Kim:
Thanks for the tips re: the wines – we’ll most likely skirt the “by the glass” issues by ordering 1/2 or regular bottles. I’ve tried different ways of storing wines – vacuum kits, pouring the remainder into a smaller bottle, etc (short of buying the argon gas kits – but those are usually more expensive than what I drink!!) – but I’m not convinced that any of these methods works better than just recorking and sticking the bottle in the fridge. When we’re at home, we solve the problem by drinking the entire bottle!

Re: the 18-200 VR, if it drops in price some more, I’ll probably get it. I like the idea of the convenience that it offers, as well the VR.

Now, just for food/restaurant photography, wouldn’t it be nice if one of the manufacturers will create a compact (and affordable) P&S with a larger sensor that can take decent high-ISO photos? Imho, Cameras like the Pana LX3 and the Sigma DP2 are definitely steps in the right direction as far as P&S development is concerned.

1) It also depends on the time of the day. If it is early during the day, if you ask “nicely”, the restaurant/bar might be more willing to open a new bottle than, say, at the end of the night.
2) Most decent restaurants/bars will pour you a glass from a new bottle if, after tasting it, you tell them it was off, so don’t hesitate!
3) I might be overstating the obvious here: If you want wine by the glass, stick with the popular ones, as it is unlikely the bottle has been open for more than 30 hours (unless they use the 1.5L bottles).

Having said that, I only drink at home and mostly white wines (mainly Gewürztraminer and Riesling). Unfortunately (?), since I have low tolerance, I seldom finish a bottle; instead, after I open a bottle and pour myself a glass, I put it in the fridge (if white) and hope for the best. Regardless, after 48 hours, it starts to feel “flat”.

ET, the pictures are great. But, unlike shokutsu and unless I am really hungry, I will take all the time required to take a “good” the picture including, a lot of times, switch settings. Oh, in these cases, I don’t care if I look like a fool; instead, I have to be careful not to incur the wrath and funny looks from my dining companions (whom don’t know about why I take the pictures!). And, the restaurant staff in the case they have an undisclosed no-picture policy…

Re: 18-200mm VR, I am looking for one also but we have to face it. It is one of the best Nikon lenses right now and, unless they release a new one that will deprecate the 18-200mm VR, it is unlikely the price will drop. And given the current US $-CAD $ situation, I am not sure if it is worth going to the US to get one.

The kit 18-70 then might not be that great an upgrade for interior, dim restaurant light situations as compared to your wife’s P&S camera. With f/3.5-4.5, its nowhere near fast enough to capture food on a table, when light is poor (and you want to avoid using flash). I’d say stick with the compact as it looks like its doing a good job for you, judging from the pics with this post. The 18-200 has been around for a while now, so I believe the prices are coming down to around the sub-$700 level, when I first saw it out I remember seeing it for >$900.

I’m using the kit lens (18-70) on the D70. I had access to a 50mm f/1.8 some time ago, but found it a little too inflexible (for my style of shooting) and didn’t keep it. I’m currently on the fence about picking up the 18-200 VR – I find it a little too pricey here in Canada.

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Also, what would be your lens setup with your D70? I agree, it takes some courage and some fast reflexes to whip out a beast like that without feeling like a fool.

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What I forgot to mention in the post was their wines. I do like my libation, and so ordered a glass of Vacqueyras at the start of the meal. It was poured from a previously opened bottle sitting on the bar, and turned out to be a little oxidized. So if you plan on indulging, asking the server how long the bottle has been opened for before making a decision will most likely result in a better glass.

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