If you could only have one lens?

[Jules]

Let's say for a moment that Lens Acquisition Syndrome has been outlawed and we are all forced to reduce our collections down to a single lens. What one lens would you want?

For me, it would be my 100mm 2.8 macro lens. With that one lens I could do virtually every type of photography I enjoy - macro, food, product, portrait and landscape (yes I use it quite a bit for landscape images). I love that lens, so it would be a pretty easy decision for me to make.

But that's just me. I'm curious to know what other people would choose.

[kiwi]

No brainer for me 70-200 2.8

Does everything.

[James T]

24-70 L of course. Most versatile thing out there for me.

[andylo]

I will just kill myself...

I can't do without either the 100L Macro, 24-70L or the 70-200L.

But if I really really really have no choice, 24-70L is the most sensible choice. As it also have a very short minimal focus length.

[salnel]

Easy choice for me too...my Nikon 85mm macro...it just lives on my camera all the time..love it!!

[Michaela]

For me it'd be my 100-400mm L. :D

[mpb]

Too difficult for me.

I have to wait until they bring out a 8-600 f1.2, with fisheye and macro switches, and is the size and weight of say a 24-70.

That should cover most situations.;)

[ElectricImages]

T
I have to wait until they bring out a 8-600 f1.2, with fisheye and macro switches, and is the size and weight of say a 24-70.


Rumour has it this will be out in Q1, 2012, alongside the 5D Mark III... XD

[ksolomon]

My funeral notice is appearing tomorrow (so my family tells me) :lol:
I don't think I could live but if I had to choose it would be my 24-70 2.8

[lay-z]

Too difficult for me.

I have to wait until they bring out a 8-600 f1.2, with fisheye and macro switches, and is the size and weight of say a 24-70.

That should cover most situations.;)

Don't forget VR II as well ;)

[Jules]

An interesting mix so far, although the 24-70 f2.8 seems to be leading the pack. I don't own that lens myself (have definitely thought about it though) but I can understand the appeal


Too difficult for me.

I have to wait until they bring out a 8-600 f1.2, with fisheye and macro switches, and is the size and weight of say a 24-70.

That should cover most situations.;)

What a rich fantasy world you must live in! :D ;)

[mpb]

Forget to say, it will be released on special to AP members for less than $100.00.

[William]

Very impressed with the 24-105 f4 L, Especially seeing the next Camera will be Full Frame :D

[colinbm]

10-20 for me :th3:
Col

[colinbm]

My funeral notice is appearing tomorrow (so my family tells me) :lol:
I don't think I could live but if I had to choose it would be my 24-70 2.8

What have you done ????????
Col

[Geoff79]

Well, unfortunately (?) for me this is a reality. Call it a self-imposed financially driven outlawing of Lens Acquisition Syndrome... but I only have the one lens. It's an 18-200mm Canon and I must say so far that we are good friends and I would, and have, chosen this as my one and only lens... for now anyway.

I guess technically I do have 2 - the similarly ranged Tamron lens that was replaced by the Canon one still resides in my home, loaded with dust particles, though, and not use-ready. :(

[Adrian Fischer]

70-200 but maybe the 50-500

[gabby]

This thread is really useful for those of us investigating upgrading to a dSLR .:th3:

[fabian628]

one lens would be 35mm f/1.4. I dont have anything between 35-135 and I dont really miss that. I probably would miss something a bit wider, but if only 1 it would be that. On a 1dsmk3 please :D

[kiwi]

This thread is really useful for those of us investigating upgrading to a dSLR .:th3:

Be careful as you need to consider what you shoot before you consider what you shoot with

For example I'd take a guess my average focal length is 300mm, dtoh might be 30mm

[brindyman]

canon 400 f2.8


oh wait....our collections LOL never mind :o silly me

maybe i should read the question properly next time :lol:

[mechawombat]

mine would be the 50mm f1.8.

I just love it

[Tommo1965]

for me it would be my 70-200F2.8 VR II....but Id like a D700 to go with my D300s...that way Id open up the short end for a wider FOV on the FF Body....but keep the longer reach of the cropped sensor 1.5x @ 200mm

[Xenedis]

I wouldn't limit myself to one lens, as different shooting situations call for different lenses.

[mrDooba]

Easy... Canon 800 f/5.6

[mrDooba]

I wouldn't limit myself to one lens, as different shooting situations call for different lenses.

Your not playing the game Xenedis. Your only allowed one.... :)

[Jules]

I wouldn't limit myself to one lens, as different shooting situations call for different lenses.

That's true, but I suspect most of us could get by with fewer lenses than we have. I know I could.

Just play the game for a minute though - if you were forced to restrict yourself to one lens, what would it be?

