Which lenses do you most regularly use?

William · Joined: 26 Nov 2009 Posts: 489 Location: London

Most of us here try a lot of lenses, but I am wondering which are used as regular lenses.

In just over a year of MF lensing I've tried 46 lenses including 21 50-58mms. So far my favourite series of lenses have been the Nikkors. With the Canon I'd walk around with a 2.8/24, 2/35 and a 1.4/50. An 105 was my next planned acquisition. The three mentioned are awaiting a body that can use them someday.

Currently I walk around with the K-x kit lens (SMC DA-L 18-55) and an SMC 1.7/50.

Do you have a set that you always walk around with or do you just take them out on a whim? Are they similar lenses of the same brand or mixed?

greg · Expire: 2012-12-03

Canon XTi f1.8 series one 50mm on MF
Canon EF-M f2.8 Sigma 105mm macro

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

Konica 24mm f2.8 on G1 this is a normal 50mm lens to me.

Orio · Expire: 2012-12-04

William · Joined: 26 Nov 2009 Posts: 489 Location: London

Atilla, I guessed that you would pick a Konica as you're always praising them. From your samples I know that if I had a camera that could take them I'd certainly try a few.

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

visualopsins · Expire: 2025-04-11

Depends on light for me. In Winter, I stick with my faster lenses unless bright sunny day. Summer/Autumn I get to use slowest lenses (I have more of those) like 4.5/20, 4/50, 4/100. Example I was using 1.8/85 for nearly one month, then two weeks ago switched to 2.5/135, next will be 1.8/55 (5D1 mirror doesn't hit at infinity) and 1.4/50 for deeper forest. (S-M-C Takumars)

William · Joined: 26 Nov 2009 Posts: 489 Location: London

Kram · Joined: 06 Feb 2010 Posts: 1344 Location: Portland, OR

If I am shooting people, especially for a job, I've fallen in love with the Tair 11-A and the Canon 85/1.8 (not MF!).

If I'm working on my cemetery series, it's medium format; Planar 80/2.8 (Rolleiflex SL-66- five blades-yowch!) or Xenotar 80/2.8 (Rolleiflex 2.8C- 10 blades).

For macro, it's usually Nikkor 55/2.8 or 105/2.8.

I have times when I choose certain flavors for certain moods, Helios 44-2, Pancolar 50/1.8, SMC 50/1.4, SMC 55/2.

Right now, I'm deficient on the wide side with only a Yashinon 28/2.8 and a Fuji EBC 28/3.5. Wishing for a Flek 20mm.

Have a few new ones that I'll be testing soon.

luisalegria · Expire: 2018-01-18

Schneider Tele-Xenar 360/5.5
Its my snapshot lens

jjphoto · Joined: 17 Mar 2009 Posts: 410

If I'm working then I can get 99% of my work done with a Canon 17-40L (4%) and 24-70L(95%). If I bring my Canon 70-200 L then that fills the 1% left.

Laurentiu Cristofor · Joined: 23 Oct 2010 Posts: 524 Location: WA, USA

Big Dawg · Joined: 28 Jan 2009 Posts: 2530 Location: Thach Alabama

A Sigma 50-500 "Bigma" and the Pentax DA 18-55mm for the full range of 18-500mm. For portraits I use the Pentax F 50mm f/1.7 or the Vivitar Series 1 85mm f/1.4. For macros I use the Vivitar Series 1 105mm f/2.5 1:1 macro lens. For lightweight walk-abouts I use the Kobori made Vivitar 28-200mm.

RioRico · Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 9:49 am Post subject:

For my Pentax K20D, some AF zooms now live in my carry bag -- DA18-250 and F35-70 and sometime the fisheye DA10-17.

And some MF primes are always there too: PKM Vivitar-Kiron 24/2, M42 Macro-Takumar 50/4 (1:1), modded Nikkor 85/2 -- and often the PKM Zenitar 16/2.8.

The AF FA50/1.4 is often there, sometimes replaced by the M42 Sears-Tomioka 55/2, and now often supplemented with a small Exakta-mount CZJ Tessar 50/2.8 (12 iris blades).

Of ~155 lenses, those see the most use. On a long trip earlier this year, before I got the Vivitar and the F35-70, I took 25 lenses but mostly used (in order) the DA18-250, Zenitar 16/2.8, FA50/1.4, and Nikkor 85/2. If I throw a longer-slower lens into the bag, it will usually be the M42 Meyer Telemegor 180/5.5 or Tele-Takumar 200/5.6 (and leave the DA18-250 behind).

Brand loyalty? Not really. That's 6 Pentax lenses on the extended list, and 6 non-Pentax. And of course, other situations demand other lenses, which go into the behind-the-drivers-seat bag. But that's a whole 'nother can of worms...

ylyad · Expire: 2013-12-05

I always have the Canon EF 50/1.8 in my bag - I love it, and I want one AF lens in the bag.
I always carry one of the 135, either Pentacon 2.8 or Jupiter 3.5 - no particular reason for choosing one vs. the other, just the will to change.
Then it depends. I have the opportunity to borrow some lenses from time to time (mainly Canon EF 24/2.8 - it's a nice lens, small and lightweight, with quite good optics), if not, I usually take my Allfotar 28/2.8.

