What is Your Favorite DSLR Lens?
Ok - this weekend’s reader question is going to exclude some readers who don’t have DSLRs (apologies friends - next week’s will be more inclusive).
What is your Favorite DSLR Lens - and Why?
This question must be in the top 5 questions that I’m asked each week by readers - so I thought it might be useful to have a post asking it that I can point people to.
So what lens or lenses are in your ‘must have’ basket?
Please include the manufacturer’s name, the lens focal length and even the aperture range if you know it so that we know what lens you’re talking about. Then also tell us what you like about it (ie is it the focal length, its sharpness, it’s price, its aperture range…. etc).
Looking forward to reading your answers.
PS: I’ll kick things off - that’s a picture of my favorite to the left - it’s a Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM.
I love it because it’s focal length makes it an ideal walk around lens, it’s super sharp and the Image Stabilization gives me another stop or two for low light situations. If I had a wishlist for it it would be that it was f/2.8 and hadn’t cost me quite as much as it did!
Update: I’ve summarized the lenses suggested in this list of Popular DSLR Lenses.
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I would have to say the 24-70 f/2.8L tops my list. If I could only have one lens, this would be it.
Canon 10-22mm EF-S f/3.5-4.5
It’s great for wide angle shots on a DSLR - good distortion control, decent aperture, really good for “no look” photography (read: on a bike, moving at 15 miles/hour, shooting friends around you, or setting near the ground for a different perspective - that sort of thing).
I love my canon 50mm f1.4 lens. Sharp, light, short focus distance. With my 10D, it is a GREAT portrait lens. With my 5D it is a great normal lens.
Even though I have other lenses like the Canon 85mm f1.8, 16-35mm f2.8L and 70-200IS f2.8L - all of which I like, I find myself keeping the 50mm f1.4 attached to my camera most of the time, it is just a great lens.
Oh, and it is cheap too!
Dave
Zuiko Digital 40-150mm
I pretty much use it all the time.
At the Moment it’s my 55-200 Tamron Di II , this will change next week when my Canon EF-S 17-55 f2.8 IS and Canon 70-200 f2.8 L IS arrives.
Ryan’s EF-S 10-22 then moves to the top of my what lens next list.
Right now, I just wish I had a DSLR…..
Nikon 50mm f/1.8, a clean, fast, super sharp classic lens thats got a great focal length.
Nikon’s 18-200VR. The hype is not misplaced, if you want the ultimate walk around lens, that is the lens to have. I had the 24-120VR (on paper very similar to your Canon pick) and really enjoyed using it, but this lens is something else. The wide angle, and extra reach make composition a snap.
Sigma 70-300 F4-5,6 APO Macro 150€
Although it’s not the best lens on the market obviously, I like it a lot. Of course I only have two lenses so not a lot to choose from, but I like the long range it covers, the macro mode and as a student of course I loved the price.
I’m siding with Joey: a Nikkor 50mm f1/8. Extremely nice, albeit a bit tight with a 1.5x crop factor (the 50mm becomes a 75mm), lens.
Well I use 18-55mm Nikkor and 55-200mm Nikkor.. I prefer the telephoto one as its so easy to get the subjects from the distance so u dont interfer them and end up getting the “real action”. but the problem is even a small hand-shake can blur the image bad.. Both lenses are pretty fast..
canon 50mm f/1.8 II
This is the one and only lens tha i have.
I have the Nikkor 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 VR lens. Extraordinary thing that is, covers all my possible needs.
Nikkor 85mm f1.4
Its just magic
Yes, this one Nikkor 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 VR too.
Second one: Nikkor 70-200 2,8 VR.
For use with a D2Xs
Seb
I prefer my Nikkon 80-200 f/2.8. Its a great and solid lens.
Ok, I don’t have a DSLR, but I’m not gonna let that stop me leaving a comment! ;-)
I currently use a Panasonic FZ50 bridge camera. It has a Leica 7.4 - 88.8 mm f/2.8 - 3.7 IS lens which is equivalent to 35 - 420 mm. In addition to covering such a wide focal length this lens is quite fast, sharpness is good, and has little distortion. The only bad thing is that you can get some ugly purple fringing/chromatic aberrations around hight contrast edges.
And when I get a DSLR one lens I’ve heard is quite nice is Tamrons 90 mm macro.
that would be my Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM… razor sharp & lightning fast AF!
At the moment it is still my Canon EF 50mm f/1.4… very sharp, great depth of field and it’s small!… “i’m lovin’ it”
For a long time it was a Nikkor 12-24mm f/4, but I just bought myself a Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 it’s not a easy lens to shoot with, but it’s fun and the bokeh is very nice!
I’m just getting to grips with my spiffy new Canon 70-300mm IS USM, which I think I’m going to like a lot, but for now I still love my 50mm f/1.8, which is a wonderful combination of sharp, fast (as fast as I can cope with at least) and fabulously cheap.
