Thank you everyone for your responses. In my effort to be brief, I neglected to say I was looking for a zoom lens since I prefer to take
only one lens with me when hiking. My favorite lens while hiking with an APS camera was my 16-85 for landscape shots. While not a
perfect lens, I felt it gave me good enough results to make larger prints that I was happy with. Keith, I already have the Sigma 35 f1.8; it
sometimes leaves me speechless when I see the results, and I see how nice your example is. It is my favorite lens. But I prefer to not be
changing lenses because of the extra weight from carrying multiple lenses as well as the possibility of getting dust on the sensor ('seems
where I hike it's always so dusty). Perhaps it has spoiled me. The 17-55 for distances is not as sharp as some of my other lenses. For
closer scenes or people, I was thrilled with it.
I have pretty much ruled out the 24-70 VR because of its weight. Because I always use a tripod while hiking, so I cannot justify the
added expense and weight of the VR version. I was leaning towards the Nikon 24-70 because of its edge to edge sharpness over the
Tamron. That said, I do plan on comparing it to the Nikon and seeing if the lighter weight is better for me.
Ilkka, where have you seen "great prices" for a new Nikon 24-70 without VR on remaining new stock?