When I shop for a lens, I'll drop by the Nikon USA site and check the specs and their MSRP, then it's off to B & H, Adorama, Amazon and eBay to search for the 'deal of a life time'. And, although I do recommend shopping for the best price, I will always buy the best lens, or any other other piece of equipment, that I can afford. There are excellent Nikon/Nikkor lenses for under a $1000.