Picking my favorite lens is like picking my favorite child. If I had to have only one lens it would be my Nikkor 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 VR. That was actually the plan until I got my 50mm f/1.8. Wow that is fun. Then I picked up an 85mm f/1.4 even more fun. I still use all of them and love them equally as much. Kind of like my 3 kids.
while i have a crappy sigma that takes fairly decent photos its the range i cant live with out … its a 70-300mm tho i want to extend that range to 400 :)
so realistically i don’t have a fave lens .. just a fave focal length ;)
@sime …lol what are you a MacDonalds TV ad??? ;)
I’ll say exactly the same lens that you said and for the same reasons: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM. It’s a great lens that is very versatile. I took it to the Alps on a trek and wound up keeping it on my camera almost exclusively.
For the moment from what I have, my Nikon 50mm f/1.4. Great for low light and indoor portraits.
But I am drooling for a 28-70mm f/2.8, the Nikon 18-200 VRII and a 105 mm f/2.8 macro.
I think my favourite, and because it’s my main lens, it’d have to be the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 for my Nikon D70. ^^
Canon EF 85/1.8 USM
:) Very nice for people photography but has not many other useful purposes as the focal length is very special…
If only I had the funds for an L …
That aside, I love my Canon EF 28-135 with image stabilization. I went through quite the circus to decide which lens I liked better (I owned the EF-S 17-85 for a short time and told the whole long, tortured story at my blog), but now I’m extremely happy with my decision. Minus salivating for that 24-105, of course. ;-)
Nikkor AFS DX VR 18-200mm F3.5-5.6 G IF ED. Love it for being able to go from wide to tele without having to change lenses.
Its on my camera 98% of the time. Other 2% is running around like a fool with a Nikkor AF 50mm f1.8D.
I would have to say my newly acquired Nikon Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Lens mounted on my D200. Great aperture and sharpness. It’s a great lens for sports and people photography so as not to be “in your face.”
canon 17-40 f4L. heavy enough to feel good, light enough to carry around all day. shots are extremely sharp from center to corners throughout the aperture range. one day i’ll pick up the 16-35 for the 2.8 f-stop, but until then i this is my favorite walk around lens.
i am really liking my new sigma 70-200 f2.8, but i think i’ll always prefer wide angle vs telephoto.
At the moment its my Canon EF 50mm f/1.4
I just got it yesterday in the mail…Olympus 50mm 2.0 macro. But my all time favorite was the old Vivitar 28-90 Series One lens made in the early 80s. Wow, that thing was sharp!
Just got my AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED about a month ago. Absolutely fantastic lens this. It has the focal length range to cover almost every need and the VR (Vibration Reduction) makes a huge difference not only in low light conditions, but I find even in normal light if you’ve gone beyond about 120mm range. I used to have a AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II and AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED. I liked those two quite a bit as well but didn’t really like having to switch lenses as often as I ended up doing for my needs. There’s only two things I don’t quite like about the 18-200mm:
i) It’s heavy! I didn’t notice it till recently I ended up walking around with it around my neck for about 3-4hrs in Washington DC!
ii) Due to it’s 72.0mm Filter size, the lens hood is so big that the on camera flash tends to leave a shadow towards the bottom half of my pictures. (That’s why I got a Nikon SB600 flash unit)
Other than that, if you are on the fence trying to decide whether or not to buy the Nikon 18-200mm I’d say go for it!
The two lenses that I have on my “Would love to own” list:
1) Nikon 50mm f/1.4 (The “Nifty-Fifty” - as Puja Parakh, photoblogger of the week calls it..)
2) A super wide angle (maybe a 10-20mm or a 12-24mm) - Any suggestions on this one?
Since I can’t afford any L-series lenses, my current favourite standard is the EF-S 17-85mm IS, which is brilliantly sharp and has the right zoom range for a walkabout lens, and was within my meagre budget.
I’ve also got a Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6 EX DC HSM, which is cheap, sharp like an L (apparently) and comes with all those EX sigma bonuses, like top notch build quality, lens hood and carry case. Anyone considering the EF-S 10-22mm should also consider this, I love it.
I’ve got my eye on the Tamron 200-500mm f/5-6.3 Di LD.
I love my Canon 10-22mm f3.5-4.5 USM ultra wide angle. It gives me lines, height, creative perspectives.
In the starting question, the author Picked a Canon EF 24-105mm F4 IS USM lens. I hear great things about it because of its sharpness. A curious association would be what camera body he uses it on and why? My knowledge of the lens is that it is best used with the full frame Canon 5D. If anyone has experience using it with say a 30D, I’d like to hear about the usefulness with that body too.
Sigma 30mm f/1.4
It is fast, fast focusing, of good build quality and with a 1.6x crop factor found on canons, it comes to the equivalent of a 48mm. I just plain love it.
Have to agree w/ Joey Kunin, loving the Nikon 50mm f/1.8. Awesome, sharp and fast prime lens.
