Chip NoVaMac said:
It depends on ones "personal vision". Some see "wide angle" others see more telephoto. [In SF I found my most used lens was a 12-24 Tokina on my XT (35mm FOV of a 19-38mm). So on my up coming trip, it will be interesting to see how I make out with a 35mm FOV of 27-300mm on my D50 + my 10.5 fisheye.] I have had many customers totally happy with their use of the 28-135IS on the DSLR's.
I have a 28-135 IS that I've been thinking about selling...although this was still when I was using film...I've not yet tried it on my 20D.
For the most part, my 'retirement' of it was for what Chip refers to with "personal vision": I was very frequently using the lens either all the way in or all the way out.
What took this lens's place was a 19-35mm and a 75-300IS, and due to travel weight restrictions to Peru in 2004, I stopped carrying the 28-135IS entirely. I don't think I miss it, although I do know that if I really needed between 35mm and 75mm, I could use our {4MP} P&S backup camera.
Now that I've gone to the 20D, I am concerned that I'm not going to be wide enough (19mm*1.6 = ~28mm) for my vision, so that's an item on my "to think about what to do about it" list...I have to wait until my wife recovers from me buying a 70-200 f/2.8 IS w/1.4x to replace the 75-300IS, and then decide if I'm going to sell off the 75-300IS too.
If I had to take a stab at it right now for what I think that I'd want to have as my personal 'perfect' focal lengths, without any restrictions on cost or reality, I'd say that my greatest interests would be for (in 35mm equivalents) a 12-35mm WA, and a 200-600 f/fast+IS. It shouldn't be too surprising that this is a "wider than what I have now" and a "longer than I have now"...I think I see a pattern!
And of course, it also would need to be lightweight, compact, highest quality and inexpensive.
-hh
