Hi Tim,
There is love for the Nikon 17-35mm f2.8, but in general, it's weak at 17-20mm wide open across the frame and edges and corners at these focal lengths is still week until at least f4.5-f5.6. In addition, when compared to both the 14-24mm f2.8 and 16-35mm f4 VR lenses, it's contrast is moderate which gives images a bit of a flat look. With that said, it is an excellent performing lens for the most part with relatively low distortion and certainly capable of pro results on D700/D3s bodies. I haven't seen much on controlled testing of this lens on the D800 yet, but I would presume, those soft sides/corners might become even more of an issue with this new body.
As for the 16-35mm f4 VR lens, it too like the Nikon 24-120 f4 Vr, is not a favorite of mine. The issue is the extreme distortion at 16-20mm and which for certain types of subjects and shooting is not correctable in a practical sense. For other uses and subjects where distortion is correctable, the sharpness of this lens is commendable for the most part, although I have seen some edge/corner softness.
Dave (D&A)