I love my Pentax FA43mm f1.9 Limited
I’d say probably the Canon 70-200 f4 IS.
I use a Canon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II and a Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM. I do a lot of nature photography, so I have to constantly switch lenses. The scene can change from beautiful landscape shots to close-ups of wildlife around each bend. It’s a real pain, but the IS feature of the 70-300 is absolutely necessary for those extreme zoom shots.
But, if I HAD to pick one lens, it would have to be the 18-55, because I can’t use the 70-300 for family gatherings, which is the second most popular use for my camera. I also use an old Canon 35-80mm film lens if I really get stuck for that mid-range shot. My camera is a Canon Digital Rebel XT.
I’m eyeballing the nikon 18-135. I have the 18-55 and the 55-200vr, but I don’t use the long telephoto as much as I thought I would.
Easily my Nikon 50mm f/1.8D.
EF 50mm f/1.8 II.
Though I stole my friend’s 17-40 f/4L for a while and loved it.
Though the image tends to look like a topographical tent top due to the distortion.
But then again, its a super-wide.
mdwsta4, you might want to read abit of reviews about the 16-35 f/2.8L.
From what I read AND heard, the distortion is quite bad even at telephoto.
The most useful lens with superb image quality and a real bargain is the Canon EF 50mm 1.8 mark II. Quality build is not great but under $100usd pricetag you can´t ask for more.
The Canon EF S 10-22mm 3.5-4.5 is one superb lens for ultra wide angle that is actually very useful. It´s not a walk around lens, but with its low distortion everything gets a fresh look. I love this lens. I´d like f2.8, and without being an L series it´s on the pricey side.
A good walk around lens I use is the EF S 18-85mm. Good price, nice built and is a good upgrade from the kit lens. Optically is not excellent, but with DX0 I can fix any optical problem.
For super tele the EF 70-300mm IS USM is just superb at a great price. It´s a terrific lens for portraits and great bokeh. Image Stabilization works very nice and it´s a must have lens.
I love love love the Canon 50mm f/1.8. There’s a reason it’s called the “plastic fantastic” - price usually under $100 yet it takes some mighty crisp photos. I personally feel that everyone who shoots Canon should have this in their bag … unless, you know, you can afford the f/1.4 instead.
My Nikon Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR is the most amazing lens I’ve ever used. The range of performance is very wide:
Still life
Motion blur:
Sports:
And when combined with the 1.7 teleconverter you can reach out and grab images at 200m:
I would have to second the canon 17-40 f/4 L. I like it better than the 16-35 2.8, not so much on price, but SIZE. The faster lens is so much heavier!
This is a very sharp lens, and the canons can easily give it enough ISO to keep up with the f/4 speed. would I rather a 2.8 on this puppy, sure, but not for another grand!
My most used lens is the Nikon 28-70mm f/2.8D. Downside is the 1.5 factor deprives me of a good wide angle and the lens is *heavy*. Upside is the great performance in low light and it’s sharpness.
There’s no doubt about it, my Sigma 30mm f1.4 is the top. I love it. It is amazingly sharp, takes great photos in low light, freehand.
I’ve never been able to do the things I do with my Sigma.
It’s true what they say, “Once you go prime, you’ll never go back.”
Canon 24-105mm f4 L
Perfect walkaround lens. Constant aperture. Crisp and vibrant pictures.
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L
Tack sharp. Excellent wildlife lens. Very fast AF.
Tamron 70-300 - Fits my needs perfectly.
For myself, my favourite lens is the Nikon 28-70mm f2.8D AF-S. Sharp throughout the zoom range, great in low light, and it works on both my F100 film cam and my new D200.
I bought this “little” baby in April 2006 after my 35-70 f2.8D was stolen in a house robbery. My second favourite is the 80-200 f2.8D AF-S, again super sharp, good operating range. Both are of course weighty, but if you want the quality, and the speed, its worth the money. I also made sure to buy both with the same filter size 77mm. This way one size does fit all!!!
Years ago my Dad, a retired Engineer with Spar Aeropsace, instilled in me two sayings, which I adhere to, to this day: “Buy the best you can afford”, and “Do it Right the first time!” I have never regretted my purchases and the photographic results (for a well composed and exposed shot) always make me go - wow!
Happy shooting!
Cheers!
Frederic in Montréal
The lens I use the most is my AF-S DX VR 18-200mm F3.5-5.6G IF-ED Zoom-Nikkor
I guess it isn’t the usual walk-around lens, but my favorite is a Canon 100mm f2.8 macro. It gets first shot at almost anything nearby that I want a picture of.
I love my canon 50mm 1.8 - the plastic is truly fantastic, it’s light and small, discrete, and i use it for street photography and portraits. I use it at parties for no flash photography. I use it at concerts. It’s the lense that I can rely on for tough situations. Just a little bit tight with the 1.6x crop factor on my EOS 30d, but hey, that’s why we have legs.
