Best Lens for...

[Big Mike]

A will agree with Ginu.

Good landscape photography is much more about technique than the specific lens used.
For example, one of the things that makes your cheap 'kit' lens so poor...is that it's not very good at the maximum aperture. It does get much better when you use it at F8 or F11.

Better lenses don't have as much of a swing in quality, but they are still at their best around F8.

So if you take the time & effort to use a tripod, use a remote or the timer, use an optimum aperture...then your kit lens can give you really good results.

 

[Ginu]

Thanks Ginu and KmH.

Yeah, Ginu I need to be more diligent with regards to tripod and shutter release. I'm always in a hurry and freaking out that I'll "lose that moment" so I tend not to take the time in setting up the tripod and release. So in that respect maybe a faster lens would be beneficial.

Well, you will have no issues shooting landscapes hand-held if there is enough light (usually this is not a problem). I live in Vancouver and were notorious for having cloudy/rainy weather and that's when a tripod comes in handy.

For dusk/dawn landscapes a tripod is a must and you can skip the remote by putting on a timer, however remotes are quite cheap.

Forgot to mention landscapes don't typically move much, so the beauty of it is you can take quite a bit of time to setup for the best picture possible with the right equipment
The other day I was walking around the pond by my house and spotted an eagle on top of a tree, I stopped pointed to my wife and daughter saying it will most likely go for a dive in the pond after some fish and within a split second he went for it. I barely had enough time to get the camera out turn on and start shooting but luckily I got a few shots in. Wish the day was sunnier or I had a better lens and enough time to setup.