[ksolomon]

What have you done ????????
Col

LOL Col, Seeing that I would have to survive with only one lens caused a minor heart attack :D

[colinbm]

LOL Col, Seeing that I would have to survive with only one lens caused a minor heart attack :D

Oh, dear :eek:
One of the guys wanted two cameras for his lens, so as to get two differnt formats & perspectives :confused013
Col

[James Axford]

Good old fixed 50mm prime on a ff camera for me.
It's my most used lens.

[Mary Anne]

I cant live without my 100mm L macro lens

[jjphoto]

Not possible. There are too many different and even conflicting needs which no single lens can service properly.

Sure if you have a limited style, field or interest then a limited range of lenses, or even a single lens, would also suffice.

JJ

[kiwi]

I'll suggest that any lens can capture any and all things, so, I'd disagree you really need more than one.

[la lumiere]

I only have one lens.....70-200 f2.8......so I'd choose that!

[Shelley]

I do use my other lens for people, but if pushed, well it would have to be the 400 5.6L and I would have to do people shots from a distance.

I do love the 24-70 (its my next most used lens), just got the 70-200 2.8 IS II for outside shoots. It would be hard to give those two up, but give up my birding lens, that is just criminal. :)

[ksolomon]

Oh, dear :eek:
One of the guys wanted two cameras for his lens, so as to get two differnt formats & perspectives :confused013
Col

Col - it said nothing about only one camera or did it? Oh no here goes that heart again :lol:

[colinbm]

Col - it said nothing about only one camera or did it? Oh no here goes that heart again :lol:

I'll be right over to share the excitement with you :rolleyes:
Col

[Jules]

I agree with kiwi to an extent - that you can turn most any lens to any task. You may need to change your shooting style or be very, very creative, but that's not such a bad thing.

I think it's very easy for us photographers to consider our lenses within a narrow, preconceived set of parameters and potentially limit their use to what we think of as their 'genres', thus convincing ourselves that we need multiple lenses in order to achieve our photographic goals. Obviously there are certain lenses more suited to certain tasks than others, but as I've said before, I think a lot of us could get alone quite well with only a small array of lenses.

[Captured frame]

My brain says,70-200f2.8LIS, but my heart says 135f2L - love this lens ,so 135f2L is my choice

[Tikira]

Of the lens' that I have at the moment it would be the 35mm 1.8. It is the most used lens that I have and good for landscapes and portraits. I am sure there are other lens's that I don't own that would be more versatile (24-70 comes to mind), but as I don't have that at the moment it would be the 35mm. That said we are travelling to Ireland and England very soon and I am taking all the gear, as I am sure I will use every lens many times.

Wayne

[zollo]

i'd choose the 24-120 f/4 on a full frame. it's not the best lens out there but i find it on my camera a lot. failing that my next choice would be the 28-300. good iq in general and a very useful range

[fabian628]

canon 400 f2.8


oh wait....our collections LOL never mind :o silly me

maybe i should read the question properly next time :lol:

even if you could have any lens, would you still pick it?
Dont even try to take this into the street you will feel like a big tool :D

[fillum]

I'd go with the 18-200, not the best but certainly versatile. [I bought it because it would be the only lens I'd ever need, right? :rolleyes:. I now have a dozen...]




Cheers.

[jjphoto]

I'll suggest that any lens can capture any and all things, so, I'd disagree you really need more than one.

That's just not true, and you with your long tele in your avatar. See how you go shooting product shots or macro with it. Conversly how well would a nifty 50 or wider lens suit a sporting event or maybe birding?

It's a gross oversimplification to say you can shoot anything with anything. Maybe you can in a sense but would you want the resulting images? And more importantly, would you go to great effort to do so knowing that the lens was unsuitable for the task at hand (for whatever optical reason, eg sharpness, veiling flare, contrast, not just too wide/long etc).

JJ

[fabian628]

That's just not true, and you with your long tele in your avatar. See how you go shooting product shots or macro with it. Co

the answer is alot of extension tubes. ;)

[kiwi]

That's just not true, and you with your long tele in your avatar. See how you go shooting product shots or macro with it. Conversly how well would a nifty 50 or wider lens suit a sporting event or maybe birding?

It's a gross oversimplification to say you can shoot anything with anything. Maybe you can in a sense but would you want the resulting images? And more importantly, would you go to great effort to do so knowing that the lens was unsuitable for the task at hand (for whatever optical reason, eg sharpness, veiling flare, contrast, not just too wide/long etc).

JJ

Jj, I bet you I could shoot rugby well with a 20mm, no issue at all

I bet I could shoot product shots with a 400

With ext tubes I can shoot macro

It would be a challenge and the shots would be different than the stereotype but you can still do it

[lay-z]

At the moment it'll have to be my 10-20 but with that said, I haven't had much chance to try out my new 70-200/2.8.