Nikon 50mm 1.8
The best lens there is!
I like my Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 and my Tamron 24-135 f/3.5.
Canon 24-105mm f4L, the greatest walk around lens I have ever owned.
Wish list, in that order; 24-70 f/2.8L, 85 f1.2L ( but would settle for 50 f1.4), 300 f2.8L IS, 24 f1.4L (again might settle for 14mm f2.8L), 16-35 f2.8L II, followed by a few large prime zoom lenses in the L series……..
Yes I know it’s a big list, but hey what are dreams for…..
I own some of the higher end Sigma lenses, but still much prefer the Canon L series glass, so crisp and clear, well worth the difference in $s if you can afford the sticker price.
Canon 50mm 1.8 Mk II - “Nifty Fifty” Cheap, fast, light, did I say cheap, I mean inexpensive. I know, it’s a disposable lens, but for the price, I’ll buy another one when this one dies.
Dr Tan- i’m assuming you’re referring to the 1st version of the lens which is also prone to soft focusing. the 2nd version (announced with the mkIII and 530exII) hasn’t received any bad reviews as far as i’ve seen yet.
Canon EF 16-35 2.8 ….. amazing focus range and awesome hands down
nikon 10.5mm f2.8 fisheye. its so clear and has great distortion. prefect for shooting BMX and Skate Photography which i am very into.
It absolutely has to be my Canon 17-40 f/4 L. Got great colors, and absolutely lovely landscape pictures!
I was wanting to get a canon 70-200 2.8L lens, but I have not seen anyone mention it, from what I have read, it is supposed to be great, I just don’t think the Is, is worth the difference about 50% more on ebay and the non Is is supposed to be a sharper lens and better for things that are in motion.
The Nikon 50mm f/1.8 makes me a better photographer. It’s a $100 lens and yet, I am always blown away by the photos I take. B&W candids shot between 1.8 and 2.8 always are keepers. At f8 to f11 well, let’s just say I never have to use any sharpening in PS. That is saying something.
My Nikon 70-200 2.8 VR is the equal of my 50mm. $1700 and $100 lenses that are superb. A tad heavy but, I’m a strong guy. I do wish I could give the Canon EF 24-105 a try. I see great photos taken with this lens. But, I am to far into Nikon and am happy.
Either my 70-200mm VR f2.8 or the 50mm f1.8, they alternate on my camera.
My first lens was the Canon EF 28-135 IS USM. For many months, it was also my only lens. Can’t say that I’ve had a single complaint.
If you don’t want to shell out for an L-series, but want a nice, fast, reliable daily shooter, then this lens fits the bill.
Without a doubt, my 14-50mm f/2.8-3.5 Leica Vario Elmarit which comes with the Leica Digilux 3 (or Panasonic DMC-L1).
The focal length is equivalent to a 28-100mm (yep, that’s a four thirds mount).
It is incredibly bright, fits most of my needs, and the optical stabilizer rocks.
The only downside : I find the 4/3 image ratio kind of disturbing.
My favorite general-purpose walkaround lens is the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L.
My favorite all-around lens is the Canon EF 135mm f/2L prime. It’s a super-fast, sharp, lightweight lens that forces me to work a little harder when I’m walking around looking for good photos.
My favorites lens is the Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro. It gives me extremely sharp pictures and reveals macro details that I have never seen before.
So hard to choose just one…
Overall: Canon 24-70 f/2.8 L - This lens is a simply amazing walkaround lens. It narrowly beats the 24-105, only because of the f/2.8 in my opinion.
Prime: Canon 50mm f/1.4 - Not only is this lens sharp as a tack, and a low-light monster it is CHEAP and in my opinion has the highest quality to price ratio of any lens canon makes.
Zoom: Canon 70-200 f/2.8 IS L - This lens pretty much speaks for itself. Amazing sharpness, focusing speed and build quality. Add f/2.8 plus IS - simply amazing.
This was a race between my LB 3G, LB 2.0 and Nikkor 18-55mm however the Nikkor 18-55mm wins, it produces sharp great pictures and with all the lenses I do have the standard gives me exactly what I need at any point in time.
Well i would have to say my 50mm f1.8 ! Its takes awesome pictures !
I only have 2 lenses: the standard that came with my Canon 30D and an EF 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 II USM which I also bought at the same time. Have only just found this website, and as a ‘newbie’ am totally loving it, and wish I understood more about what everyone is saying. Maybe one day…….. In the meantime, love the EF 55-200mm cause it allows me to get the close-ups I love. but as for technical details, can’t share them as yet, since I don’t really know what I’m talking about in that department.
My current favorite is the Nikkor f1.8D. A: it’s cheap @$100. B: it takes really sharp photos. Until i’m made of money I need to buy cheaper glass.
-Jeff O’Hara
http://blog.zemote.com
Canon EF 50mm F1.8
Cheap and GREAT.
