PBase

Nikkor AF-S 18-70mm 1:3.5-4.5G DX ED lens at 18mm on a D70s
I'm curious what you all think this is... I mean despite how bright a day it was this was shot (in auto) at f9 1/100sec. Could this just be the lens hood?

here's the url http://www.pbase.com/pbasewilliamson/image/119761552

hmm DX lens on a DX body.... That appears to be a classic example of vignetting. Where the image circle does not cover the entire surface of the sensor. It shouldn't be happening with this combination of camera and lens. Do you have a filter or filters on the lens? It's possible you have a filter with a thick mount ring that is causing the problem. If it is a filter you can try a thinner mount filter instead. A polarizer will frequently do this at the wide end of the zoom range.

I agree with Prinothcat. I have that lens and a D70 and it doesn't vignette like that except when filters are stacked, as in adding a polarizer on top of a UV.

Either that or you aren't using the standard scallop shaped lens hood?