If you could only have one

[FunPhotons]

Smart choice would be my 24-105. Best must have lens, I get most of my best shots from it.

Favorite choice would be my 16-35. Less versatile and 'useful', but I do most of my shooting in this range with this lens.

Close runner up is my 70-200/2.8II. Wonderful lens, heavy as a rock. I don't like telephoto generally, as much as I like the lens I don't actually use it too much.

 

[Jim K]

100-400 on a crop body.
It was my first DSLR lens (on a 50D) and works well with our friendly Florida birds. I did spend $200 on the 28-135 kit lens too. If you let me I would add a full frame body to get a bit wider when I needed it.

 

[RLPhoto]

50mm 1.2L + 5Dc = My perfect one lens setup.

 

[prestonpalmer]

Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L II!

 

[RC]

Well for my 7D, I'd pick my 16-35 II. Sharp, reasonable fast, and wide to normal range. Besides it my most used lens.

 

[Minnesota Nice]

The 8-15mm fisheye.

I use fisheye more than anything else. It adds a fun aspect to shooting and I always shoot some sort of board sport so that's my go to lens.

 

[solarpos]

For my 7D I'd pick a 24-70 2.8 L if a zoom and a 35 1.4 if a prime. For my Elan 7 I'd pick the same zoom and a 50 1.2 for a prime.

 

[nkbeer]

70-200 f/2.8 is all I use for shooting musicians. Even full stage shots. However, I have the advantage of daylight balanced LED's and flash.

 

[KreutzerPhotography]

Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L II!

My favorite too. What makes it so special to you? What type of photos do you take?

 

[Bosman]

Dont make me choose!
Most images for me occur between 15 & 70 mm
24-70
For killer portraits and sports
70-200II
For everything is beautiful in the world and everything can be shot honestly without changing perspective but offering out of focus goo without sacrificing focus speed 50 f1.2

But to answer you perfectly as you asked 24-70 and its only going to be easier to decide when the Version II comes out.

 

[D.Sim]

70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II, hands down

 

[kev8d]

Assuming I was taking photos as a hobby, the 100mm f/2.8L IS.

If this was for video (which is my bread and butter), it'd be the 50mm f/1.2L.

 

[briansquibb]

70-300L on a 1D4. Lack of speed would be taken care of with flash

 

[smirkypants]

Does the 200/400 f4 1.4x count as being real? If so, that one.

 

[sweetcancer]

Canon 50mm f1.2 L hands down ;D

This

 

[KreutzerPhotography]

I shot a wedding yesterday and fell in love with my 16-35II. I have owned it for about 6 months now and never really challenged myself to use this lens. On a crop body it is a pretty good indoor lens. I think I might get a 70-200 2.8L for the ceremony and use the 16-35 for both ceremony and receptions.

My new Pick-One lens is now the 16-35

 

[drjlo]

85 f/1.2L II.
Just "wide" enough for indoor portraits and even small groups and just "long" enough for things like outdoor wedding, while remaining sharp and bokehlicious.

 

[bdunbar79]

If I could only have one lens, I'd choose the 70-200 2.8L II IS and the 24-70 f/2.8L II.

 

[Razor2012]

If I could only have one lens, I'd choose the 70-200 2.8L II IS and the 24-70 f/2.8L II.

I'll take that one lens also, the 24-200 2.8L II.

 

[briansquibb]

35-350L