I use it mainly for indoor shooting and portraits.
A few landscapes didn’t come out bad.. but it’s not lens fault.. it’s the photographer’s.. :)
Just got back from a trip to Yellowstone NP. All I needed was my 18-200mm VR Nikkor.
Hands down, my favorite lens is Nikon 17-55mm, next is either 50mm 1.4 or 1.8, but I’m partial to 1.4 since I own one :-)
The Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM would be on the top of my list if I could have only one lens. But since that’s not a limitation, my favorite lens is probably the EF 135mm f/2L USM. A close second is the EF 50mm f/1.4 USM.
My favorite non-digital lens is definitely my Minolta MD 85mm f/2.8 Varisoft. I still find myself setting down my EOS 5D and picking up my XD 11 and the Varisoft sometimes. One of the best portrait lenses ever, IMHO.
You’re showing mine. A Canon 24-105 f/4L IS lens on my Canon 5D…
#2 is my Canon 70-200 f/4L
Canon 50mm f1.4 ’nuff said ;)
I have those too (Canon EF 50mm F1.8), they’re pretty good.
http://photobump.net
NIkkor 18 -200 VR. It matched the hype…
I love my Sigma 10-20mm on my 10D.
The first one I bought was a dud (too soft at the edges). The replacement is supurb!
Always test a lens before you buy it!
For me the best performing lens is the 100mm f2.8 macro and the 85L f1.2. Both lenses consistently shoot keepers.
Best walk around/ travel lens is the Tamron 28-75 and Sigma 30mm f1.4.
Nikon 12-24mm. Couldn´t live without it now, it´s great!
Of what I have, I’d say the Nikon 50mm f/1.8 is my favourite.
It’s the cheapest lens I own, but it’s the perfect indoor portrait lens (out of what I’ve got).
Once rented the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VR, very very lovely lens.
For me, it’ll have to be the Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM.
Reason: IS, Zoom covers 90% of my needs and within my price range.
I yust LOVE my 17-55 IS EFS on my 400D, but my walkabout lens is actually a 28-135 IS,I hope Canon will offer more EFS lenses in the next future,with the 17-55 EFS quality.
M.
I am using the AF-S DX VR 18-200mm F3.5-5.6G IF-ED Zoom-Nikkor & the Nikon 50mm F1.8
Most of the times I do use the allpurpose lens 18-200.
For wedding and portrait photography I might get the help of the 50mm F1.8 nikkor lens specially under poor lightening conditions.To me, both lens are sharp and crisp.
If I have to choose a single lens, it should be the AF-S DX VR 18-200mm F3.5-5.6G IF-ED Zoom-Nikkor.
and the 18-200 VR hype continues…
but I’ve forgot to mention: I really can’t stand the lens moving i n/out on its own holding the camera straight up/down. According to Nikon: “as designed…”
seb
My favorite is the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8
Since I got it, I almost couldn’t replace it with one of the other other lenses.
Sigma 8mm f/3.5. Fantastic.
jordan.
I recently bought a nikon 12-24mm F1.4 and love the compressed perspective. Its so wide its near impossible to miss your subject or get it out of focus. City scapes look awesome.
I just love my Sigma 17-70mm, 1:2.8-4.5!
For daily use:
Tamron AF SP 28-75mm f/2.8 Di XR LD Aspherical IF
Mine would have to be Nikkor f2.8 35-70mm AF. Reasons:
1. It’s super sharp and has wonderful contrast
2. Not much of a zoom and the frame is really small but it makes me work for my shots, and the results show!
I use the Tamron 28-75 f/2.8.
I’ve got my eye on the Tamron 18-250 f/3.5-6.3 Macro for the longer zoom and macro use; the review looks good, just not sure if an IS lens would be better? Thoughts?
Nikon / Nikkor 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 VR
Basically a pretty ridiculous lens, as previously mentioned. The “zoom” equivalent of 11x is pretty good, and 18mm on a DSLR is nice and wide.
my precious Nikkor 50mm/1.4f!!! I love the 18-200mm VR too but the 50mm is unbeatable
Having only really used 1 lens i’d be struggling to say which I like best as it would be default best and worst!
I have just ordered myself a Pentax 40mm f/2.8 ‘pancake’ lens as a gift (for myself!).
I have the 18-55mm kit-lens that I got with my Pentax k100d. I find the 18-55 covers most of the range I need. I got my new prime lens at a good deal but hope to add a medium-zoom lens in the future. Any opinions on something with a range of somewhere round 150mm welcomed (pentax fittable obviously).
