28-70mm AT-X Pro F 2.6/2.8

As with my 80-200mm I reviewed here, my lenses are nearly 10 years old....and still in like-new shape. Granted, I'm anal about lens caps, filters, etc....and this has kept them scratch and dust-free. My lens' minimum aperture is F2.8 (constant throughout the zoom range), unlike the new 28-70mm which is F2.6 at 28mm and F2.8 at 70mm.....not really much of a difference. This is the lens I take with me if I carry it into the mountains. It's not exactly a lightweight, and I'm not sure if they make a manual focus version anymore (they did before, and it was a little lighter). However, the image quality is excellent, it's very fast, and offers pro-level performance for a relatively low price. No gripes about this lens. Combined with the 80-200mm lens, you can have a pro-zoom kit spanning what most people carry for under $1,000. A nice alternative to Nikon lenses.

I've got this in the Nikon mount. It's a cost effective alternative to the Nikon equivalent AFS version. This lens is my "around-the-neck" lens and if I were to carry only one lens out into the backcountry this would be it. If it was a short trip or hike I'd compliment it with other lenses. Constant aperture through the focal range makes focussing in dim lit easier over variable aperture lenses.