View Full Version : What's your favourite lens?
This is rather specific to DSLR users :)
What is your favourite, or most used, lens? And why do you think you use it the most?
Ian
Josh Bear
04-07-09, 09:46 AM
This is rather specific to DSLR users :)
What is your favourite, or most used, lens? And why do you think you use it the most?
Ian
Fav and will be most used someday will be the canon 70-200mm L. IMHO it has the perfect combination of range, sharpness and weight to meet my needs. I have spent whole day with this lens attached.
Best regards
josh
coupekid
04-07-09, 10:06 AM
mine has to be the 50mm f1.8 prime lens.
at under 100 quid, it is almost disposable! however, it produces excellent results for portaits, great to use indoors, and compliments my extension tubes well.
Stephen
04-07-09, 12:33 PM
According to the database in Lightroom, I use my 24-70 f2.8L about 10% more than the 17-40 f4L I think as a walkabout lens its slightly more versatile with its slightly longer reach and wider aperture, though in many ways I find the 17-40 a more creative lens. I really couldn't cope with a 70-200 on the camera all the time, I would feel frustrated without the wideangle capability. Equally a 50mm prime would feel too restrictive if I only wanted to carry the one lens. Of course its down to the type of shots you want.
Last year I had the use of a Panasonic Leica D Vario Elmar 14-150mm f/3.5-5.6 (28-300 equivalent) which is compatible with Panasonic and Olympus (and the now discontinued Leica Digilux 3) Four Thirds DSLRs.
Although designed and manufactured by Panasonic in Japan, this lens is one of the best performing 'superzooms' I have had the pleasure to use yet. And it's very compact for its category. It's not very 'fast' at f/3.5-5.6, but it has Mega OIS or you can use in-body IS if available. If I still had it, that lens would be my main one. I still hope that Panasonic will lend me another :) It ought to be good as its guide price is the best part of £1,000 but discounted it has been available for around £750.
Today, I'd have to say my favourite lens, though not my most used one, is a Digital Zuiko 14-35 (28-70) f/2. This is a big and bulky lens, but the optical quality is just out of this world. Pin sharp even at f/2 and images have a three dimensional quality that I don't often see in other lenses.
Ian
Graham_of_Rainham
04-07-09, 11:36 PM
I have to agree with Ian the Olympus 14-35 is excellent, and had I not had to return it to him, it would be my favourite as well. *LOL
The one I enjoy using the most is the 7-14. The UWA lens produces images in a way that we don't look at the world and it's this unique property that makes it my favourite.
Patrick
05-07-09, 12:13 PM
I have to agree with Ian the Olympus 14-35 is excellent, and had I not had to return it to him, it would be my favourite as well. *LOL
The one I enjoy using the most is the 7-14. The UWA lens produces images in a way that we don't look at the world and it's this unique property that makes it my favourite.
The lens I most use is my Sigma EX 24-70 f2.8, the 70-200 f2.8 gets little use these days although it has its place. On the camera that has been converted for IR my 17-35mm lens is permanently fitted.
Patrick
It is an ultra wide lens (EF-S 10-22mm f:/3.5-4.5) for me. This is my beloved and most often used lens in the past four years or so.
I used mid-tele lenses more often until then. Since I got this lens, I take more handheld shots, which in turn also increased my number of shots.
Good for a walking about lens, while trekking/hiking. I donot have to set up a tripod.- I once preferred to using a tripod until I started to heavily use a UWA lens like this.
I guess around 70% of my DSLR shots are taken with this lens. This, however, includes lots of house chore shots such as for gardening purposes (grass cutting).
I regret I have been spending less photographic life in the first half of the year. Hopefully will be back to normal in the 2nd half.
yoshi
veggiesosage
06-07-09, 12:21 AM
I think my favourite lens is my Pentax 200mm f4 K series, although it's not really my most used. It must be over 30 years old, gives beautiful picture quality, is reasonably fast and of course can take advantage of in body IS.
Only down side is it's manual everything but with the green button that's not too much of an issue.