As I love making macrophoto’s it will become the tamron 90mm macro. Become, because I just bought this lense. ;-)
I share your love for the Canon 24-105. It’s my first lens and I totally love it. I also wish it has a bigger aperture. I recently bought the Canon 100mm macro lens and I’m loving it all the more. I’m currently saving up for the Canon 70-200 2.8L.
sort of love my Nikon F2.8 28-70 it’s so sharp and correct, it’s indispensable, though my F2.8 70-200 VR lens has become something of a standard lens for me since I can stand off and use high speed crop which makes it into a 400mm F2.8 image stabilised lens……….a pretty good double act
My favorite lens for landscapes is my 16mm, but for portraits, it’s my 105. They are much sharper than my zoom lenses, and I like different lenses for different applications. I LOVE to do macro work, but I haven’t got a favorite macro lens yet. All my lenses (except the 16mm) have macro, but they just don’t get close enough for what I want to do, so that lens is not yet in my bag.
Canon EF 70-200 2.8L IS. Perfect in every way - fast, sharp, color, CA, etc. All the reviews do not do justice. Go to flickr and search out the lens and you’ll see why. Another lens for my Canon 30D is the Canon EFS 17-55 2.8 IS. Another great lens, sharp and fast.
at the moment 85L f/1.2 MKII
Sigma 10-20mm ultrawide - can’t beat it!
I love my Tamron 70-300 f/4-5.6 with 1:2 macro option. I think I use this lens about 95% of my time.
I prefer the Nikkor 50mm 1.8D most. I would like to have the 35mm because of the not so wide range of the 50mm but it´s sharpness and quality is awesome. My personal hit lens! And it´s cheap!
My most loved lens is my Sigma 70-300 F/4-5.6. Its focal length is just right, it’s great for photographing people and animals without them noticing, resulting in a natural look. Besides that, I got it from my girlfriend which makes it extra special.
On the more wide-angle end I have an adorable Canon 17-55 F/2.8 IS USM which I bought about a week ago. Although it can’t compare to a girl’s love it’s still very high on my favourites list. Still, it’s a tremendous lens for all kinds of purposes.
Absolutely the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8.
I rarely take it off.
I’d say my Sigma 17-70mm f:2.8-4 is the one I prefer. Second is my Sigma 70-300mm f:4-5.6 APO. With those two, I got all I need…
From the ones I own
I would have to say
“Sigma 70-300″, although its not what I most use.. its the one I have most “fun” with..
I think the one I use the most and like is my Canon 70-200mm f/4.
I just don’t have the extra cash to get other lenses… damn my bills and rest of my life for getting in the way of my photo needs!
I traveled all over Europe with my Nikon 18-200mm and wondered why I packed the other five lenses. The only other lens I really needed was the 50mm 1.4 for indoors. So I guess you would say the 18-200mm is my favorite by far.
Of my current ones, it would have to be my Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 APO EX HSM.
For me both Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM and the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II, but mostly the 50mm.
I prefer Nikon prime lens 50mm F/1.8 and 35mm F/2D.
Nikon 18-55mm AF on my D50. Does pretty much everything I need in a small package.
I adore my Canon 10-22mm f3.5-4.5 totally, but I have to say that the lens I tend to have on my camera 75% of the time is the Sigma 18-200. It is so versatile and allows me a lot of latitude in composition.
My dream lens (oughta be your next thread!) is a Canon 10-400 f1.4 macro and it ought to weigh 16 ounces.
It will be whenever Canon releases a sub-70mm f2.8 with IS that’s compatible with full size sensors. Kills me that my 18-55 2.8 with IS wont rock with the 5D…
I have to agree with the others who voted for the Canon 10-22 wide angle!
Hey!
I’m glad you put this question up. I’m a Canon guy all the way.
My “fantastic plastic” is razor sharp, fast as lightning, but noisy and the color is a little dull. My 85 f/1.8 is a hulking, heavy, fast, beauty. I love her.
My favorite, though, is the 70-200 L. Which one?The Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L USM. It is a BEAUTY. The USM is so silky smooth. What is this thing: lubricated? The color is OUTSTANDING. The focal lengths are perfect for me (headshots and portraits). The size is right: just enough to impress, scare, and repel people. No one bothers me when that baby is sticking off the front of my camera, except to ask me “are you a photographer”? (No, I’m a spy. )
I know some don’t like the f/4, but I don’t care. When I do a headshot outside the background turns to mush with that f/4. You can’t tell what it is. In fact, I think the bokeh I get with the L is better than my primes, who hit f/1.8.
Most of my work is with enough light. If I shoot in dim light the stage is usually lit well, so I don’t care.
I also do studio work, with strobes. If I’m doing a figure shot I stop down to at least f/8, f/11. So the slowness of the lens doesn’t bother me.
One last thing: you can’t get a better lens for the price. It’s the best value.
Scott
http://98-pound-weakling.blogspot.com
Nikon 50mm f/1.8; Its sharp and fast and cheap and great for learning composition (as it forces one to move instead of zooming).
I also have a lovely little Nikon 18-70 3.5mm which is nice and compact for lugging about :)
Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L
Add another vote for the Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L.
