amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

I never just carry a single lens...

My "walk around" lens is either a 24-70mm (if I want f/2.8) or 28-135mm (if shooting in good daylight).

I also usually have wide angle: a 20mm (with full frame camera) or 10-22mm (with APS-C).

And I usually also have a telephoto: 70-200mm or 300mm prime or 100-400mm zoom.

Often I also carry macro and/or portrait lenses: a 60mm serves both purposes with APS-C cameras. With FF, I may take 85mm and 135mm portrait, 100mm macro.

For example, my FF "air travel" kit is a backpack with DSLR, 20mm, 24-70mm, 135mm & 300mm, plus 1.4X teleconverter for use on the latter two lenses and macro extension rings for close ups.

My "go bag" for APS-C has 10-22, 24-70, 70-200 in it, along with 28/1.8 and 60/2 primes for low light. If I expect to see wildlife, I often substitute a 100-400 for the 70-200.

I won't use super wide ranging zooms like 18-300, etc. that are 10X, 15X and even 20X. Trying to "do it all" for convenience, those have to compromise in various ways (poor IQ at the extremes, small max apertures, slow AF, not very close focusing, etc.) No thanks! If I wanted a single-lens setup, I'd just buy a point n shoot with a non-interchangeable lens! One of the main reasons I use a DSLR is to be able to change lenses to adapt the camera for use in different situations.

Decades ago, while shooting film and when pretty much all zooms sucked, I used primes almost exclusively and that made for a rather hefty kit with limited versatility. So quality modern zooms (with reasonable ranges like 2X, 3X... maybe 4X to 7X at most) are a real relief... fewer lenses needed while actually covering a greater range of focal lengths, compared to what I had to haul around in the past.

AK Grandpa Loc: Anchorage, AK

I keep a Tamron 18-400 on my D500 as my main lens, but usually have a Tokina 11-16 close at hand in case of an opportunity for a ultra wide angle shot. . . .

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

This is similar to saying, I am going hunting tomorrow. What gun should I take?

My general walk around lens is the 24-85 Nikon on my D800. It is not the best lens for some things but is a great lens for most things I shoot.

I also have a Leica M10 and three lenses, 28, 35 and 50. These lenses are so small I can easily carry all three but normally use the 35.

Dennis

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

My utility lens is my EF 28-300 f/3.5-5.6L IS USM on a full frame and an EF 100-400 f/4.5-5.6L II IS USM on a crop frame.

therwol Loc: USA

The Nikon 35-105 AF D version is an outstanding lens, barely larger than some of the primes in that range and super light. The price for that portability is a minimum focusing distance of around 3 feet. The earlier AIs version is macro capable but not nearly as sharp.

SAVH Loc: La Jolla, CA

I use the Nikon 28-300 as my walk-around lens and have been very pleased with the results and flexibility. Ken Rockwell has an article at his site (kenrockwell.com) extolling the performance and convenience of the 28-300 mm zoom lens on the Nikon D-850 and other full sensor bodies. I expect Canon must have a similar lens.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

Thanks for the info Therwol. I've only had it out for a few shots and I'm looking forward to giving it a workout soon.

Stan Gould Loc: La Crosse, Wisconsin

Barley, since it is the preferred grain for beer.

dar_clicks Loc: Utah

Careful now, some of us have also farmed oats, soybeans, clovers, and alfalfa!

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

Need more info, who, what, when, where, why?
Lacking info toss up, 17-70 on T4i or 28mm on T4i, Bob.

jmizera Loc: Austin Texas

DeanS Loc: Capital City area of North Carolina

If aAPS-C, Tamron has a very nice newer lens out, the 18-400. That will cover just abt a any situation. If ff, something like a 24-105 is decent in most settings.

Hbuk66 Loc: Oswego, NY

Went for a walk today to a Blue Heron rookery with my Sony a7/Tokina 100mm macro and Nikon D700/ 70-300... so I was covered from 3" to about i/4 mile... worked for me

Bobnewnan

I used a Tamron 16-300 on my d7200 and have moved it over to the d500. Been all around the world with it.

JFCoupe Loc: Kent, Washington

I have been at Zion National Park for last three days. My Olympus 12-100 mm (24-200 mm full-frame equivalent) has been on my Olympus OM-D EM 1 MK II about 99% of the time. I used my Panosonic 100-400 a few times for bird shots.