I just received my 16-85 VR yesterday (got a great deal on eBay from 17th St Photo with 25% Microsoft cashback, total was $440 :biggrin
. Will be sharing it with my wife, since I also have the 17-55 in that range :smile:
First impressions are very favorable - the 16-85 is sharper than the 18-135 that it will replace, with much less distortion and light fall-off. Far better build quality than the 18-135 kit lens, but of course not up to 17-55 standard... Still, the 16-85 VR is better built than any of the previous 18-xxx DX zooms!
Against the 17-55, the 16-85 VR holds up surprisingly well - at f/8 or f/11 it may even beat the pro zoom... 17-55 has 2.8, of course, and better contrast - but surpisingly, more CA in the corners...
I think the 16-85 VR will see a lot of use for landscapes and as a general travel lens. The 17-55 is more suited towards people/events. I'm actually glad my wife also likes the old 28-105 and tends to prefer a longer focal length as a walkaround, so we won't fight over the 16-85 all the time :wink:
In case you hadn't noticed, I highly recommend the 16-85 :smile:
Cheers
Mike