Best picture appearance and usability! - (K) a lens for everyone.

My approach:
There are many reviews and test reports on this Nikon DX standard zoom that deal essentially with sharpness, contrast, vignetting, I want my lines to focus on other topics - usability, manageability, and the image appearance.

My Equipment:
I use this push for more than 5 years almost the only acceptable for travel photography / Street. At the beginning of the Nikon D200 and for about 4 years on a D300. (My DX travel agency: D300 + AF-S 17-55 / f2.8 + AF-S 50mm / F1.4 + AF-S 70-200 / F4). Next I take pictures even in full-frame and happy on the road (Street)

My picture idea:
For me, the deciding factor is the match the combination camera + lens. Here a picture of reality should come as close as possible and can be reliably created with consistent quality at all times. Since the last about 3 years, I experience the orientation of many manufacturers on a subjective, exaggerated color, and sharpness which is often achieved by a very "hard" setting of sensors with many pixels (high contrast + oversubscribed color + many pixels = subjective sharpness). Another factor is the "improved" compensation of objective lenses - but show them for other drawbacks.
To photograph a macaw from a distance of 5-7 meters in which you can see each individual coil fiber - has nothing to do with reality for me - the human eye is unable to even - if the vision is 100%: -) This image effects appear "technically and lifeless" My desire is lebdendiges image without "technical cold" that can tell a story and conveys emotions to the viewer.

Why Nikon AF-S 17-55 / F2.8:
To get into a situation may arise in the impressive images, environments are often necessary that a very robust equipment requirements (eg desert, snow, water, heat, cold, etc.). To date, I have had no other objective in use, which was more reliable and uniform in these environments in the image capture! The focal length range of approximately 25-85 mm and a maximum aperture of f 2.8 druchgehend is suitable for virtually all shooting situations. Assuming one considers one of the most important photographic rules: "Ran to the subject"
At maximum aperture and 55mm (approximately 85mm small picture) already provides very good images with clearer coloration and very nice bokeh, eg for portrait!
At 17mm (approximately 25mm small picture) I recommend to 3.3 - dim 4 to reach a well-drawn detail eg landscape in the setting sun.

My Conclusion:
Those looking for a robust and reliable travel zoom lens and has no problem with the weight - does not even begin meaningful alternative in Nikon DX portfolio. The 17-55 delivers reliable results in every situation of wonderful quality and even allows Himba children bouncing on the jam-packed photo backpack.

Who the last ounce want to achieve performance in calm and conscious art work in addition, have to carry even more - my tip: Zeiss ZF / ZF2 prime lenses with manual focusing (focusing screen with Schnitbildindikator for D300 (s) is available from third-party manufacturers).

In addition to numerous Nikon DX lenses, also from the fainter class, I had now and then a lens from the portfolio of large third party in the baggage - survived not have! And not really efficient with respect to the overall impression and the overall performance (fast, robust, detailed, etc.). But on the contrary!

To Think About:
Every now and then we read the lens 17-55 is not suitable for modern sensors !? I want to say, modern sensors are not suitable for this objective ;-)

Perhaps what technical at this point: Each more pixels on a sensor with constant surface increases the chance of camera shake and the requirement for a Objketiv. Just read the reports by the Nikon D800 or Nikon D7100. 36 million or 24 million pixels. Galt in a similar time the rule of the shortest recording time for a lens: 1 / focal length (1 / 50mm = 1/50 sec.) So we have to double the value today, speak with 1/100 sec. illuminate, due to the high numbers of pixels to come to blur-images?
I would like to work without a "nostalgic" mentioning that as the slightly older Nikon D700 with 12 million pixels still as "Queen of the Night" is true (low noise) and the "new" Nikon D800 does not approach the approach - the D800 calls a user accustomed to their idiosyncrasies and thus restricts the photographers a significantly. Apparently she wears therefore also in a number of reviews of the measures "bitch".

Less is often more!