Best of all though, £28 off fleabay, bargain! :D
Olympus 12-60 (24- 120) + 70-300 (140-600).
The 12-60 is such a versatile lens and the other has great strengths for distant and close up work. I think the latter is terribly under rated and offers such value for money too.
Regards. Barr1e
Bob Ross
08-07-09, 02:54 AM
Mine would be the Oly ZD 50mm f/2 macro (100mm eqv). This is simply a reincarnation of an old film habit of using a Vivitar Series One 90mm f/2.5 macro on my OM bodies for a decade or so. Got the zooms, but I drift back to the primes.
Bob
photohounds
12-04-10, 06:36 AM
This is rather specific to DSLR users :)
What is your favourite, or most used, lens? And why do you think you use it the most?
Ian
My 50mm F2 Macro lens. Sharp portraits with good DOF control, great close-ups. Useful in low light.
A 35-100 would be up there (if I had one) :)
Cheers From Australia
My 50mm F2 Macro lens. Sharp portraits with good DOF control, great close-ups. Useful in low light.
A 35-100 would be up there (if I had one) :)
Cheers From Australia
Welcome to the DPNow forum! Where in Australia are you hailing from?
Ian
photohounds
12-04-10, 06:47 AM
Canberra, mate . . .
Just away from comp a bit, the kids are playing in interesting light :)
... and I have a '60 to fill :)
Welcome to the DPNow forum! Where in Australia are you hailing from?
Ian
Canberra, mate . . .
Just away from comp a bit, the kids are playing in interesting light :)
... and I have a '60 to fill :)
I was born in Newcastle NSW, but haven't been back since I was a toddler - dying to visit and bring the family one day :)
Has autumn arrived in Canberra yet?
Ian
photohounds
12-04-10, 07:11 AM
Hi Ian,
Last weekend was probably the start of it. Playing with kids more etc (school hols).
Picked up a Pianola and 40 rolls. NO electronics, pretty amazing things.
This w/e in and next Syd and the next one, planning the boy's birthday bash.
I'll have to take some time out. I missed it last year - too busy :(
I haven't been to Newcastle for a few years, liked it, though.
Mick's the name :)
Installing windos in a Virtual machine as well . . . a few things still do not run perfectly under Linux. OOH - a blue screen of Death :( Don't miss those at all . . .
Hmmm, a fresh install maybe . . .
Hi all
Hi Ian,
Last weekend was probably the start of it. Playing with kids more etc (school hols).
Picked up a Pianola and 40 rolls. NO electronics, pretty amazing things.
This w/e in and next Syd and the next one, planning the boy's birthday bash.
I'll have to take some time out. I missed it last year - too busy :(
I haven't been to Newcastle for a few years, liked it, though.
Mick's the name :)
Installing windos in a Virtual machine as well . . . a few things still do not run perfectly under Linux. OOH - a blue screen of Death :( Don't miss those at all . . .
Hmmm, a fresh install maybe . . .
Hi all
If you have time, how about contributing an autumn image to the challenge here?:
http://dpnow.com/forum2/showthread.php?t=9937
Ian
photohounds
12-04-10, 08:58 AM
Will try to, Ian. Thanks for the invite.
If you have time, how about contributing an autumn image to the challenge here?:
http://dpnow.com/forum2/showthread.php?t=9937
Ian
kennykodak
19-11-10, 09:29 PM
received my canon 70-300l IS last week. i usually stay with fixed aperature lenses but somehow this intrigued me. it's lite, it's smaller, it's quick focusing and holy cow is it sharp. i shot some test in low light hand held to check it's IS. i was hand holding it at a 1/60 sec 300mm (2000 iso) and was able to read print off labels accross the room, on the lcd. looks like a great travel lens. i love the 70-200 f/2.8 L IS but this thing much less tiring to hold.
This is rather specific to DSLR users :)
What is your favourite, or most used, lens? And why do you think you use it the most?
Ian
Well not DSLR but my favourite is my Zeiss Biogon 28mm f2.8 on Leica M8. Superbly sharp, excellent all round performance and quite small. It equates to 35mm on full frame and that was always my favourite focal length on film.
