All time FAVOURITE lens?

[MissNarniee]

Thought this might be fun - Couldnt find if this thread had already been done..

Just wondering what everyone's all time favourite lenses are, what do you use them for & why? :lens: :D

[ameerat42]

I don't know if I've ever had an all time favourite lens, though I have a few that I :th3:
An 8-16 UWA and a 50-500 zoom. I reckon I like these mostly because they cost me a good bit.
One of the sharpest that I remember from yore is a Rokkor 50/1.7 for my old Minolta film camera.

Can't think of any others...

[Tannin]

All-time favourite? OK, this is as opposed to, say, my all-time most-used, or all-time go-to, or all-time most practical, or all-time most versatile, yes? OK, never mind how much I use it, or how many things you wouldn't dream of wanting it for, which is the lens I've had the most fun with?

Well, pretty much all of them, but I'm going to go for the Tokina 10-17 fisheye zoom. Remarkably versatile for what it is, and you can even use it on a 1 Series if you want to. Not full-frame though, which is a crying shame. I'd love a full-frame version of it. Small, solid as a rock, heavier than you expect (that's that traditional Tokina build quality adding weight), low-tech focus mechanism but at these focal lengths you just don't notice that.

In more orthodox lenses, it would have to be my 100-400, which I use for birds a bit and landscapes a lot. Absolutely my favourite landscape lens.

[Morgo]

Right now I'm in a wildlife phase so my Canon 200-400.

Runner up would be the 70-200 2.8 IS II and the 400 2.8 IS (wish I still had the 400)

[Lance B]

Being mainly a birder my favourite was the 300 f2.8 VRII, but now I have the 400 f2.8E FL VR it has taken over the favourite "duties". :)

[Mary Anne]

I like my Birding lens the 300 f/4 which never leaves one camera and my 100mm macro lens that never leaves the other camera.

[MissionMan]

My Nikon 70-200 is my favorite lens by a long way, it lives on my camera 90% of the time. Portraits, sports, candids etc. It does it all. Focus speed is mind blowing and bokeh is spectacular.

[ricktas]

My Sigma 24-70 f2.8

Even though it gets less use than it could/should, it is the sharpest lens I have. Straight out of camera, the images are so sharp, that often I do not bother applying any sharpening to photos taken with it.

Second would be my Sigma 150mm f2.8 macro. Great for small things and also makes a wonderful petraiture lens.

And as a landscape photographer, I wonder how many think HUH to my choices? My Sigma 12-24 is great as is my Nikon 17-35, but for sheer image quality straight out of camera, my 24-70 is a doozie!

[bconolly]

Favourite is my 50mm f1.8 Nikon. Use it for 90% of my photos these days. Light, sharp lens which suits what I need from my kit at the moment.

The favourite before moving to full frame was my Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 Nikon mount. Most of my favourite shots were taken with that lens!


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[Nick Cliff]

My favorite lens is probably the Super-Takumar 50mm f/1.4 lens due to it being so versatile with superb qualities all round for my type of photos.

[jjphoto]

I do have a couple of favourite SLR lenses, which I won't mention here, but for the sake of something different I'd like to point out a favourite type of lens, namely enlarging lenses.

Lenses intended for use on an enlarger are simple and easy to use as taking lenses. Some offer interesting rendering qualities that are not always available with normal SLR or taking lenses. Most are well suited for use as close up lenses or even for general photography (with limitations) and are generally quite cheap too. I tend to use enlarging lenses quite a lot with either a helicoid or bellows to provide a means to focus the lens.

