Canon SLR fans - what is one favorite lens?

[LWJ]

Ok. My wife has the talent but I am the gear researcher / buyer.

My one favorite lens is the 50mm 1.8. I really love it for many reasons. I am considering buying something new and have a few lenses in the inventory. We have most bases currently covered but maybe not as well as I would like.

I am not going to say what I am considering to keep the conversation unbiased. My wife loves street photography but is a little shy. Most of her photography is travel stuff - architecture, people, lovely settings. I participate often when we travel. I am bolder and take more people pics.

Before I pull the trigger, what is you single favorite lens?

[scottmandue]

Zoom or fixed length?

Bummer I sold off all my Cannon lens about a year ago.

[MRM]

I know it is heresy to real photo enthusiasts, but if I had to pick one Cannon lens, it would be a zoom. I would suggest something along the lines of a 75-100/300 zoom with as low of an effective f-stop as you can reasonably justify and image stabilization. Especially with high quality digital SLRs, the downside to zooms has been largely mitigated and the convenience more than makes up for any limitations.

If you wanted only two lenses that covered almost all the bases, you could get a 28/100 (or even a 28-250) and a 100/300 or 100/400.

[PetrolBlueSC]

Which camera body are you shooting?

My two favorite lenses are the 85mm 1.8 and the 70-200mm 2.8L.

Both are great for portraits or candid shots.

For street photography, I hear that the 35mm is very popular.

[Gus Berges]

If it's for travel, then the 17-40L is relatively light and wide enough for interior spaces. I use if more often than I originally thought, but my favorite is my 70-200 2.8L. Before I got those two, my "go to" lens was the 28-70 2.8L which I still have and use once in a while. As you already know, the 50 1.8 cannot be beat, price into consideration.

[Eric Hahl]

I have multiple favorites.
The 24-105 F4 is just an all around great lens with a nice range. It's not too big either. This lens could pretty much be a "only one lens" solution.

I also like the following primes, 85 f1.8, 135 f2L and 200 f2.8L (using these for astrophotography now)

[GH85Carrera]

It so much depends on the "style" of photography you like to do. If you are into wildlife, you will have to have a long lens. If you shoot mostly people and faces and expressions I would say a 70 to 135 mm lens is ideal, unless you shoot a lot of large groups.

Of course all of those focal lengths are assuming a full size sensor. If you have the typical Prosumer level camera and a smaller than full frame sensor all of those focal lengths are going to need to have the conversion factor included.

Back in the olden days of film I did a lot of journalism photography and I was in the press photographers association. I usually had one camera with a 28 mm lens and another camera with a 55 to 200 zoom. That covered most of what I needed. I can tell you running with two cameras around your neck in 100+ degree heat in the middle of a riot is not much fun, but it beats wedding photography which I did lots of.

[scottmandue]

Back in my 35mm film days I carried two zoom lens, a medium zoom (something like a 35-80) and a slightly longer (like 100-200). The medium lens stayed on my camera 90% of the time.

I sold all my 35mm Cannon stuff and went to the dark side... digital SLR...

And...

Nikon...

If you are considering a zoom they have some pretty crazy new tech out there (35-300)

Also to support my habit... I mean hobby... I have been buying used off eBay.

[Arizona_928]

35mm f1.4
Hope you're using full frame

[GH85Carrera]

Long ago one of my press friends had a 50mm F .95 lens. It was crazy how bright it was to focus and frame a shot. The lens was huge in diameter and heavy, but it was cool.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

16-35MM 2.8 stays on my camera most of the time. It is my favorite. It is limited in length, but gets the most incredible angles. It forces you to think differently (in a good way).Great for architecture, tight spaces.

I think the wider angle lenses would also be good for street photography, as you can point the camera not directly at the person but still get them in the shot. In most indoor spaces it has plenty of length.

I like my 100-400 f4.5 zoom for the long stuff. On a beach it is unbeatable.

In good light, it can get some great shots as well.

I have a 24mm 1.4 prime as well, but I like the versatility of the 16-35 in framing over the more open aperture of the 1.4.

[LWJ]

Some good stuff above.

Yes. Full frame. 5d classic and 5d mk3.
Have the 17-40. Didn’t bond with it. Have a 200 / 2.8, like it, have 100 / ? Macro, like it, have an old 28-135 zoom, like it. My wife seems to really use it a lot. Have some more but I’m not recalling them too much. Probably a sign to dump them.

My top two picks? 35 / 1.4 or 50 / 1.2. I really enjoy the current 50 and Love low light pics.

Other considerationis the 24-70

I will be getting a safari lens someday for that Africa trip of a lifetime. Have. 300/4 but it has a mold spot. Thinking the 100-400 or ???

More comments are welcome. TIA.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

I love my 50mm 1.2.

Saw a craigslist add for a 35mm 1.4 last weekend. Now I'm thinking dangerous thoughts.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by LWJ

Some good stuff above.

Yes. Full frame. 5d classic and 5d mk3.
Have the 17-40. Didn’t bond with it. Have a 200 / 2.8, like it, have 100 / ? Macro, like it, have an old 28-135 zoom, like it. My wife seems to really use it a lot. Have some more but I’m not recalling them too much. Probably a sign to dump them.

My top two picks? 35 / 1.4 or 50 / 1.2. I really enjoy the current 50 and Love low light pics.

Other considerationis the 24-70

I will be getting a safari lens someday for that Africa trip of a lifetime. Have. 300/4 but it has a mold spot. Thinking the 100-400 or ???

More comments are welcome. TIA.

I've got the 100-400L on a crop frame sensor. I bought it specifically for a trip to the Amazon river. Thank goodness too. It was great most of the time, but there are times when I was wishing it went to 600 or 800, but isn't that always the case?

[Cajundaddy]

A lens is simply a tool, so choose the one that best suits your intended use. I shoot a lot of sports/wildlife so the 100-300mm is often mounted.

Low light street shots w/full frame? 35mm f1.4 would be on my short list.

[AFC-911]

I came in here expecting to see a bunch of L series lenses and primes. You guys didn't disappoint...And I'm a Nikon guy.

[Bill Douglas]

On my Canon AE1 my favorite lense is a Tamron 300mm.

The colors and sharpness are fantastic.

[LWJ]

Can anyone give me an A B comparison of the 35 / 1.4 vs 50 / 1.2? They both are just killer. I am certain I would be overjoyed with either.

Also, I am a tightwad. I buy used mostly. I have found photo geeks to most honest people ever. It helps make this a less painful hobby.

[petrolhead611]

I had a Canon A1 with a bag of 4 lenses and a big flash gun. What a PIA to lug around.
These days I have a Canon bridge camera with a 65 times zoom lens, makes photography a pleasure rather than a pain.The results are quite good enough for me. Also my wife doesnt have to wait for me whilst I change lenses.

[Starless]

I did camera repair for over 30 years. I've owned just about every brand you can imagine. People would drop them off, decide the repair was too much and abandon them. My favorite set ups were a Leica IIIf with a Nikkor 85mm F2.0, and a Nikon FM with a Nikkor 35mm 1.4, and a Nikkor 20mm 2.8. It all depends on what you're shooting. Obviously none of these setups are good for wildlife, but that wasn't my interest. Then again this has nothing to do with Canon. The only Canon I ever really got into was a 7s rangefinder. Never like the breech mount SLR mounting system. I guess I'm showing my age.