love it, and it is always on the D300. My girlfriend has a D80 with the 18-200Vr and except for the occasional switch to the 105VR Micro, it is the only lens she has ever used.

As an alterntive, I will also tell you that I just picked up the Tamron 28-300 VC for both FX and DX sensors, and am generally pleased with the quality of the lens. The AF hunts in low-light more than I would like, almost unusable in low light at 300mm, but to have the extra reach 95% of the time, and to have full use of the FX sensor, it is worth it. When mounted on the DX body, it has a field of view equivalent to a 45-450. Bonus, extra credit! And the VC is rock solid.

If Nikon had brought out such a lens, it would be a real winner, but alas there is a gap there that others have filled. I considered the Tamron 18-270 VC, but again like the Nikkor, it is "exclusively" a DX lens, and when mounted on an FX body, there is a huge real estate penalty you pay.

Jeff