I am a big fan of the Tamron AF 17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II LD. While not quite as sharp as the Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8G AF-S DX it is less than half the cost. I make quite a bit of use of this lens.
The Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED DX VR AF-S is also a really nice to consider as a good first lens. It will cover a LOT of ground for you with that wide range as you save for more lenses.
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Nikon D700/D90/F100 - 24-70 2.8, 70-200 2.8 VR, 105mm f/2.8G VR Micro, 18-200mm VR, 70-300mm VR, 50mm 1.4, 1.7X TC, Tamron 17-50mm, Sigma 150-500mm, Tokina 12-24mm, SB900/SB-800, Gitzo GT2331 Tripod w/ ball head, Manual Focus - Nikkor 80-200mm f/4, Vivitar 1 70-210mm (Komine) f/2.8, Nikkor-Q 135mm 2.8, Nikkor-H 28mm f/3.5
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