I know a photographer who swears that he only needs one lens, a 24-70mm f2.8. In a recent poll we asked readers if they were only allowed one lens which would it be with the 50mm lens coming out firmly on top (read more here).
Over the last few months I have been looking at what lens I own and what they are used for and I am beginning does too much choice hinder creativity. Instead of carrying one lens I end up wasting time swapping between wide lens to fast glass.
The Poll
This week’s poll asked “how many lenses do you own” but we also would like you to comment on what lenses these are and how you use them. For example a many of our readers are interested in street photography so you might want to mention your favorite lens for this purpose.
I was actually surprised that the majority of readers (just) owned four or more lenses. Only 5% of readers own only one lens but I can’t help asking would restricting yourself to a single lens for a month fuel you creativity ? It was interesting to see how popular the 50mm lens was when we asked if you were only allowed one lens which would you own. If you own more than 4 lenses are there any that are rarely used ?
24mm F2.8
50mm F1.8
70-200mm F2.8
(-;
Sigma 10-20 f/4-5.6
Sigma 30 f/1.4
Canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS
I just got the 30mm. It’s awesome.
Nikon 300mm f/2.8 VR (FX)
Nikon 80-200 f/2.8 ED IF )FX)
Nikon 50mm f/1.8 (FX)
Nikon 28-200mm f/3.5-5.6 (FX)
Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5 – 5.6 VR (DX)
Tokina 14-24mm f/4 (DX)
Tamron 18-70mm f/2,8 (DX)
50mm f/1.4
24-70mm f/2.8
100mm f/2.8 macro
135mm f/2.0
70-200mm f/2.8
All Canon. Lately i find myself using more and more the 135 and 50 mil primes. I might lose the zooms and a wideangle prime.
I have a lot of lenses. But when out shooting on the street doing urban pix or street portraits, it’s only with a Zeiss 35mm f/2 ZE. Much better than my 24-70 f/2.8 L.
12+ but they’re distributed over a variety of cameras.
The Hasselblad only has the one 80mm prime, but it’s an 80mm T* Planar to write home about.
For a couple of years, my large-format photography was with only a 210mm. Then I added a 150mm and a 90mm much more recently (about a year ago).
Nikon D200: 24-70 f/2.8 (I can relate to the post) and 70-300 VR
Canon 550D: 17-50mm f/2.8 (Tamron – gorgeous), 50-200mm (Sigma).
I mainly use my 18 – 105mm followed by my 50mm I also own a 18-55mm and 10-24mm which are rarely used
All Canon on full frame.
17-40 f/4 Primarily landscape photography, some street photography
24-105 f/4 All round lens. One lens I take with me if I want to travel light.
50mm f/1.4 Portrait, street photography (mostly people on the street)
70-200 f/2.8 Portraits, Sports, Details
100mm Macro f/2.8 Portraits, Nature
So for street photography I use my 17-40 for streets and buildings, and my 50mm for people on the street. Makes you need to get in close and really focus well with f/2 or f/2.8.
Actually I am shooting with prime lenses more and more. Lending an 85mm and 35mm a lot lately. The 35mm for people on the street (need to get even closer…!) and the 85mm for portrait on location and studio work. A little bit expensive to buy those two, but maybe.. who knows…
I have a Canon EOS 7D.
– EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM
– EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
I can’t decide which I like better!
My two favourite lenses Jimmy.
For a 5D 30D combo
Canon 15mm Fisheye
Tokina 19-35mm F3.5-4.5
Tamron 28-75mm F2.8
Canon EF 100mm Macro USM
Canon EF 70-200 F4L
The two non Canons are likely an update before long to Canon L equivalents.
Also Kenko 1.5x tele-convertor & extension tubes.
11-16mm 2.8 Tokina
35mm 1.8 Nikkor
50mm 1.4G Nikkor
35-70mm 2.8 Nikkor
85mm 1.8 Nikkor
70-200mm 2.8 VRII Nikkor
135mm f2 DC Nikkor
Shooting a D90 currently. Waiting for that D700 refresh(like everyone else is)
I Never ever carry all of them with me. I see them as tools in my toolbox and bring along 1-3 for the occasion. If i had to pick a favorite id have to go with the 135 prime. Street photography almost primarily done with my 135 prime. But I just recently discovered the joys of using my 11-16mm ultrawide for from the hip street candids.
