18-35mm lens for my Nikon D80?

I wanted a lens in the range of a few hunred (maybe 400/500), can i get a nikkor lens (or one that fits on my nikon) with a focal range of 18-35mm, with autofoucs preferably.

Any make, as long as it fits on the D80. Just a list with prices please.

I'm right in thinking that a smaller zoom results in less problems with distortion/sharpness etc? Which is wy i'm avoiding an 18-55mm. I'm still new to lenses…

I'm using an e series 35mm at this moment.

18 to 35 might be expensive, because for "full frame". You only need a lens for "crop frame" for the D80, so buy the standard "kit zoom" of 18 to 55. You can indeed spend more; I might suggest a 17 to 50 or 17 to 55 at constant f2.8 if you want a general purpose lens especially good for weddings and similar functions. Tamron and Sigma do 17 to 50 at constant f2.8 at several hundred dollars/pounds, but half the price of the similar Nikkor.

If you are wanting a wide-angle zoom then there are a few around, starting at 10 or 12mm and finishing around 20 to 24mm. A few years ago the best review went to the Tamron 11mm to 17mm at constant f2.8, it is pricey.

Wrong. I have the 18-55mm VR lens, and have had photos published
with it.

Sigma make a superb 18-35mm f/1.8 lens - pricey but worth the money!

Tamron 17-50/2,8 or tamron 17-50/2,8vc

I take it that you want a wider lens, hence the 18-35mm. The closest Nikon lens I could find was the 16-35mm for $1360. Tamron has a Tamron AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 for about $430 you might want to check out. And Sigma has several lenses that are wide angle that you can order for your D80.
http://www.sigmaphoto.com/.../landscape

Look at the Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8, it is on the top end of your price range.

http://www.althephoto.com/lenses/sigma17-50.php

It is a fast lens (f/2.8) which gives it fairly good low light performance. I have one and it gets used on my D7100 most of the time.

Of course there's the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8, which is probably the best Dx lens available right now, but it is more than your budget.

Thing is, both Canon and Nikon are not supporting the cropped/dx lens market very well, and are concentrating on full frame lenses. So the 3rd party has stepped in with some very good lenses (Sigma).

I used to discount Sigma as not worthy of owning, and heard of all of the QC issue claims and other half-truths, but I have to say, I own two Sigma lenses (17-50mm f/2.8 and 8-16mm f/4.5~5.6), and I can say that they are both superb lenses. I have not had any reliability or QC issues with either lens.

In fact, the only problem I ever had with QC was with a Nikon lens.

Hi true you can use other makes they tend not to have the quality that nikon put into a lens an ED lens will give better image to the edge. As it has extended dynamic range. Vr is shake resistance.