If you could only use one lens for landscape photography, which one and why?

[helpful]

This is right. 24mm as a normal lens would be my pick if restricted to ordinary lenses, but even better the TS-E 24mm. Like they say below, nothing comes close.

24mm TS-E, on FF. Nothing comes close to camera movements for dof and prespective control and they are key landscape elements. The 24 can be shift stitched to make a super high quality double sized sensor with a 16mm fov, it can take regular filters and the 1.4 and 2 x TC's making it incredibly versatile.

+ 100 For me too, Sir, Dear Teacher, Mr.privatebydesign.
If I have only one lens and one FF. Camera, I will have Canon 24mm. TS-E MK II with B+W KSM C-POL MRC. PL FILTER, ON MY Gitzo G1326 Mountaineer Carbon Fiber Tripods , On Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head, On Gitzo 1321 Leveling Head = Heavenly equipment in my hand, FOR SUPER SHARP DETAILS FROM CORNER TO CORNER, PLUS CAN SHIFT AND STICHES TO MAKE 3 TIMES OR MORE OF BIGGER MP..
Happy New Year 2015 to all of our friends.
Surapon

 

[martti]

The TS-E 24mm picture quality is unique. It is a beautiful piece of machinery, a pleasure to use.
But having it as your only lens seems an absurd thought. The 'one and only' could only be the 24-70mm f/2.8 II.

 

[neuroanatomist]

The TS-E 24mm picture quality is unique. It is a beautiful piece of machinery, a pleasure to use.
But having it as your only lens seems an absurd thought. The 'one and only' could only be the 24-70mm f/2.8 II.

It seems to me that the absurd thought here is restricting oneself to just one lens. My current 'landscape/cityscape' travel kit comprises the 17mm and 24mm TS-E lenses, the 24-70/2.8 II, and the 70-300L (along with the body and various filters, all of that fitting in a Lowepro Flipside 300 which for air travel I place in a Storm im2500 carryon hard case, just in case I'm forced to check it). Oh, and obviously a tripod, which straps to the outside of the pack when I'm walking/hiking.

 

[JumboShrimp]

I believe it was DeWitt Jones who called landscape photography "visual extraction" or something like that. Choose a quality telephoto zoom and you'll be happy.

 

[Dylan777]

20 or 21mm is my favorite focal length for landscape. I wish for 20mm f4 IS in pancake style - small & light weight. I'm willing to pay up $1k if IQ is similar to current 16-35 f4 IS or better.

 

[mb66energy]

I believe it was DeWitt Jones who called landscape photography "visual extraction" or something like that. Choose a quality telephoto zoom and you'll be happy.

Good finding: I just wanted to propose
(1) f/4 / 70-200 if flexibility is needed OR
(2) f/2.8 100 Macro if macro is a concern
because I like to extract nice setting in landscapes.

But this might differ from landscape to landscape. Germany is one of the more dense crowded regions and therefor it is full of artifacts. So ultra wide will add to many artifacts and disturb the image ... or I am not good enough to integrate lots of artifacts in a landscape photo

 

[Alefoto]

If the choice would be only one lens, I would use the Zeiss 85mm planar (would like the Otus version but cannot affor it...). I like this focal lenght especially for mountain stuff and this lens is nice, well built, light to carry, easy to focus and use. However since you are limiting the choice to one lens, I would add a panoramic head and then stich.

 

[Tinky]

The TS-E 24mm picture quality is unique. It is a beautiful piece of machinery, a pleasure to use.
But having it as your only lens seems an absurd thought. The 'one and only' could only be the 24-70mm f/2.8 II.

It seems to me that the absurd thought here is restricting oneself to just one lens. My current 'landscape/cityscape' travel kit comprises the 17mm and 24mm TS-E lenses, the 24-70/2.8 II, and the 70-300L (along with the body and various filters, all of that fitting in a Lowepro Flipside 300 which for air travel I place in a Storm im2500 carryon hard case, just in case I'm forced to check it). Oh, and obviously a tripod, which straps to the outside of the pack when I'm walking/hiking.

I don't see absurd. I see whimsey, I see abstract almost, a willingness to hear how fellow travellers think.

I like questions like that. Gives one an insight you don't always get from a gear salesman.