If I had to pick ONE enlarging lens I'd probably pick the Meopta Meogon 2.8/80. I have many 'better' and 'sharper' 80mm enlarging lenses, but most are quite slow and few render images in such an interesting way as the Meogon. The Meogon is also the fastest enlarging lens in this focal length range although there are plenty of cheap 3.5/75's with only 1/2 stop difference.

http://photocornucopia.com/images/Lenses/Meogon/IMG_5470_Resolux11F4_F22_pc400.jpg

http://photocornucopia.com/images/Lenses/Meogon/IMG_0085_Meogon80_2F8_1000.jpg

http://photocornucopia.com/images/Lenses/Meogon/IMG_0117_Meogon80_2F8_1000.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7624/16854340906_7ceaf84135_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rFmUmA)IMG_8667_Meogon80_2f8_1920x1280 (https://flic.kr/p/rFmUmA) by rigshots (https://www.flickr.com/people/13788431@N02/), on Flickr

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8692/16694147959_1bf1e80708_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rrcSze)IMG_8618_Meogon80_2f8_1920x1280 (https://flic.kr/p/rrcSze) by rigshots (https://www.flickr.com/people/13788431@N02/), on Flickr

[Glenda]

My favourites would be my Nikon 10-24 and my Tamron 70-200 f2.8. But, if I don't know what I'm going to photograph I tend to go to the Nikon 18-200.

[tduell]

Well I've only got two lens, a Sigma 18-200 (my first), and a Sigma 24-70 f2.8. When only had the 18-200 it had to be my all time favourite, but since I got the 24-70 it has hardly ever been off my camera.
So, from my restricted palette, I'd have to say that the Sigma 24-70 is my all time favourite.


Cheers,

Terry

[MattNQ]

Hmmm. Don't really have many to choose from, but for Nikon my 80-200/2.8 (fast push pull zoom for sport and sharp as a tack) and Oly a toss-up between the Oly 9-18 (great for landscapes and super compact) or the adapted Minolta rokkorX 50/1.4 (sharp but with smooth out of focus areas)

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[peterb666]

Hmm, hard choice.

It was the Voigtlander 25mm f/0.95 which always put a smile on my face when using it.

Not my most used lens which is the Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 and I absolutely love that one.

I think I would have to make it the Kowa Prominar 8.5mm f/2.8 because I like things fairly wide.

[glennb]

Im loving my Tammy 70-200 2.8 vc usd very sharp and gets a wide range of uses.

[kangarooart]

its a very hard choice to say but I will end up saying two of my favs - Canon 50mm f1.2 and my 16 - 35mm f2.8. These are the to fav lenses that i use :)

[wallwombat]

I think my favourite current lens is my Nikon 35mm f/1.8 DX.

At first I wasn't sure that I liked it but It must have grown on me as it's now almost constantly attached to my D7000 and looking at my metadata, I seem to use it more than any other lens that I own.

[bitsnpieces]

I'm in the same shoes as Terry, and exact same lenses (but for Sony) - 18-250mm and 28-75mm.

To pick which is my favourite is almost impossible, but I'd say the 18-250 for the sake of it. Although my 28-75 is of higher quality, and both lenses get used equally, I would side the 18-250 for the range and all-round lens, which is what I like about it.

But, if I was to include something that I don't have, my favourite lens would be the guy stuck on the RX10 - 18-200 f/2.8 - Oh how I'd love a lens that's fast and has a very versatile focal length. Too bad it isn't a 'detachable' lens per say, but as a lens in general that's on a camera, the RX10 18-200 f/2.8 gets my vote.
http://www.imaging-resource.com/camera-reviews/sony/rx10/sony-rx10GALLERY.HTM

[Mark L]

mmm, I have no lens in mind, but I haven't bought my favourite lens yet.:confused013

[griffljg]

My old Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD, which I still have and use occasionally on my Olympus OM-D E-M1 through an MMF-3 adaptor.12-60 on a 4/3 lens is about the same as 24-120 on a full frame, which is really nice for a general carry-about lens. It is a very sharp lens and the definition is really amazing. If it hadn't been for that lens, I would have dropped Olympus a long time ago. Even so, I now muddle between Canon and Olympus. The Canon is great for challenging light conditions. The Olympus for everything else.

[Mathy]

Interesting question and responses :)

I've just listed my favourite lens for sale on the usual place where one sells things, along with my DSLR and 2 other lenses.

I've just ordered and paid for what I believe will be my favourite lens :)

[balooba]

Canon,s nifty fifty. Great lens for the price

[dwolrige]

My favourite lens is the Sigma 35mm f1.4 Art. Beautiful portraiture lens and I use it for everything including weddings, lifestyle shoots (great for tight spaces indoors) etc.

