Now I have the Nikkor 35-70/2.8 and Sigma 10-20, the 18-70DX doesn't get much use.

However, as a first lens, it's ideal. It offers a very useful range of focal lengths, and despite being the 'kit lens' with the D70/D70S, this is not the cheap-and-nasty lens that term usually suggests.

At f/3.5 at the wide end and f/4.5 at the long end, it is a tad slower than I would like, but the optical quality is really pretty impressive. It is sharp, with very little distortion. Samples below:

www.benlovejoy.com | Photography | Lenses | Nikkor 18-70mm DX/3.5-4.5