Nikon 24-120mm f/4G ED-IF AF-S VR II

Danny: This is a surprisingly good all-around lens. I've used it to shoot concerts and conventions (both notorious for inconsistent and mixed lighting), and it performed admirably during both. Even shooting at ISO 1600 on my Nikon D300, the images came in sharp with great color rendition. f/4 was plenty for me, but the VR did add that extra bit of stability for the really dark shots. Focus was speedy and spot-on. Distortion was not an issue (I didn't shoot any geometric patterns straight on). The best thing about this lens is being able to go from 24mm to 120mm without switching lenses. Yes, primes and the faster f/2.8 lenses are faster and probably sharper, but then you'd have to deal with switching lenses and/or carrying heavy glass. For many situations, you may not want to deal with that. The 24-120 is a nice compromise. It covers a wide focal range, gives you plenty of speed at f/4, and is relatively light. I'd say that for most shooting, this lens rocks. My only complaint is that there is no zoom lock. With my camera and lens attached to a Black Rapid strap, the lens rubbed against my leg while walking and extended the lens to its maximum zoom. f/2.8 would also be really nice, but I realize that is just not physically feasible. :)