I'm realizing that my Helios 58/2 is barely used, so the Mir 37/2.8 (this one would need some small fix). So are the two Canon zooms too...

my_photography · Expire: 2016-12-25

Recent time, I usually have a Helios 44M series with me. At my cropped body this becomes around 80mm equivalent.

BenediktW · Joined: 24 Jan 2008 Posts: 336 Location: Solingen, Germany

At the moment, I mostly use my Nikkor AF-S DX 35mm F1,8 and the Mamiya 80mm F2,8.

In the past, I mostly had my AF-Nikkor 28-105mm F3,5-4,5D and my AF-Nikkor 24mm F2,8 with me, and the Micro Nikkor-P or the Nikkor 50mm F2 Ai as a supplement.
This always was a great set-up, especially the zoom lens is one of the best I know, although it´s not fast.

But curiosity always pushes me to take more exotic lenses with me, and I´m sometimes disappointed by the results, and there are some pictures I don't take at all because on the D50, there is no automatic exposure with manual lenses.

Perhaps the Dandelion chips I ordered will solve this problem, as mostly I miss the automatic exposure for my faster reaction times, not the AF itself.

While my Pentax K100d comes in pretty handy with these things, I am not convinced of the results yet. There is a great potential, but some things which work fine with the Nikon don't work with the Pentax. Stragely enough, it's the same CCD chip, but the behaviour in low light is completely different.

LucisPictor · Expire: 2013-12-03

MF lenses? On my 5D? >> Leica Summicron 2/50

For our winter holidays I have packed:

5D
Zenitar 2.8/16
MIR 24-N 2/35
Leica Summicron 2/50
Nikkor-S.C 1.2/55
Nikkor-H 1.8/85
Leica Elmar 4/180

EOS 300D/MF
CZJ Flek 4/20
Vivitar Series 1 28-105 (outdoor shots in snow)

plus the Sigma 15-30 and 1.8/24 (AF lenses) and my Digilux 2.

Film? Kodak Retina 1a and Ricoh RR-1.

ManualFocus-G · Expire: 2014-11-24

CZ Distagon 28/2.8
CZ Planar 50/1.4 <- This one is on my 5D most of the time
CZJ Sonnar 135/3.5
CZ Vario-Sonnar 35-70/3.4
CZ Vario-Sonnar 80-200/4
Canon EF 300/4L
Various 400mm primes

hinnerker · Expire: 2015-08-09

Most of the time in my bag:

Leica Elmarit 2.8/28m or Minolta MD W.Rokkor 2/28mm
Leica Elmarit 2.8/35mm E55
Leica Summilux 1.4/50mm E55 or Canon FD (EF) 1.2/55mm SSC
Leica Makro Elmarit 2.8/60mm E55
Leica Summicron 2/90mm
Leica Elmarit 2.8/180mm MKII
Tokina AT-X 2.5/90mm

for special situations:
Meyer Primoplan 1.9/75 or Biotar 1.5/75mm
A.Schacht Ulm Edixamat Travenar 2.8/90mm
Vivitar 3,5/17mm

dude163 · Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 3:56 pm Post subject:

Pentax KX with my SMC Tak 50 1.4 and helios 40

or if I have my Rebel XT, then the Planars , 50 1,7 and 85 1,4

gaeger · Expire: 2021-03-09

It has really varied over the years. But in general, usually a Nikkor 20mm of some sort and a Nikkor zoom in the 80-200/70-210 range.

Of late, I've become enamored of the 20mm f3.5 AIS, 55mm f2.8 micro and 135mm f3.5 as a nice package.

natebarnz · Expire: 2013-01-23

Like many people here, the popular lens of my day often changes with my geography. In addition to that I always seem to love the heck out of my most recent acquisition for a good period of time.

But statistically the lens that comes with me most often is my first MF lens that got me into the hobby from the beginning. My grandpas old Nikkor-S 55/1.2. Possibly skewed by the length of time I have had it, but I still think it will always be in my bag for the days to come.

With that said I just got a 'hollywood' contax 28/2 for my birthday, and I can't put it down, nor do I think I will ever put it down. (until I get the 21/2.8 perhaps Smile

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

I bought a Vivitar series 1 24-48 f3.8 two weeks ago, and it's hardly been off the K10. I'm just loving this lens.

Other than that, I always carry a 28 and a 135 Takumar, Helios 44m and an autofcus SMC Pentax F35-70, which is a superb lens for the money they fetch.

RioRico · Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 6:59 pm Post subject:

Also of interest maybe: Why and how were our kits selected? For me, I chose Pentax because the DA10-17 was the most cost-effective UW/FE at the time, and the DA18-250 and FA50/1.4 seemed like a natural combo.

Since then, it's mostly stuff that I try, and it's obviously RIGHT for certain occasions. The Zenitar 16/2.8 and Vivitar-Komine 24/2 for wide speed, the Micro-Takumar 50/4 (1X) for closeness and sharpness, the Pentax F35-70 for agility, the Nikkor 85/2 and Takumar 135/2.5 for longer speed, the Meyer Telemegor 180/5.5 and Tele-Takumar 200/5.6 for character. Almost everything else falls into the "lens-of-the-day" category.