I own two lenses.
Nikkor AF-S DX 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR
Nikkor AF-S DX 35mm f/1.8G
On my wish list:
Nikkor AF-S VR Zoom 70-200mm f/2.8G IF-ED or Nikkor AF-S DX 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR
I have only 3 lenses.
Kit 18-55mm
35mm f/2
100mm f/2 USM
Canon 50mm 1.8 first cheap prime – great for the price.
50mm 1.4 heavier, glassier faster.
60mm macro 2.8 great for macro work etc..i use for newborn details etc..
85mm 1.8 portrait lens, lovely bokeh, and colour.
24-70L 2.8 all round lens. could do a whole session, even wedding with this one.
and on my wish list ? 50mmL 1.2
85mmL 1.2
a fish eye, and a tilt-shift.
then when i think ive got everything i want Canon will release an upgraded to my Camera and ill get crazy again.
Digital – Ricoh 28mm 1.9
Film –
Nikkor 24mm 2.8
Nikkor 50mm 1.8
Nikkor 105mm 2.5
Sigma 400mm 5.6
Would be tempted to shift to a 21mm, 28mm, 85mm setup.
For which cameras? I have just a few lenses per camera, but I can’t put a total since my Large format lenses don’t work on my 35mm, or my Hasselblad, or my other cameras.
All Primes
3 Zeiss ZF mount Nikon 25, 50, ,85
1 80mm Zeiss for my 500C
1 90mm for my Leica IIIf
2 4×5 lenses, 135mm Schneider, 210mm Voigtlander
My 9 or so cameras are all fixed lens, mostly Polaroids
15-85 f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
and dreaming of…….
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
Canon EF 28mm f/2.8 Lens
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8
Sigma 15-30mm f/3.5-4.5 EX Aspherical
Lensbaby 2.0
I do use the 24-70 a LOT more than the others, the second being the 70-200.
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS (kit lens)
Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM
The majority of the time I’m using the kit lens. If I’m shooting outdoor sports, I go with the 75-300mm though I’m trying to find something better to replace it. I use the 50mm for basketball, though may be getting an 85mm instead this season. The Sigma I use for wide angle storm shots or just interesting shots I can’t get with my other lenses.
Canon 17-85 kit lens
Canon 70-200 f4L
Canon 50 f1.8
Tamron 90mm f2.8 macro.
Olympus 14-42mm f4-5.6 (parked on a shelf)
Olympus 40-150mm f4-5.6 (on the wifes camera)
Olympus 70-300mm f4-5.6 (always in the bag, rarely taken out)
Olympus 35-100mm f2 (my favorite, used quite often)
Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6 (fun to play with but not used all that much)
Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 (probably on the camera the most, great walking around lens)
Canon 50mm f1.4 – amazing.
Tamron 17-50 f2.8 – rarely leaves me 30D, very very sharp and constant 2.8 very handy.
Canon EF-S 10-22 USM – very good lens but I rarely use it. Likely I will sell it soon.
Canon EF-S 55-250 IS – good considering it was only £150.
Had 2 very bad experiences with Sigma and will never buy from them again, terrible quality control.
Hopefully getting a 5D with 24-105L soon, will have to sell 10-22 to finance it! 30D will stay.
EF-S 18-55 IS Kit Primarily landscape photography
EF 24-85 All round lens, mostly on the camera, I like it. 🙂
EF 50mm f/1.8 Portrait, nature
EF 75-300 USM III Nature, spotting airplanes
For my current Nikon D300, just two – the 50mm 1.8 (usually the only lens I have with me) and the 16-85. Most of the time I just have the 50mm with me, plus a compact (Panasonic TZ7) which has a 24-300 zoom range.
When I shot film (OM) I used a 24mm f/2.8 and an 85mm f/2 for almost all my shots, but I also had a 35mm f/2 or a 200mm f/4.
Canon 400D (APS-C sensor) with these lenses:
– Tokina 11-16 2.8
– Canon 17-40 4.0 L
– Canon 50 1.8
– Canon 85 1.8
– And a bunch of very old lenses I hardly use
I always bring everything, or nothing at all 😉 ..
