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State your favorite canon lenses and why.

Rameshsalvi
Apprentice

What's your favorite canon lens and why? It would be good if you stated what kind of photography you generally do.

If you have more than one, then please rank them. But try to keep the list short. Perhaps limit to top 3.

31 REPLIES 31


@ebiggs1 wrote:

I usually don't respond to these questions because I think they are silly but hey, why not?

My answer is somewhat contrary to the question, however.

 

I could limit myself to only two Canon lenses. The Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens and Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM Lens. Not only are these the very best lenses Canon makes they are best of their kind made by any company. Not a difficult choice. The issue becomes more clouded when you do add the third, if I could only have three lenses what would that last one be? That lens would almost have to be my Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports Lens for Canon EF.


Ernie is obviously correct about the first two lenses, but my vote for the third lens goes to a wide angle. I assume we're talking full-frame, and I've been quite satisfied with my EF 16-35mm f/4L. I don't use it all that much, but when you need a WA, nothing else will do. That opinion comes from embarrassing experience.

 

Back when I was less well equipped than I am now, I was assigned to get a new picture of our City Hall. (My last job before retirement was as a computer programmer and sometime photographer for a City government in the Boston area.) I dutifully made my way to the roof of the building across the street, only to discover that the 18-50mm lens on my 50D couldn't get the whole building in. I had to climb back down and wait for the end of a temporary shortage of the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 before going back and getting the shot. I've not been without a WA since.

 

If I were a sports or wildlife photographer, I'd probably agree with Ernie's choice. But I'm not.

Bob
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA


@leonardsores wrote:

What would you pick and why?

 

Okay, I will bite.  This would depend upon what camera body you are using.  With an APS-C body I like the EF 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM, EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM. I like wide angle lenses.

 

If you want to go with longer focal lengths, then replace the first two lenses with the EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM lens.  In my experience, crop sensor bodies do not seem to focus as well with the 150-600mm lenses as well as FF sensor bodies do.  A good super telephoto would be the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM.  I initially paired my 7D2 with these two lenses and the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM.

--------------------------------------------------------
"The right mouse button is your friend."

I agree with Ernie that the 24-70 and 70-200 F2.8 lens are the heart of a great Canon lens set and are the perfect lenses for a huge variety of shooting situations and probably all that a large majority of photographers will ever need.  They are really very inexpensive when viewed in terms of their versatility and the quality of results they provide.

 

For the third lens, I love the 300 F2.8.  On a 1 series body it provides extremely fast and sure focus even in poor lighting and has beautiful sharpness.  It is my go to lens on my main body for high school field sports.

 

Depending upon your interests, a good macro lens could be a good third choice.

 

I bought an expensive Canon 50mm when I bought my first 1 series in 2005 and it was pretty much a waste of money for me.  It has been used very infrequently and I just don't run into situations where I need a 50mm lens that is faster than what the 24-70 provides in its range.  At the telephoto end, I really like my Canon fast primes but with what I do primes at the other end of the focal length range aren't my thing but others probably have a polar opposite viewpoint.

 

Rodger

EOS 1DX M3, 1DX M2, 1DX, 5DS R, M6 Mark II, 1D M2, EOS 650 (film), many lenses, XF400 video

I will differ in my answer... First my consideration would be WHAT I am going to photograph and under what conditions.  Since most of my photography involves wildlife, which involves telephoto work, but very little wide angle work, and I would be more concerned with the long end of the focal range..  I prefer zooms for their flexibilty,   As iI understand the rules of the game, as game it is, I shall be limited to Canon lenses, rather than those of a 3rd party.

 

So I shall start off with the long end.

If I am going to cover a wide range I would start off with the EF 100-400 f4-5.6 MkII L zoom.

At the other end of the spectrum I would be prepared to go with the EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM, no argument there!

The gap between is more perplexing...

For general purposes the 24-105 f4 MkII could be logical, but I would be tempted to go for

The 70-200 f4 MkII lens for its smaller size and light weight - I rarely shoot at f2.8 and there are times when weight is an issue.

