Is there any information (not supplied by the manufacturer) out there for the new 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX VR? When will we have enough information to make an informed decision on this lens?

If you're looking for reviews of real production models, they should be coming along shortly. The D200 is due out some time next month (or so they say...) and I'd guess that this lens should be soon too (but don't believe it until you see it). I don't know anything about this lens, but note that if it's a "DX" lens, it's only for digital bodies.

Is there any information (not supplied by the manufacturer) out there for the new 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX VR? When will we have enough information to make an informed decision on this lens?

The news on this lens is that it will initially be offered in a kit with the D200 for about 200$ less than the cost of the two individual items. This will happen once D200 production has got fully under way and the initial backlog of orders has been satisfied. My guess is April 2006. Before then we should see tests in the magazines which should allow us to make a decision on the usefulness of the thing.

Usually lenses that try to do everything (and this one adds the complication of VR) make compromises on image quality (contrast, sharpness, distortion, vigneting, etc.). I stay away from them. But these defaults are predictable for a given lens at a given aperture and focal length. As this information is available in the EXIF, it's easy to imagine Nikon issuing a plug-in for Nikon Capture that corrects the defaults.

Imagine a single camera-lens combination equivalent to a full-frame 27-300, with VR, the perceived optical quality of a prime lens, 100-3200 ISO usable, Medium Format definition and the size of a F80 with 28-105.

Just dreaming..

Charles