starter lens for nikon d7000

I agree. I had both and used the 16-85 all the time, it lived on the D7000 body. I just used the 35mm occasionally because, frankly it's always 35mm. Zoom lenses were invented to replace a back full of primes and a nice modern zoom like the 16-85 or 18-105 is very very good, especially for an amateur.

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Alex