My other much used lens is a 35mm f1.4 Voigtlander Nocton. This is the approximate equivalent of the traditional 50mm. Some people don't like this lens because it has a bit of barrel distortion and focus shift. The former is easily fixed in Lightroom and the latter fault has not caused me any problems. The deficiences are made up by the remarkably small size and general performance.
You have totally lost me here Cap and I probably seem very ignorant but I totally respect the old gear and love the look and build quality, I can only imagine the quality of glass in those beauty's!
Ash.
Most used lens, well Ive had lots in my short spurt of photography mayhem, Im a bit of a lens freak actually, but out of all the lenses Ive had and used, I love my 50mm, on full frame or crop, I find it uncomplicated straight to the point and sharp, without having the option to zooooooooom, more passion can be put into the picture itself and consentrate on more important settings on the camera, also regular shooting with a fixed lens can give your work a style and feeling.
Ash.
You have totally lost me here Cap and I probably seem very ignorant but I totally respect the old gear and love the look and build quality, I can only imagine the quality of glass in those beauty's!
Ash.
Don't worry, I get totally lost when people quote Canon and Nikon models at me :D
The lenses I mentioned are pretty good, but no antiques. Both are current production models. Cosina, who produce both Voigtlander and Zeiss may well be the biggest current manufacturer of Leica fit lenses. One thing the rangefinder world has is a wide choice of superb prime lenses. No zooms though!
Mind you it is a nice feature that the original f2 50mm Summar from my 1934 Leica 111 still fits my 2008 Leica M8 with just a simple screw to bayonet adaptor. The Summar is uncoated and flare can be terrible.
http://dpnow.com/galleries/data/500/Summar-1.jpg (http://dpnow.com/galleries/showphoto.php/photo/22487)
But with the sun behind you the results stand up quite well for a 76 year old lens
http://dpnow.com/galleries/data/500/Summar-2.jpg (http://dpnow.com/galleries/showphoto.php/photo/22488)
Stephen
21-11-10, 10:28 AM
If I had a lens that created flare like that, it would definitely be relegated to the shelf of photographic oddities. Frankly I struggle to see the attraction of these old Leica fit lenses. I'm even wondering what the real attraction of the M8 is in this age with the current generation of dSLR cameras. Given the money I'd go for the latest Canon 1D or 1Ds models in a heart beat, even though they are physically bigger in size and weight :\
BTW you really could do with getting that sensor cleaned :rolleyes:
I like using the old cameras and lenses, it's in the same category as having a vintage car but much less trouble. You learn to use them within their capabilities, the flare picture was a deliberate test. Besides it keeps me out of trouble giving talks to various groups on camera and photographic history.
As to the M8, each to his own. I know it doesn't stack up on test benchmarks and pixel peeping but I am totally comfortable using it and enjoy modest success with it so why not.
I always have the Panasonic G1 to use if I want more modern technology, confusing menus and a host of never used features. It would be nice though if the M8 had automatic sensor cleaning.
Stephen
21-11-10, 12:52 PM
I like using the old cameras and lenses, it's in the same category as having a vintage car but much less trouble. You learn to use them within their capabilities, the flare picture was a deliberate test. Besides it keeps me out of trouble giving talks to various groups on camera and photographic history.
As to the M8, each to his own. I know it doesn't stack up on test benchmarks and pixel peeping but I am totally comfortable using it and enjoy modest success with it so why not.
I always have the Panasonic G1 to use if I want more modern technology, confusing menus and a host of never used features. It would be nice though if the M8 had automatic sensor cleaning.
Fair enough, I can appreciate the need to be comfortable with your camera. I tried my brothers G2….............I wouldn't have been comfortable with that, for much the same reasons you suggest. Have to say I'm really comfortable with my 5D MkII. Very rarely need those menus, photos need minimal PP unless I want a creative result, and in the 5-6 months I've had it, there are no dust marks on the sensor, I suppose because of the vibration system it uses.
Apologies for nattering on about cameras when this thread is lens related :)