I agree with the 24-105mm f4 L USM IS, but my close second is my 85mm f1.2 L !!!(Awesome Lens)
I would love to have something equivalent to the 10-20mm available to me, but you can not use EF-S lenses on the 5D.
ahhhh.. i shouldn’t have read this. Now i need to get that Nikon 55mm 1.8 lens for my new D40. At around $100 it may be the best value.
zuiko digital 50mm f/2.0
Nikon’s 18-200 VR. Its a great multipurpose lens.
Easily my favorite lens in my Nikkor 60mm/2.8 micro. This thing is *incredibly* sharp — more so than the 50mm/1.8. Fantastic for portraits, street photography, abstract and close-up shots.
The EF 24-70 f/2.8L is so far my favorite. I use that and a 70-200 f/4.0 and in conjunction they really cover the entire range if i just decide to go and walk around for a day and shoot.
If I could only keep one lens, it would be the Canon F4L 24-105 in your intro. Covers such a useful range, just great. But… being a shy soul and not a fast runner, my favorite for getting the shot I want is the Canon 70-300 F4-5.6 IS USM. It’s not fast, but the IS compensates pretty well, and it’s not so heavy for being nice and long. I’m using them on the XTi.
Canon 50mm f1.4
supersharp, vivid colors, cheap, light. Perfect lens
My favorite is razor sharp Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro.
But, I use 50mm f/1.8 a lot too.
Superb idea - enjoying reading the discussion - some great pointers there.
- Paul @ http://www.photographyvoter.com
I’ve been really obsessed with the Canon 17-40mm f/4L USM lens lately. I’ve been using it for all kinds of stuff.
Maybe it’s because I often feel restricted with my usual walkabout 50mm f/1.8 (80mm with the Rebel XT’s conversion factor), but I’ve been really obsessed with wide angle lenses lately.
I spent a whole day hiking in Lynn Valley canyon with the Canon 14mm F/2.8L USM prime lens last week; I had an amazing time.
As for Arun and some other I love my Sigma 30 f1.4.
I just received it yesterday and can’t stop shooting with it…. it’s so good…
The only thing is that I tend to stick to 1.4 so far…
I’ll have to test the rest once I get over the initial frenzy
Definitely the Nikon 18-200mm AF-S Zoom f/3.5-5.6 VR. Great everything lens with vibration reduction.
Since I just got the Canon EOS 1D Mark III, my favorite lens has become the Canon 70-200mm f2.8 L IS lens. It’s super sharp at all focal lengths and has extremely fast auto focus.
70-200mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Lens mounted on my D200. sharp, fun to use in car when traveling, solid as solid can be, no need to get in someone’s face with camera
I love my Sigma 170-500 mm lens (f5.6-f11). As a wildlife photographer I don’t want to be busy changing lenses all the time. I used this lens already on my analog Konika Minolta camera. Now I use it on my Sony alpha 100 and hope to be able to continue using it on a professional DSLR by Sony which will come out next year. I might exchange this lens in the future by the Sigma 50-500 mm lens (f4.8-11), because this has even a bigger range of focal length and it is also possible to use a converter, which is not possible now. But this lens still meets all my needs right now, so exchanging it will take a while.
If I had to have one lens it’s the Canon 24-70 f/2.8L it’s sharp and has great contrast and color. However the Canon 50mm f1.4 is so sharp and light this lens would have to be my favorite.
Only had it about a month now but the Nikon 55-200 VR at about 1/3 of the price of the 18-200 VR is rapidly becoming a one lens fits most situations.
For me, my 17-55mm f/2.8 IS is currently welded on my 350D. My 70-200mm f/4 comes very close. But the 17-55mm is very much an all rounder.
Just got the 50mm f/1.4 by Nikon believing that it will be my fav, but in past it’s the 28-70mm f/2.8 Nikon.
Next on the list is either the Nikon 300mm f/2.8 VR or the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VR. Both incredible lenses, worth the money….
That is, if I end up sticking with Nikon! Canon seems to be screaming my name with the new 1D Mark 3.
If I could only have one lens the 24-70 f/2.8L would be it. This is the lens I keep attached to my Canon 30D camera. It works better with Canon 5D which I am going to buy when newer version will be available. As complementary to this lens I am using 70-200 f/2,8 L IS.
I use a Sigma 18-125 3.5-5.6 DC on a Canon 20d body. I is great for everyday shooting.
oh I wish I had a DSLR…really enjoy reading everyones replies, especially when Im considering my options for a DSLR.
Favorite every day lens, Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8. Tack sharp images, 3 stop IS, fast and accurate auto focus L build quality. Rather than get it the way, it is a major asset to your photographic efforts.
Next favorite, Sigma APO MACRO 150mm F2.8 EX DG HSM. Top quality lens that doubles in spades as a portraiture lens. Fast and accurate AF. Add a Tete-Converter and you can have a 336mm tele macro.
All in all a great lens.
