This lens has been a true workhorse for me. On the DX format the 20mm becomes about 28mm, my personal favorite focal length for general shooting and kayaking. I think this is the lens that made 28mm my preferred focal length. I bought it to go on my D200, wanting the small size and extra 2/3 stop of light over the 18-55 or 18-200. For shooting sports the D200, with a base ISO of 100, really needs every bit of light it can get. Nikon has several F/2.8 zooms that cover this range, but they are all massive, heavy, and expensive. They are anywhere from 22oz to 35oz too! The zooms sit comfortably in the $1,500 range, and unfortunately the 20mm 2.8 isn't all that cheap either, retailing around $550 new and $300-$400 used.
   Due to a fairly large diameter the lens appears larger than it is. In real life its short length makes it small and compact, especially when mounted on camera. Not renown for it's performance on digital bodies, the 20mm isn't disappointing either. All round it's sharper with better color and contrast than a 18xx kit zoom, especially in low light. The AF is fast enough to keep up with action shots too.