[JayR]

Although a zoom would be more useful in theory, I'd find it hard to pass up on my 31mm prime.
Its probably my most used lens. I can tend to get everything I need in frame with a little repositioning of myself, has a close minimum focus and beautiful bokeh from the F1.8 aperture and 9 curved blades.

[Pine]

I am suprised how many chose the 20-70L mine is just gathering dust.

Cilla and I were in the Kruger Park last week and I simply love my new 70-200 F4.

However if I was stuck with one lens the 100 mm F2.8 makro would be king :D

Regards

[Jules]

I expected a few 24-70s to pop up, but I'm particularly pleased to see there are other people who would also choose their 100mm 2.8 macro lens.

[para]

Defiantly agree with Kiwi 70-200 2.8

[Indigo]

If I could only have one, it would be my 100mm 2.8L macro, Love that lens :)

[joffa]

Would be my 35mm f/1.4 fo shizz...

[James T]

Jj, I bet you I could shoot rugby well with a 20mm, no issue at all

I bet I could shoot product shots with a 400

With ext tubes I can shoot macro

It would be a challenge and the shots would be different than the stereotype but you can still do it

If I only had a 1200mm f/5.6, I could not do my job. Never mind it being different, a photo of a small patch of wall on the opposite side of the room wouldn't be much use to anyone. ;)

[jjphoto]

If I only had a 1200mm f/5.6, I could not do my job. Never mind it being different, a photo of a small patch of wall on the opposite side of the room wouldn't be much use to anyone. ;)

Actually, you could only get that photo of a "small patch of wall on the opposite side of the room" if the wall was 14 metres away, the minimum focusing distance of that lens.

JJ

[James T]

Actually, you could only get that photo of a "small patch of wall on the opposite side of the room" if the wall was 14 metres away, the minimum focusing distance of that lens.

JJ

Exactly, an out of focus patch of wall is even less use. :)

[kiwi]

shoot from 20m away through a window to a special curved mirror you have strategically placed on the wall. Would look brilliant.

[Jules]

If I only had a 1200mm f/5.6, I could not do my job. Never mind it being different, a photo of a small patch of wall on the opposite side of the room wouldn't be much use to anyone. ;)

Well if you were forced to reduce your collection to 1 lens and chose the 1200mm behemoth, you wouldn't get any sympathy from me if you struggled in your work! :D

[James T]

shoot from 20m away through a window to a special curved mirror you have strategically placed on the wall. Would look brilliant.

True. I could shoot from 7 metres away into a mirror as well. Compact solution right there.

[Art Vandelay]

70-200 f/2.8 over here too.

[bushbikie]

I'd be kickin' an' screamin' about letting the others go but the 24-70 2.8L would be the one that stays.

[maccaroneski]

Toss up between the 105 and the 70-200VRII... but the 70-200 would win the day.

[piXelatedEmpire]

For me it'd be my 100-400mm L. :D

Same, which is quite easy for me, as it's the only lens I currently own anyway!:rolleyes:

[smallfooties]

I would choose my sigma 105 f2.8, i find it quite versatile...

[Tannin]

The only lens I have that can do birds and landscapes is the 100-400. Not my favourite birding lens, and generally use theh UWAs most of all for landscapes, but if it has to be just one, that is the answer.

[Colourised]

since i have been using only one lens all this while (30mm 1.4 on a crop). my crave for a faster lens is still unsettled.

so i can live with a 50mm 0.95/1.1/1.2 imo :D

[Jaded62]

Very impressed with the 24-105 f4 L, Especially seeing the next Camera will be Full Frame :D

x2

[Babiana]

It would be Nikon 60mm micro lens. I love macro photography too, and I just recently purchased this lens. Absolutely love it.

[Cage]

No brainer for me.

DA40 f2.8 Ltd. Just a brilliant all rounder.

[mitgonk]

17-55 2.8 and IS!

[Jules]

It's quite fascinating to see the lenses people would choose. Some I could possibly have guessed, based on people's particular photographic leanings, but a couple have surprised me.

I think it would be quite interesting to restrict ourselves to our 'one' lens for a week or so, to see whether we really could manage with just that lens.

[Othrelos]

If for some reason my house caught on fire and all my equipment, including my families 60 year archive of photographs destroyed, the only camera+lens I would save would be my Leica M9 with the 50mm f/1.0 Noctilux.

[sunny6teen]

I'll suggest that any lens can capture any and all things, so, I'd disagree you really need more than one.

as this chap proves with a wide angle...
http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=12133730