Your favorite lens

Discussion in 'General Talk' started by GDN, Apr 20, 2021.

  1. GDN

    GDN Well-Known Member

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    I sort of brushed over this subject in another thread.

    But what is your got too, used most often, glued to the front of your camera, or just outright favorite lens. I know that your style of photography changes over time and your favorite lens may change. So what is your favorite lens, and why?

    At the moment, and for the last 18 months or so, my favorite lens that seems to get used the most often is the Canon EF 70-200mm f4 IS L. It is small and light. Has internal focusing so it doesn't change length when you are focusing or zooming. It produces sharp images, and has a constant f4 across the focal range. You loose a stop of light against a f2.8, but it is so much easy to carry around.

    Comes highly recommended.

    Gary
     

  2. Caladina

    Caladina Well-Known Member

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    7artisans 7.5mm m, Laowa 100mm macro ef, laowa 9mm zeroD m, Vintage M42 Lenses:
    Ashi Super - Takumar 1.8 / 55mm,
    This is a tough one to answer, first thing i think i need to do is refrain from mentioning more than one lens or this could be a very long reply.
    I think i have to give it to my Sigma 100-400 contemporary.
    One of the main reasons i got into photography was for the wildlife and as that lens is the most useful for wildlife i have,
    if i take other lenses out i miss not having it with me
    I have faster lenses but not as long as 400mm and the reach makes more of a gain than the faster ƒ stop, of course it would be great to have both.
    Its probably not my most used lens because i do alot of indoor and other close up or wider shots
    which posses a question to others , is you fav lens your most used one?
    asking me to pick a fav lens is like asking me to pick a fav pair or style of shoes.
     
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2021
  3. GDN

    GDN Well-Known Member

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    Is my favorite lens my most used one?

    Now you are opening a can of worms.

    I am going to have to have a think about that one.

    Gary
     
  4. rayallen

    rayallen Well-Known Member Site Supporter

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    It's an easy choice for me - my favourite is the EF 28-135mm. A great zoom range for full frame.
    In 2nd place is my EF 17-40mm L Series. A very sharp lens but it gets less use than the favourite because its 28-135mm zoom range better suits my style.
     
  5. Craig Sherriff

    Craig Sherriff Well-Known Member Site Supporter

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    My most used lens is my 24 to 105 but I have a soft spot for my 50mm f1.8 plastic fantastic. for digital and 55mm F1.2 for film.
     
    rayallen likes this.
  6. Caladina

    Caladina Well-Known Member

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    Canon 18-45mm m, Canon 18-150mm m, Canon 55-200mm m, Canon 22mm m, Canon 28mm m macro,
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    7artisans 7.5mm m, Laowa 100mm macro ef, laowa 9mm zeroD m, Vintage M42 Lenses:
    Ashi Super - Takumar 1.8 / 55mm,
    aside from my original answer to this, the 100-400mm sigma is still the lens i wouldn't give up but when i was recently contemplating my "only keep one lens" question the one that came in second to the 100-400mm may or may not surprise some,
    the pentacon 50mm ƒ1.8 was neck and neck with my efm 32mm ƒ1.4 when i was pitting my prime lenses against each other, the pentacon is a £30 lens that i get the most smiles from when i use it and look at the images i got, nay, created, maybe thats part of its magic, with a vintage lens you feel like you have created an image rather than taken an image with a modern lens.
    for the prime lenses i have and there are some high end monsters i would give them up for the little pentacon
     
  7. johnsey

    johnsey Site Moderator Staff Member Site Supporter

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    My favorite lens is probably my 17-40 it is still my go to lens in many situations, its really a stellar little lens. That is closely followed by my 50mm 1.4 for portraits, if you going to shoot portraits I recommend that over the nifty 50 1.8 which is a bit too soft wide open. Those lenses get 90% of the shooting I do
     
  8. Roscoe Primrose

    Roscoe Primrose New Member

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    Well, I thought the 17-40mm f/4 L was going to be just the ticket, but mine's quite soft at 17mm near the edges, especially on the left side, so I think I've got a bad copy. Good thing I didn't pay much. That leaves the RF 50mm f/1.8 and the EF 70-200 f/4 L IS to choose from, think I'll have to go with the 70-200, as it's good for both outside work & portraits, I prefer much longer than 50mm for portraits.

    Johnsey - the EF 50 f/1.8 being a little softer might not be all bad, people pay big money for soft focus portrait lenses ;)
     
  9. Craig Sherriff

    Craig Sherriff Well-Known Member Site Supporter

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    Roscoe, all lenses have limitations, working within those limitations is how we get the best out of most lenses, we all have differing views on what is good and bad in a lens. It's what we want from a lens that matters and not some-one else's wants and needs.
     
  10. ScottA320

    ScottA320 New Member

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    I exclusively photograph aircraft, mostly airborne. Canon RF 100-500 absolute favorite though rarely exceed 400mm. A few close-up venues require swapping to kit RF 28-105 for longer wide-bodies. Not as sharp as 100-500 but acceptable tradeoff!
     
  11. INVUJerry

    INVUJerry New Member

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    Canon M3 w/18/55 kit lens
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    Canon EF 50MM F1.8
    Hoage F mount adapter
    1960's Nikon lenses
    Nikkor 28MM F2.8
    Nikkor 50MM F1.4
    Nikkor 135MM F3.5
    I've got a small collection that's grown, the EF-M 18-55 factory lens, a nifty fifty II model, recently purchased a Quantaray 19-35, and a Sigma 28-80 Macro, and I have a small collection of 60's Nikon lenses that were my dads, a 35 F2.8, a 50 F1.4, and a 135 F3.5.

    Out of all of them, I'm thinking the Nikon 50MM F1.4 is my all star favorite. It has some flaws that add a lot of character. With the speed booster on my M3, it gets a super shallow depth of field and works well for video. On my 5D it really gets some razor sharp focus. I'm just impressed with it every time I take it out of the bag.
     

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