What's your most used lens?

[blitz]

We all like to shoot different things and for each you can get lenses to suit but they all can be used for other shots as well.

My most used lense is a Nikon 28 80 zoom that came with my F55, it's a gastly grey/silver colour and plastic but it is an excellent lense. focus is lightning fast the optics are excellent and as a grab and go it is always the lense I take.

It probably looks a bit silly hanging off of a D300s but I dont care as it is an excellent lense.

So when you grab your camera and go with just one lense which is the one you use the most and why?

[dmdigital]

Nikkor 24-70 f/2.8G There's not much beats this zoom lens apart from primes. Close focusing, fast and really good light transmission.

[abaddonxi]

This week it's the AF 70-210 f3.8. Lots of vignette at 210 which I'm getting a kick out of.

And a 20mm f2.8, which is just a bit confusing.

[300+]

I use a tamron 17-55 f2.8 for almost all my shots now. I had a choice a while ago to get an ultra wide to allow me to take some shots that I can't now, or to spend an equivalent sum and make 90% of my shots slightly better by upgrading from the kit lens.

I think I made the correct choice.

Cheers, Steve

[WhiteD3]

Canon 24-105 f4 L IS USM. Very versatile lens.

[Bushie]

My Pentax 17-70 stays on the camera so I suppose that indicates my most used lens.
(although unfortunately not used anywhere near enough at the moment :(:()


Martyn

[kenleyfred]

Very interested in this thread. I am soon getting my first SLR and have chosen the Nikon D7000. Was going to be asking a similar question of you learned people as to what lens I should start with.
Kenley.

[dirtdawg]

tamron 70-300 has been getting a workout lately

[drifter]

The 24-70 has been on the 1D3 for about the past year but has only been used for updates of my Landy rebuild. When I look at the stats on my drive, the 100-400 @400 is the most used on the 1D3 but that was mainly because of air show participation. In the studio the 85mm and the 70-200 f/2.8 on the 5D got the most use.

[austastar]

Hi,
when I was working as a medical photographer, 90% of the time we would be using a 105 micro lens. 1:1 to infinity.
One of them had a smaller f stop wide open, but compensated for that by opening up 2 stops at 1:1 - very handy when working with studio flash over a range of distances not having to calculate the lens extension factor.
That of course was in the days of film, and when I left work, I no longer had access to my Nikons.
I bought a 'toy' Nikon (Coolpix 5700) as a stop gap till I can get a DSLR, but I imagine a 105mm micro will be the first lens I buy for it when I do.
cheers

[flagg]

Very interested in this thread. I am soon getting my first SLR and have chosen the Nikon D7000. Was going to be asking a similar question of you learned people as to what lens I should start with.
Kenley.

Hi Kenley,

Well done on the D7000 - its an astonishing camera. I pair mine up with the 17-55 F2.8 nearly all the time, they are very well matched. As it is a cropped frame (no good for full frame cameras) lens you can get them second hand for a very reasonable price.

Since I've had these, I have not picked up my other cameras!

[LSD_AUTOMOTIVE]

I don't really enjoy zoom, I much prefer prime. Looking to get a (Nikon) 50mm 1.4 as soon as my finances allow...settling for the D over the G looks like my only option to avoid a 1.8.

[flagg]

I don't really enjoy zoom, I much prefer prime. Looking to get a (Nikon) 50mm 1.4 as soon as my finances allow...settling for the D over the G looks like my only option to avoid a 1.8.

Yeah the 1.8 is very disappointing, anything less than 2.8 will be soft and without contrast.

[LSD_AUTOMOTIVE]

Yeah the 1.8 is very disappointing, anything less than 2.8 will be soft and without contrast.

I've heard as much, I guess the price is an indicator though. Easily under $150...I just ordered a new 1.4D from the US (significantly more than $150!). This thread is dangerous :o Perhaps I'll swing for the G when I upgrade camera down the track. I'm only a hobbyist :angel:

[Chucaro]

Yeah the 1.8 is very disappointing, anything less than 2.8 will be soft and without contrast.

The 50mm f/1.8 very disappointing :eek:
It is an awesome glass regarding as one of the best premiers for the money after the f/1.4 G lens.
It is not only mi opinion, have a look THIS (http://www.naturfotograf.com/lens_norm.html) reputable site.

[blitz]

Very interested in this thread. I am soon getting my first SLR and have chosen the Nikon D7000. Was going to be asking a similar question of you learned people as to what lens I should start with.
Kenley.

A fine choice of camera, the 64 (million) $$ question is what do you want to take photos of?

Primes (f2.8 or lower) are the fastest and best for low light but you are locked to one size

Zooms are more flexible in photo size but you are limited in the speed and light level you can take photos in.

best rule of thumb, the highest quality glass you can afford the better off you are.

I'm still trying to work out which ones though hence the thread to ask the people who use them ;)

What I dont want to end up with is 10 lenses that seemed like a good idea at the time but only end up using a couple of them regularly

[Chucaro]

It is very hard to answer the question without knowing for what the camera is going to be used.

As an example, I dedicate my photography to nature so I use only one lens for landscaping (Tokina 12-24 f/4) and one lens for birds, wildlife and close up shots (insects flora etc) the 70-300VR
I have in the second body a Nikon 35-70 which I use for family shots but not very often.
If you are going to use the lens for general photography (walk about and family shots) perhaps the best out there will be the 24-70
If money is a problem the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR (https://www.dwidigitalcameras.com.au/store/product.asp?idProduct=3059) for under $1200.00 can be an option.

Cheers

[LSD_AUTOMOTIVE]

The 50mm f/1.8 very disappointing :eek:
It is an awesome glass regarding as one of the best premiers for the money after the f/1.4 G lens.
It is not only mi opinion, have a look THIS (http://www.naturfotograf.com/lens_norm.html) reputable site.

I've had a number of professional (portrait) photogs steer me away from the 1.8...it's good especially when taking into account the price but the 1.4 is better. From what I've heard the main issue with the 1.8 is the lower apertures not giving decent results. Basically - Low light situations where you need to open all the way up and you get proper exposure indicated but you're getting very soft results and spend too much time in PP... It's not worth it. For me I shoot children (ha) so you can't be too far away from them either - if you need the lower aps for decent bokeh and such you want them to still be crisp... Not to mention if you have to stick to a higher ap then your shutter speed will start to suffer and the flailing limbs of a 6 month old = unnattractive motion blurs :p If you're taking in a landscape or you've got older, better behaved subjects I am sure the 1.8 is great....but it won't be the best option for all situations :) I think the general consensus is a full stop adjustment will make the 1.4 and 1.8 comparable in terms of sharpness - but I want as much range as possible. The 1.8 would no doubt kick butt compared to a zoom in terms of sharpness though

edit to add an example of what I mean :)
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/threads/383887-Nikon-50-1.4-VS-50-1.8.-TEST-hope-can-help-fellow-clubsnappers!

[33chinacars]

For me Nikon 18-200 on my D300 98% of the time Excelent all round lense & Tamron 28-200 on my F100 again 98% . Don't have to change lenses much / lazy I know but faster.