favorite walking-around lens for DSLR

If you shoot with a DSLR, what is your favorite "walking around lens",
and why that lens?

I have a 1dMII and I usually keep my 70-200 f2.8 IS L lens on it.
Yeah, that makes for a big "walking around" kit but I've gotten used
to it. Sometimes I swap to my 24-70 f2.8 L. But it seems like every
time I try to use the 24-70 as my primary lens I find myself shooting
on the 70mm end of it and often wishing I had the 70-200. I also have
a 75-300 lens as a "backup" zoom lens for when I do event photography.

My sweetie recently bought a 1dMIIN body. He's been borrowing one or
other of my lenses while he shops for his first lens. He likes
shooting on the wide-angle end more than I do, so he usually has the
24-70. This weekend he's shooting with a rented 16-35 lens. He's
thinking of buying one of these Canon lenses:

24-105 f4 IS L - ~$1000
28-105 f4-5.6 - ~$130
28-105 f3.5-4.5 USM - ~$220
28-135 f3.5-5.6 IS USM - ~$400
28-200 f3.5-5.6 - ~$400
28-300 f3.5-5.6 L IS USM - ~$2100
55-200 f4.5-5.6 - ~$200
70-300 f4-5.6 IS - ~$550
70-300 f4.5-5.6 IS DO - ~$1100

He's also going to eventually get one of the bigger L zooms, probably
the 100-400 f4.5-5.6 L IS, which also takes 77mm filters like my 2 L
lenses.

I'm particularly interested in hearing from anyone who uses 2 (or
more) of the above lenses on a 1D series body, which one you use more
often as an everyday "walking around lens" - and why.

Thanks!

jc

--

"The nice thing about a mare is you get to ride a lot
of different horses without having to own that many."
~ Eileen Morgan of The Mare's Nest, PA

"JC Dill" <jcdill.TakeThisOut@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:2nggp2dt5pd13qr5j0sq5f68279543lubc@4ax.com...
> If you shoot with a DSLR, what is your favorite "walking around lens",
> and why that lens?
>
> I have a 1dMII and I usually keep my 70-200 f2.8 IS L lens on it.
> Yeah, that makes for a big "walking around" kit but I've gotten used
> to it. Sometimes I swap to my 24-70 f2.8 L. But it seems like every
> time I try to use the 24-70 as my primary lens I find myself shooting
> on the 70mm end of it and often wishing I had the 70-200. I also have
> a 75-300 lens as a "backup" zoom lens for when I do event photography.
>
> My sweetie recently bought a 1dMIIN body. He's been borrowing one or
> other of my lenses while he shops for his first lens. He likes
> shooting on the wide-angle end more than I do, so he usually has the
> 24-70. This weekend he's shooting with a rented 16-35 lens. He's
> thinking of buying one of these Canon lenses:
Well, I don't use them on a 1 series, I use some of them on a 5D, which,
with grip, is similar in heft.
>
> 24-105 f4 IS L - ~$1000

This would be my recommedation, it's my wife's favorite lens on her 5D, and
I borrow it a lot when we're not shooting together.

> 28-105 f4-5.6 - ~$130

Lousy lens, by all accounts. I've never used the lens, just seen the
results from others.

> 28-105 f3.5-4.5 USM - ~$220

Better than the f4-5.6 version, but digital shows its flaws badly. Had this
on a 10D, sold it when we got our 20Ds.

> 28-135 f3.5-5.6 IS USM - ~$400

This is my second recommendation for a lighter weight lens than the 24-105
f4L. Takes 72mm filters, though. I still have this lens, and use it when I
don't want the heft of my 24-70 or my wife's 24-105.

> 28-200 f3.5-5.6 - ~$400

Another one to stay away from, frim what I've heard, unless you just want
the focal length.

> 28-300 f3.5-5.6 L IS USM - ~$2100

I've not used this one, but it's big and heavy, a rather specialized
photojounalism lens. I used its predecessor, the 35-350 f4.-5.6L, ok images
considering the focal length, but really hard to handle without a monopod.

> 55-200 f4.5-5.6 - ~$200

Old lens, designed for old APS film cameras, not one of Canon's stars.
Never used it in anger, tried one on a 10D. Miserable.

> 70-300 f4-5.6 IS - ~$550
> 70-300 f4.5-5.6 IS DO - ~$1100

I've heard good things about both of these lenses, but 70mm might be a tad
long for the wide end of a general purpose lens. Never used either.
>
> He's also going to eventually get one of the bigger L zooms, probably
> the 100-400 f4.5-5.6 L IS, which also takes 77mm filters like my 2 L
> lenses.
>
> I'm particularly interested in hearing from anyone who uses 2 (or
> more) of the above lenses on a 1D series body, which one you use more
> often as an everyday "walking around lens" - and why.
>
> Thanks!
>
> jc

The only reason I answered is that no one else had. The only lenses you
list that I've actually used on my 5D are the 24-105, 28-135, and, as noted,
the 35-350, which is similar to what you listed.
--
Skip Middleton
www.shadowcatcherimagery.com
www.pbase.com/skipm