[martycon]

With my Canon AE1 I loved the FD 28mm f2.8, crisp with bright colour. Considering selling it, today I fitted it to my new Oly M10, and was greatly disappointed with the results. Conversely, when I fitted the FD 135mm ( which I hardly ever used in those days, and held in low regard), I was pleasantly surprised with the IQ, (perhaps a little short in contrast), but much sharper than remembered. The lenses have not changed, but my perceptions have been altered by digital capture and it's quickly available consistent quality.

[robmj65]

I think min is the Tamron 17-50, a good all purpose lenses, is my default, F2.8, so fast enough and its quite sharp

[feathers]

A lens l find on my camera a lot is the Samyang 14mm f2.8. Great for landscapes, architecture, experimental light stuff, and some portraiture. Is it my favourite?... well l've just bought some other specialty lenses, and haven't used them enough yet to pass judgment? Time will tell:)

[spootz01]

My favourite lens in my bag right now is my Canon 50mm f1.8 II. Dollar for dollar this lens just simply can't be beaten. It is super sharp and resolves some silky smooth bokeh. I got this 2 weeks after getting my camera and I am still amazed at the low light performance on my 600D. Where my bigger, more expensive lenses falter this thing just keeps swinging away.

Having said that I am yet to have the fortune of using a fast zoom like the 70-200s or 24-70s so I can imagine my favourite will shift once I have the budget to add one of these to my bag.

[kangarooart]

my altime favourte lens is
Canon 50mm f1.2 lens that helps me take some awesome awesome portraits and family shots.
This lens literally shoots fine in almost dark amazing low light lens am always a fan of.
Another one is my 16-35mm lens. A superstar on my full frame body and works awesome to get beautiful serene wide shots

[John King]

I have a favourite in as much as I use it about 80%+ of the time - my Olympus f/2.8-3.5 14-54 MkII (EFL = 28-108, actually more like 29-109 ... ). It is crackingly sharp at all FLs and from f/2.8-3.5 to about f/6.3. If I remember, and I want that ultimate razor sharpness, I back it off to about 52mm. Focuses to about four cms from the front element at all FLs, but is not actually a macro lens, just focuses very close ;). Diffraction softening is just noticeable at f/7.1 when viewed at 100%. It loses a tiny bit of sharpness at full stretch on test charts, but this is only very rarely even noticeable in any real world shot. For print purposes, there is no discernible diffraction softening at A2 size up to around f/11.

My f/2.8-3.5 11-22 (EFL = 22-44) is basically identical to the 14-54 physically and optically.

For sheer eye slicing sharpness and everything else optical, the Olympus f/2 50 macro. It is just superb. No perceptible diffraction softening until around f/16, and still eye wateringly sharp at f/22. A true macro lens ( = flat plane of focus at around its minimum focus distance), its field of view is about 34x26mm at closest focus. Love this lens for flowers and cats.

All three of these have extremely similar rendering and produce lovely images. They are all weather and dust sealed. Cost a bomb, of course. Between AUD$900-1150 each ... Worth every cent IMO!

I have lots of other lenses that I use for purposes that suit their specific strengths - e.g. my 14-42 EZ pancake zoom is pretty crappy optically (by Olympus standards) but is 20mm thick and weighs just 93 grams. Makes my E-M1 very portable ... :nod:.

[Colonel]

I have to agree with kangarooart. Whilst I was initially quite nervous about paying such a premium price the 50 f/1.2L (especially with cheaper, sharper albiet slightly slower alternatives) I have no regrets whatsoever. It's by no means a technically perfect lens, but the ability to shoot handheld in extremely low light (wide open) and the characteristics of the bokeh makes me an extremely satisfied owner.

[Jorge Arguello]

All time favorite lens... all around lens ...
I like the 50mm f/1.8,
but being an occasional photographer (as a hobby) the convenient 18-105mm is fantastic for nearly all situations, this is my favorite.