Alternatively, the compact and really excellent 70-300 f4-5.6L is a brilliant lens and has my respect...



cheers, TREVOR

"All the variety, all the charm, all the beauty of life is made up of light and shadow", Leo Tolstoy;
"Skill in photography is acquired by practice and not by purchase" Percy W. Harris

I can do just about everything, except for birds and wildlife, with a decent 35mm, such as my EF 35/2 IS, and my EF 100/2.8L Macro IS. That would leave my EF 100-400L II IS and EF 300/2.8L IS fighting for that third position. I think that low-light shooting would be the deciding factor, in favor of the faster prime.

Why 35mm? Well, it is the do-it-all wide-normal, suited for decently wide landscape/travel images, street/reportage, and even portraits, if one shoots an “environmental portrait.” I actually have two 35mm EF lenses, the IS and the L II, so used compactness Image Stabilization to decide upon the IS. In the real world, outside this exercise, I am keeping both.

I love macro and close-range shooting. I love nature and wildlife photograph, with emphasis on being as close as possible. A bee, in a blossom, is no less important or less interesting, than a large mammal in its environment. If reduced to getting about in a wheelchair or motorized scooter, someday, I can still enjoy using my Macro L. It doubles as a nice portrait lens, and even works for landscapes. Because I used to have a duty to produce evidentiary/forensic images, I actually own a pair of Macro L lenses.

I added my pre-owned EF 300/2.8L IS after a perched Barred Owl looked down upon me, and “told” me that, yes, 300mm was enough, at that moment, but that ones needs f/2.8, and IS, after sundown.

"Why 35mm? Well, it is the do-it-all wide-normal ..."

 

OK, let's up the game.  WHat if you could have only one lens, what would it be.  Wow, now I'm being silly, I really don't like these queries. But, its the holidays. Everyone is happy!

I can see the 35mm prime as that lens and I could be happy with that choice. In my personal life, I have the Sigma 35mm f1.4 Art, and I certainly love it, but, it seems though the ef 24-70mm f2.8L still remains King as it is on the 1DX most of the time. So for me the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens is the winner.  Good lord I am on my third one so I must like them.

 

Everyone do have a happy and wonderful New Year.

 

 

 

 

BTW, the Siggy Art seems to stay on the 1D Mk IV a lot of the time.  Smiley Happy

EB
EOS 1DX and 1D Mk IV and less lenses then before!


@ebiggs1 wrote:

"Why 35mm? Well, it is the do-it-all wide-normal ..."

 

OK, let's up the game.  WHat if you could have only one lens, what would it be.  Wow, now I'm being silly, I really don't like these queries. But, its the holidays. Everyone is happy!

I can see the 35mm prime as that lens and I could be happy with that choice. In my personal life, I have the Sigma 35mm f1.4 Art, and I certainly love it, but, it seems though the ef 24-70mm f2.8L still remains King as it is on the 1DX most of the time. So for me the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens is the winner.  Good lord I am on my third one so I must like them.

 

Everyone do have a happy and wonderful New Year.

 

 

BTW, the Siggy Art seems to stay on the 1D Mk IV a lot of the time.  Smiley Happy


If it has to be only one lens on a full-frame camera, I vote for the 24-105mm f/4L. The 24-70 doesn't have enough reach to be an outdoor walkaround lens.

Bob
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA

"The 24-70 doesn't have enough reach ..."

 

I had the Nikkor 24-120mm f4 with my Nikon gear.  Great lens.   It is another lens Canon should have made.

EB
EOS 1DX and 1D Mk IV and less lenses then before!

For the range I would need, and given only one lens  I would go for the Canon 28-300L lens.   It's an oldie but a goodie.


cheers, TREVOR

"All the variety, all the charm, all the beauty of life is made up of light and shadow", Leo Tolstoy;
"Skill in photography is acquired by practice and not by purchase" Percy W. Harris

Good choice.

Chris P. Bacon
F-1; AE-1; EOS 1V, EOS-1D X Mark III, 5D Mk IV, 6D, 6D Mk II, 7D, and 7D Mk II; scads of Canon, Zeiss, and Sigma lenses.
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