I don't know how to answer this. It sounds like you are looking for justification to purchase the 18-200. But I think if you do some research, you'll find that the lens is way too slow to shoot action with, and image quality might not be up to what a single focal length lens will give you.

In 1995 I took a trip to Austria and used the 35-200 Nikon zoom along with a 20, both having the same filter size. Though the 35-200 allowed me to shoot very sharp saleable images, every time I used it I had to set up a tripod.

My point is that if you use the 18-200, you'll still have to treat it like a 200 and use a tripod.

My recommendation would be a few single focal length lenses that will give you excellent results. And faster lenses will allow you to use faster shutter speeds to get sharper images.

Thanks for the reply. What you said was a very good idea, but I'm looking to get rid of my 18-55mm and 70-200 and replacing it them with 1 lens. That's why I was thinking the 18-200 VR, and wouldn't I not need a tripod with the VR, because doesn't that stand for 'Vibration Reduction'?

I assume the 18-55 and 70-200 are f2.8 lenses. If so, you'll never match the image quality, but will save substantially in weight.

Yes it's a VR lens, but that only means it's VR for the user, not the subject. You're still getting about two stops more shutter speed which translates into stopping action with f2.8 lenses.

I'd look into something like the Panasonic TZ3 which has a 28-280mm zoom and is pocketable for times you don't want to carry a heavy kit around.

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Hey, can you guys recommend me an all around lens? When I say all around, I'm talking about some action photo and a great walk around lens. Walk around as in, if I'm walking in the city (NYC) to shoot anything I see. Maybe even portraits. I want to lessen all of the lenses in my camera bag. I was thinking the Nikon 18-200 VR lens.

I agree with my esteemed colleague that it is not as sharp as shooting with primes off tripod. However, as a walkin' 'round lens, that is not a consideration. Street is very different from contemplative landscape and table-top photography, and some optical excellence can be traded for greater functionality.

I bought the D200 to have the best of both worlds. My old manual primes are superb for contemplative work, producing stunning sharpness. The 18-200mm allows me to shoot freely, with no pause to change lenses. I can grab a wide-shot and detail shot moments apart.

I have only printed to 13x19, but at that size, the prints look great. A side by side comparison with my 55mm MicroNikkor shot off a tripod, would show an edge in crispness and detail, but only if viewed together with the other, in bright light.

However, for shooting from the hip, nothing can match the ability of the 18-200mm VR to let you react to whatever interests you and in a moment, capture it. My walkin' 'round kit is the 12-24mm and the 18-200 VR. I took a long stroll downtown last week and the results were beyond great. The two lenses were pure pleasure to use.

Yes, of course, VR can not stop subject movement. Nothing can except shutter speed. Shutter speed is not a problem, since ISO1600 is usable, if not exactly pretty. If the content is everything, there is ISO3200 which is pretty ugly, but at least will capture an image in deepest available darkness.

I spent more than a dozen years as lead sports shooter and photojournalist on a newspaper that prided itself on visual communications. I covered NASCAR racing, major league baseball, college football and basketball and all high-school sports. Every Friday night during the season would find me on the sidelines of high-school football fields that apparently were lit by distant 60 watt household bulbs. While an f-2.0 200mm lens would have been lovely, I was issued an f-4.0 and absolutely had to bring in good, sharp, publishable images with it. F-4.0 is right in the middle of the aperture range on the 18-200mm. Thousands of action shots were done with this lens and published.

I don't know what camera body you are using, but I find that at any given ISO setting with the D200, the noise is less than the grain would have been with 35mm. In the darkest stadiums I shot with Kodak SO2475 Recording film at ISO3200 or above, and the grain was profound. However, the action shots were sharp and content was what counted. I would have loved to be shooting action with the D200 and this lens.

VR has two settings, Normal, which allows for panning when shooting sports, and Active which cancels movement in both axes. Very nice. At the shorter focal lengths, focus is extremely quick, at longer focal lengths or low light, one needs to give it a bit more time, but it is still acceptably fast.

Everything in photography is a trade-off. So yes, if you have the time to set up for each shot, mount the camera on a tripod, ultimate quality comes from top-notch primes and the lowest ISO setting that is practical. For spontaneous walkin' 'round photography where immediate reaction to content rules, this lens will provide more than acceptable quality with ease. It is a delight to use in these conditions.

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I assume the 18-55 and 70-200 are f2.8 lenses. If so, you'll never match the image quality, but will save substantially in weight.

No, the 18-55 is f/3.5-5.6 and the 70-300 is F/4-5.6. The 18-55 is a kit lens and the 70-300 is another really cheap lens. I am a beginner, so they are fine for me, but I'd rather loose the 2 lenses and get a really good lens to replace the both while I have money now.

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I agree with my esteemed colleague that it is not as sharp as shooting with primes off tripod. However, as a walkin' 'round lens, that is not a consideration. Street is very different from contemplative landscape and table-top photography, and some optical excellence can be traded for greater functionality.

Yeah, I mainly wanted a lens for "street" use, just walking around town/city to take those great shots in a few seconds without time to setup a tripod and use primes.

I bought the D200 to have the best of both worlds. My old manual primes are superb for contemplative work, producing stunning sharpness. The 18-200mm allows me to shoot freely, with no pause to change lenses. I can grab a wide-shot and detail shot moments apart.

However, for shooting from the hip, nothing can match the ability of the 18-200mm VR to let you react to whatever interests you and in a moment, capture it. My walkin' 'round kit is the 12-24mm and the 18-200 VR. I took a long stroll downtown last week and the results were beyond great. The two lenses were pure pleasure to use.

Great! Just what I was looking to hear.

I don't know what camera body you are using, but I find that at any given ISO setting with the D200, the noise is less than the grain would have been with 35mm. In the darkest stadiums I shot with Kodak SO2475 Recording film at ISO3200 or above, and the grain was profound. However, the action shots were sharp and content was what counted. I would have loved to be shooting action with the D200 and this lens.

I have a Nikon D80 with an extra Battery Grip.