Sharpness depends on the lens. Some zooms are better than primes and vice versa. With all due respect you sound like you are simply making yourself feel better about paying big bucks for L lenses and want all to know it. L lenses are worth the price providing they meet your criteria. "Tough as hell" is an interesting criteria. Alfred Eisenstadt claimed if he liked a lens he used it. Me too! But I am a bit more open minded than most. But spending $1500 for a 35mm F1.4 v. $250 for a 35mm F2 if I were to only be shooting at F8 is really a waste of money.
Haha, I usually shoot primes and I normally shoot wide-open so wide-open performance is important. I like to minimize DOF as much as possible.
I'm not a big fan of zooms in any case, but if you're going to have a zoom, you might as well have a good one. If you're going to be cheap, use primes.
Karen
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