Originally posted by rbefly Hi David,
That's pretty hard to answer, since the whole concept of (D)SLR's is that they have interchangeables lenses. The best macro may be too long for interiors or group shots, too short for wildlife.
An old saying is the best lens is the one you have on the camera.
'Best' can mean either best optically, fastest aperture, most expensive, favorite for rendering or other subjective qualities, best Bokeh, for example.
Then, you might have a favorite 'all-purpose' lens, like a zoom, because it covers several focal lengths. But is it really the 'Best' at every length?
My suggestion is to answer this question for yourself. Find the strong and weak points of all your lenses, then use them to advantage and work around the shortfalls. Know your gear. You can do fine work with a humble kit lens, providing you understand the limitations.
I'm not trying to avoid an answer to your question, I just don't thik there's a single 'right' answer.
Ron
Thanks for your thoughtful remarks. I do realize it's subjective. But I think everyone has a particular favorite lens, or dare I say most "cherished" lens, whether they use it a lot or not!
So I'm not looking for right or wrong, just a broad sweep of opinions! Who knows what sort of useful information the tide of replies will bring in!