Favorite Lens?

[Monica]

What is your favorite Canon lens to photograph with, and why?

[jbedford]

My favorite is my 70-200 f/2.8 IS II on a 7D

[SusanK]

I"ll go with the 24-105 on my full frame. Second choice is probably the 100-400.

[alain]

85mm f1.2 II is my favorite.

This lens has all the defects you can imagine. The (most important) the AF is really slow,sealing is poor, especially on the front, you have to switch to manual to retract it, there is no IS, the price tag is huge (espeically compared to Sigma 1.4), it weights a brick, minimum focus disctance is an issue (ex baby head portraits not possible).

BUT the optical quality supasses everything else, period. The ability to play with DOF by the cm is absolutely great, and unsurpassed at this level.

So you just fall in love with the images and go around the limitations as much as you can.

Also I got the great 200 f2 for IS and longer reach, I got the 100 2.8 IS for IS and macro. I will get a the newer 135mm when they make it (please make it f1.4 or 1.8 !). So I can cover what I need to cover.

But everytime I can, I put the 85mm on.

The other lens that stays a lot on the body is the 24 II, this is my default lens. But the love affair is with the 85.

Alain

[John]

My favorite lens right now is my 85mm f/1.8 (on a crop).  I've been busy so taking pictures at the office is all the photo-time I can spare right now.  I stand up from my desk, look around and photograph the people working around me.  The focal length is the right reach and the aperature helps with the relatively dim office lights.  The DOF works to obscure the typically boring work space.

When I do have dedicated time for shooting, my favorite is the 10-22mm for its perspective.

[koolmind]

No doubt ... 100mm f2.8L IS usm macro lens! 🙂

[gepixelt]

Canon EF 135L f2 - by far the coolest lens ever 

[KenRockwell]

EF 40mm f/2.8 STM on fullframe. 

[JohnTh]

Because if you ask about Canon lenses...

70-200mm L f/2.8 IS II on Canon 5DMk3. for quality
50mm f/1.8 for price / performance ratio

However...
...I think that now Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 VC if a sensibly better choice than Canon's analogue offerings, looking through features (read: IS) / image quality / price triangle.

Also, a honorable mention goes to Tokina 16-28 f/2.8 FX which manages to have sensibly lesser distortions at its wide angle, compared with Canon's 16-35 f/2.8.

Canon does nice lens lately but they are overpriced and lacks the last bit of "wow" effect which the 3rd party manufacturers manage to achieve. For ex. see latest Canon's 35 f/2 vs latest Sigma's 35 f/1.4

just my2c & HTH

[jacobsen1]

16-35II.  Why?  Because it's my money maker as a landscape and arch shooter. 😉

[kevinb]

Oh boy.. do I have to pick just one? 😃 For me, it is a tossup..

Canon 70-200 f/2.8 IS - It is just an absolute all around workhorse for me! Everything from portraits to sports! Sharp, fast, built like a tank!

Canon 400mm f/2.8 IS - THE sharpest lens I have used. It is also a heck of a workhorse, and hardly ever leaves my camera. I shoot drag racing mainly, and have started to do more wildlife/bird photography with it along with teleconverters.