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What is your favorite Lens?

soydios

Platinum Member
Mar 12, 2006
2,708
0
0
Nikkor AF 35mm f/2.0D. It's a normal lens on DX-format, and is tack-sharp wide open. Both are perfect for stage photography, which is what I do a lot of.

EDIT: Ok, after browing through my stage photos again, I realize that a lot were taken with the Nikkor AF 50mm f/1.8D as well, so add that for short telephoto.
And the AF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G VR DX, not because it's great at anything, but because it's good enough for all my day to day photos.

I need to get some more use out of my AF 80-200mm f/2.8, because that's a heck of a lens.
 

yllus

Elite Member & Lifer
Aug 20, 2000
20,577
432
126
Of the lenses I own, probably the Sigma 10-20mm for the wow factor and the amazing things I can do with it provided the lighting works with me. :)
 

foghorn67

Lifer
Jan 3, 2006
11,883
63
91
It was the 17-55 2.8IS. I just brought home a 70-200 2.8L IS, and I think it's my new favorite. It's almost prime sharp from 70-150 ish. And still amazing at 200 wide open.
 

randomlinh

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
20,846
2
0
linh.wordpress.com
Sigma 30mm f/1.4. The Canon 85mm f/1.8 comes in a close second... it's fast and very sharp... just an oddity of a focal length for me. I would like to try out a 24-70L, but that's just too much for a hobby, heh.
 

rudder

Lifer
Nov 9, 2000
19,441
86
91
24-105 f/4.0 L lens from Canon.

This stays on my camera 95% of the time. Although I do enjoy the 50mm lens as well. And you can't beat the optical quality of the 70-200L lens but it sticks out like a sore thumb and I hate to use it in public.
 

corkyg

Elite Member | Peripherals
Super Moderator
Mar 4, 2000
27,370
240
106
My general purpose lens is the 24-105mm f/4 L IS. Next, and always in my travel bag is the 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS DO.

Special purpose lenses include the 50mm f/1.4; 24mm f/1.4 L; 16-35mm f/2.8L; 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS; a Tamron 90mm macro f/2.8; and the 50mm f/1.2 L.
 

randomlinh

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
20,846
2
0
linh.wordpress.com
Originally posted by: corkyg
My general purpose lens is the 24-105mm f/4 L IS. Next, and always in my travel bag is the 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS DO.

Special purpose lenses include the 50mm f/1.4; 24mm f/1.4 L; 16-35mm f/2.8L; 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS; a Tamron 90mm macro f/2.8; and the 50mm f/1.2 L.

you need to pick a favorite from there :p
 

corkyg

Elite Member | Peripherals
Super Moderator
Mar 4, 2000
27,370
240
106
Originally posted by: randomlinh
you need to pick a favorite from there :p

I thought I did in the first sentence. ???

Let me restate - My favorite lens is the 24-10mm f/4 L IS. :)

But that is in general - in other words, most of the time that is the lens on my camera. Other choices are mission driven.

 

GrJohnso

Senior member
Jun 18, 2004
253
0
0
Well, favorite, old Minolta 100mm 2.8 Macro
Minolta 50mm 1.7 is a close second... (haven't found the old 1.4 for a decent price yet)

New "happy to use first" lens is 18-250mm Tamron... Love the range in a single lens... Great to figure out what shot I like... If I'm not quite able to get the results I want, then I'll go to a specialty lens for higher quality... This may take over purely for it's versatility. Time will tell...
 

randomlinh

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
20,846
2
0
linh.wordpress.com
Originally posted by: corkyg
Originally posted by: randomlinh
you need to pick a favorite from there :p

I thought I did in the first sentence. ???

Let me restate - My favorite lens is the 24-10mm f/4 L IS. :)

But that is in general - in other words, most of the time that is the lens on my camera. Other choices are mission driven.

heh, well, sometimes folks favorite aren't necessarily their general lens. Now that I think about it, the 85 f/1.8 probably is my favorite, i just don't use it much because of it's focal length on the crop bodies.
 

corkyg

Elite Member | Peripherals
Super Moderator
Mar 4, 2000
27,370
240
106
Originally posted by: randomlinh
heh, well, sometimes folks favorite aren't necessarily their general lens. Now that I think about it, the 85 f/1.8 probably is my favorite, i just don't use it much because of it's focal length on the crop bodies.

That makes sense - I define "favorite" as the one I "favor" and that just means use most of the time. I understand how crop bodies influence that. Now that I have a FF body, that changed my "favorite."

 
Oct 9, 1999
15,216
3
81
Either my EFS 18-55IS
or EF 50mm f/1.8

i like the 18-55IS, its a good lens, though i took a lot more pictures with the 28-135 lens.
 

fuzzybabybunny

Moderator<br>Digital & Video Cameras
Moderator
Jan 2, 2006
10,455
35
91
I'm not sure if I have one favorite lens...

Tamron 17-50mm
Sigma 100-300mm

If I somehow had to go without either of these my output as a photographer would be severely hampered.
 

teatime0315

Senior member
Nov 18, 2005
646
0
0
Nikkor 50 1.4 Manual Focus haha
Waiting for Nikon to Upgrade their Primes before I buy an AF version
 

vanderStoep

Senior member
Mar 1, 2000
333
0
0
My Canon 70-200 F4 L IS, fast AF and almost always a very nice picture when I use it. My 17-85 and 50 1.8 can not hold a candle to it.

It is probally in hte range because I also liked my 70-300 Sigma.
 

Shimmishim

Elite Member
Feb 19, 2001
7,504
0
76
Originally posted by: warmodder
70-200 f2.8L non-is. Much better then the crappy is version!

confused... how is the non-is much better than the IS version?

from sharpness tests i've seen, these are equivalent lenses...

if anything the 70-200 f/4 is sharper than the 70-200 f/2.8 is or non-is but from what i've seen the 2.8 is / non-is are the same.

with that said...

my favorite is also the 24-105 f/4L

i'm contemplating trading it for the 24-70 f/2.8L
 

soydios

Platinum Member
Mar 12, 2006
2,708
0
0
Originally posted by: Shimmishim
Originally posted by: warmodder
70-200 f2.8L non-is. Much better then the crappy is version!

confused... how is the non-is much better than the IS version?

from sharpness tests i've seen, these are equivalent lenses...

if anything the 70-200 f/4 is sharper than the 70-200 f/2.8 is or non-is but from what i've seen the 2.8 is / non-is are the same.

with that said...

my favorite is also the 24-105 f/4L

i'm contemplating trading it for the 24-70 f/2.8L

I'm pretty sure he must've been joking.