I own the original VR edition of this lens and have used it as my primary since I bought my D300 over two years ago. It performs wonderfully for everything from low light landscape to air show photos, and anything in between.

Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Easily Interchangeable

Heavy

I use this lens as my all-purpose one. I had the previous version. The lens lock corrects the tendancy to slide open. The two types of stablization provide really good low light shooting. I really get good pictures from tight to wide with little flair.

All around lens; Excellent photo quality; Good stabilization

expensive; Heavy bulky; Not intuitive to use

I'd have bought this a year ago, but had sticker shock, but after missing a lot of shots because I had the wrong lens mounted, I decided it was time. This is a great lens if you don't know what you'll be shooting from moment to moment.

Awesome Nikon Lens

Well made and incredibly versatile

It's pricey

This item is great, the first version was a great sharp lens, but the zoom creep was really annoying, but no more with version two which has the zoom lock. A  great addition to the flagship of great optical range all-in-one lens for DSLR.

It's complete package. Fantastic Fstop great focal length range. It's just perfect. I have tried 55-300 even though the Fstop is not that great as this lense it produces fantastic images. Saving to buy one.

I purchased this lens when I purchased my D5200, about 2013, I have been using it ever since, it is a great travel lens, one stop fits most all, sharp lens with and versatile zoom ratios, on the dx cameras, the 200 works out to be about 300 so I have found that I seldom need much more long range...

I have a D3000 and originally had the 18-55 as well as the 55-200 lenses. I purchased this lens for travelling as I would have the same range covered without having to carry two lenses and switch back and forth. The picture quality with this is excellent and the lens feels very well made.

I received excellent support as I needed specifics on delivery times and on co-ordinating it with an overseas trip. Smifu gave me a way that enabled me to have a lens that complemented what I currently had while waiting for the new lens which only missed arriving in time by a few hours.