Sony DSLR-A900 with:
Sigma 4.5-5.6 12-24mm
Sony 2.8 24-70mm CZ
Sony 2.8 70-200mm G
Sony 1.4 85mm CZ
Sony 2.8 20mm
Minolta 2.8 100mm macro
Minolta 2.8 24mm
Lensbaby composer
Canon 5d
12-24 Sigma (non fisheye)
24-70 f/2.8L
70-200 f/4L IS
100mm f/2
90mm f/2.8 Tamron Macro
50mm f/1.8
58mm f/1.4 Rokkor lens w/ EOS mount
Zenitar 16mm Fisheye
Lensbaby
sigma 170/500 5-6.3
sigma 28/105 2.8-4
nikkor 50 1.4
nikkor 85 1.8
nikkor 70/300 4-5.6
nikkor 24/70 2.8
nikkor 17/55 2.8
SMC Pentax 28mm M f2.8 Prime
SMC Pentax 35mm M f2.8 Prime
SMC Pentax 50mm M f1.7 Prime x 2
SMC Pentax 40mm – 80mm Zoom f2.8
3rd party Japanese 135mm M f2.8 Prime
Pentax 18mm – 55m 3.5 – 5.6 Kit lens
Pentax 55mm – 200mm 3.5 – 5.6 Kit lens
Sigma 70mm EX f2.8 MACRO
I have heard that while you can never have too many lenses, you can have an absurd number of them. I have too many, but these all get used.
Pentax:
35 f/2
31 f/1.8
50 f/1.4
77 f/1.8
Sigma:
24 f/1.8 (my most used lens, love the focal length)
15-30 f/3.5-4.5
70-200 f/2.8
Tamron:
90mm f/2.8 macro
Zenitar:
16mm f/2.8 fisheye (surprisingly good)
I have quite a few Canon L lenses and I have to say that the vast majority of photos have been taken with these two lenses:
Canon 24-70L 2.8
Canon 70-200L IS 2.8
Then the prime gets some love..
85 1.2
135 2.0
50 1.2
Really love the primes and use them quite a bit, but those first two are money. So many of my portraits have been taken with the 70-200. Nothin like it’s compression and color. And that 24-70 is my walk around and event lens.
Almost all of my photos are made with a Leitz 35mm 1.4 ASPH.
For the once in a blue moon when the 35 won’t suffice, a 50 1.4 and a 70 are in the Domke bag.
When out shooting, its one M6TTL with the 35.
[img]http://stilllight.com/bobsoltys/html/juggler.html[/img]
I use two lenses:
– Canon 24-70 f/2.8
– Canon 70-200 f/2.8 I.S.
The 24-70 is my everyday go-to lens, and I absolutely love it. The 70-200 is used for lifestyle portraits and weddings.
I get real pleasure out of using these lenses, knowing the money I paid was worth it for the quality. Everything Kevin Hall said above about these two lenses applies for me too.
My next purchase is definitely a 50mm f/1.2, but only when the business pays for it.
Eventually I’ll get a wide angle prime too.
canon 400D well worn
many old lenses but practical and useful
canon
35-105 4.5-5.6 use for large laryouts still. has metal case and is good, clean fast lens. does nice detail interor architecture. loves low light
35-135 4.5-6 good walkabout lens. metal case. can manage model airplanes in flight easily.
24-85 3.5-4.5 use for much walkabout. carry with me in fields.
70-300 4.5-6.3 USM III problematic lens. architectural detail, but slides for sports and big focus problem with movement. slides and jitters badly.
kit lens 18-55– never figured out what to do with it. too big distortion for me. images seem flat.
Sigma 70-200 2.8 beautiful lens. used for ballet, good architecture lens. clean lens. sharp.
Sigma 50-500 3.5-6.3 beautiful lens. for show-jumping, sports, movement, birds, color fantastic, clean crisp lens. carries well.
Canon
50 1.8 delicate and never carry out. use at home for large still life.
50 2.5 beautiful crisp macro for highly detailed work. always carry with 100 to fields
60 2.8 good all round macro for large still life, does most of teddy bear work, food, misc.color wonderful.
100 2.8 heaviest used lens, insects, macro but usually + ext has focus problems and soft edges, 85% of work is from 100 easily. 90% in 1st year. needs replacement.
ext
1.4 Kenko
2x soligor
36mm soligor
25II for 60.2.8
use extensions heavily.
tend to apply lenses to specific tasks where they seem to have color and crispness I want. like primes over zoom, but zoom are useful for street scenes and movement where you want to frame things carefully.