Wow,,what timing. After an “incident” with my current lens which would cost more to fix than worth I decided it was time to invest in a new lens anyway. I love my canon 50 1.4 but just hit ” enter” to buy my first “L” lens–the 24-105. Was so happy to see it was the lens of choice mentioned in the question. It comes this week and I can’t wait to see the results. Now if I could just get that 5D…..
my d200 w/Nikkor 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 VR lens replaced a 30d with 4 lens and I get better coverage, better photos with 1 lens & couldnt be happier.. see ya later canon!!!!
The Nikon 18-200mm 3.5-5.6 VR. It’s the reason I bought a Nikon D200 16 months ago. I’d rather spend time composing and thinking about the shot than changing lenses.
My favorite walk around lens is the Nikon 24-120mm Vr and the Nikon 50mm 1.8 for low light and pet photography.
I don’t like ’slow’ lenses. Having said that, the 18-200mm VR f/3.5-5.6 seems to cover most of my needs. It is quite sharp (though not in the same league as the 70-200mm VR f/2.8) and when used carefully (the build quality is not as good as I would like from a nikon lens), deserves to be cosidered as my most favorite D-SLR lens.
28-300 Canon L EF (3.5-5.6)lens w/image stabilization. It’s heavy, but it’s razor sharp. I use it on a full frame (EOS 1Ds) body. I can avoid changing lenses and all the sensor dust problems with this lens.
On a second body (also full frame- EOS 5D), I use a 12-24 Sigma. This lens takes some knocks in reviews, but mine is just fabulous. I could not survive without it for architectural work.
I’d say my Nikkor 18-70mm ED!
but I also love my Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D.. bokeh!
“i am really liking my new sigma 70-200 f2.8, but i think i’ll always prefer wide angle vs telephoto.”
It’s like you read my mind :-)
Mine also is the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM. I just returned from a two week vacation in germany and austria and this is the only lens I used during that time even though I had the Canon 50mm 1.4 with me also.
Yup, this is a great lens, I would bundle it with a cheap 50mm f/1.8 just for some low light/indoor shots.
What lens do u recommend for Fuji E-900? Does any lens combined with adapter will fit it or does it have to be special one?
I think I have too many lenses but since my purchase of the FF 5D to complement my 20D, the whole set has taken new life.
Currently the most used are my primes for the actual photography that I want to be 100% spot on. 85L 35L and 100mm macro. The macro which is the money lens for me - check out the watch photography on my site.
The 85L has no competition where portraits are concerned. The 50L comes close but no cigar. I get studio quality outdoors with that lens. The 35L is a performer but due to it being prime, it does not get much credit as would my 17-40mm which serves me very well for event photography.
If I had to keep three lenses from my set, it has to be the 85L, 100mm macro and the 70-200 for sharpness and field work. BUT I would never part with my 35L or 50mm f1.4 now that its in my arsenal.
Do check out my dedicated photography site as well.
http://htfotos.com
Cheers!
This is a great place to learn more about photography AND my camera/lenses, wish I would have known about it earlier. I have
a couple questions that I need help with.
1. I have the Canon EOS 30D and don’t use a tripod so there is
problems with “camera Shake”, do the Canon IS lenses work well?
2. Don’t know if anyone on here can answer this but I’ll ask anyway, has anyone on here used a 30D with a telescope?
I am delighted with my Canon EF28-135mm f3.5 - 5.6 IS USM. Have not needed to change back to the EF-S18-55mm f/3.5 - 5.6 ll I bought with my Canon 350D, but must get a filter to protect my investment!
tamron 18-250 is my all around lens on rebel xti
and for work nothing beats Canon EF-S 17 - 55 mm F2.8 IS
so iff I have to chose is eassy 2 lenses that’s all
for gravy canon 50mm 1.4 is the king of all lenses.
there you have it
Hmm. Tough call. My most useful lens is my EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS, but I think my favorite lens has to be my EF 35 f/1.4L
My Canon 200mm f/1.8 is by far my favorite lens. The buttery smooth bokey and DOF are unmatched. It is the fastest lens ever made at that focal length. It makes pictures that no other lens can quite replicate, simply due to the large aperture COMBINED with the long focal length.
It’s been discontinued, which is too bad for most who would like to discover this lens, but great for me, as the lens has gone up 4 figures since I bought mine years ago, to over $5,000 on the used market, condition depending.
Mine is still not for sale though. It’s just that good.
Sigma 12-24 4.5-5.6 DG HSM
I know some pros look down on Sigma lenses, but this one is just razor sharp. It’s invaluable for the architectural photography that I do. The distortion can be quite severe due to the extreme width, but sometimes this is very desirable and other times it can be remedied quickly with free transform in Photoshop.
I use this lens on a Canon D5 for full effect.
My 2 fav. are Pentax DA 10-17 f3.5/4.5 ED just for the fun of the fisheye effect, and the Tamron 18-250 Di II for it’s everyday use.
I can’t get enough out of my Zuiko 7-14mm ED it’s just freakin’ wide and sharp.