Old lenses can be very valuable if assessed for their assets and used according to strengths, so the 2 35s have been very useful for me and often companions on field work. small and pack well in bag.
I’d just use the 70-200 if i could get away with it…
Canon 5D mark ii user here and I own the 24-70 f2.8, 50 f1.4 and 85mm f1.2…all i need for what I shoot…I have been eyeing a 200 f2.0 though
for a 60d and 40d
(from most used to least used, divided for rarely used lenses)
Sigma 30mm f1.4
Tamron 70-200mm f2.8
Tamron 17-50mm f2.8
Tamron 90mm f2.8
Canon 50mm 1.8
Jupiter 37A 135mm f3.5
Industar 50-2 50mm f3.5
Vivitar 28mm f2.8
All FX
Nikkors:
35 f2D
85 f1.4D
105 f2.8 AF-S Micro VR
135 f2 DC
24-70 f2.8 AF-S
80-200 f2.8D
Sigma:
50 f1.4 EX
Tokina:
16-28 f2.8 AT-X
I only use my Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 out of my 3, but that’s because the other 2 are kit lenses. Well, sorta. One of them is a really low end 55-200mm lens, and it’s actually not that bad. But still, I only use my 50mm. If I had other lenses though, I’d definitely use them.
Five lens. But usually, to work, only use a 10-20 and a 24-70-2.8. For street I prefer a 50mm 1.8, for the efficiency and discretion.
Canon 5D Mark ii with…
24-70mm f2.8 L
24-105mm f4 L (came with the 5D, but I prefer the faster 24-70)
16-35mm f2.8 L ultra-wide
100mm f2.8 macro (love this lens)
All Canon. I’m finding the 16-35mm is becoming my favorite walk around lens.
Looking forward to getting a 70-200mm f2.8 L IS II and the new Canon EF 8-15mm f4 L fisheye
My favorite lens by far is my Canon 100mm F/2.8 Macro USM. My other fave is my Sigma 17-50mm, takes lovely photos. I have two other lenses as well, but I dont use these near as much. A wide angle prime is on the shopping list 😉
My gear is:
Bodies:
Canon 7D
Canon 5D mark 3
Primes
Nikon AI-s 18mm f3.5
Nikon AI-s 28mm f2
Nikon AI-s 85mm f1.4
Nikon AI-s 105mm 2.8 macro
Carl Zeiss ZF.2 50mm f1.4
Zooms
Canon 70-200mm 2.8L IS 2
Canon 15-85mm 3.5-5.6 IS
Tokina 11-16mm f2.8
Nikon AI-s 35-70mm f3.5
Special Effects
Canon TS-E 24mm f3.5
Lensbaby Sweet Optic 35mm
Nikon F 43-86mm f3.5 (flor lens flares)
I take most along with me on narrative comercial work (with a preference for primes) but tend to stick to zooms for documentary projects.
Wow you guys got a lot of lenses!
I’m just a newbie so I only have one lens, the kit lens (18-55) that came with the camera. I do have a snap-on macro lens which i used to use with my point and shoot. So that makes 2?
Wish list would be a 35mm. 50mm didn’t feel comfortable for me.
I’ll tell you I could definitely live with one lens for a month but which one would depend on the body I chose.
On my 5D Mark III (Full Frame) it would have to be my 70-200mm.
On my 7D (Crop Frame) it would have to be my 50mm prime.
With both choices I’d be comfortable in most situations for portraits specifically and other things as well. I’d almost say I could do the 50mm on the 5D but you really can’t do great portraits (at least not full sessions) with that setup.
I also have a 24-70mm F4 L which I hate, but still use it for landscapes on the 5D. I dropped it a while back and knocked the IS all wacko and haven’t even bothered to get it fixed. I have to say though one of my favorite landscapes I took with the 70-200 on the 7D. Sometimes wide isn’t everything.
And lastly I have a 10-22mm wide angle for the 7D which I love. I just wish it worked on the 5D!
I won’t mention the 4 kit lenses I have… they have never even been used.
For my Nikon d610
Nikon 28mm 1.8g
Sigma 35mm 1.4
Nikon 85mm 1.8g
SIGMA 10-20mm f/4-5.6
Nikon DX 35mm 1.8G
Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD macro
Nikon 85mm 1.8G