What is your favourite lens?

[latch]

Easy: Nikkor 50mm f1.4D (it spends more time on my camera than any other lens, and I hardly miss the ability to zoom)

I'd like to play with an ultrawide, though. I'm thinking of a Tokina 11-16 f2.8.

[Murray Foote]

Pretty obvious, really. the two in my head.

Apart from that:
Nikon 180mm f2.8 AF-D
Rodenstock Grandagon 75mm f6.8
Nikon 16mm fisheye f3.5 AI

Maybe soon it will be a Nikon 105mm f2 DC I have on order and there is a 300mm f4 AFS on the way too.

Regards,
Murray

[SuperJT]

As much as I love my Canon 17-55 F2.8 IS as my walkaround lens (and the 50 F1.8 being a fun lens), I really love any opportunity to use my 100-400 L IS. That is fun as well as awesome. And sharp, especially at 100mm.

I'll have to stump up with some pictures so I can get savaged soon. No guts, no glory

[DaveB]

Favourate lens? I've never eaten a lens...

The 100-400mm is my workhorse for most wildlife. It has its limitations, but when you know what they are you can work with it to produce great images, and the flexibility of a zoom is wonderful. Mine has been serving me well for 8.5 years now!

Late last year I made an impulse purchase of an EF 85mm/1.8, and it has really inspired me. Mainly I'm using it on a FF camera. Small size, speed, USM focussing, pure image quality: it's great!
It's the same speed as the 50mm/1.8 (which I also have and use) but the bokeh is smoother, and it has a decent AF motor (quiet, fast, and with full-time manual override like my other lenses). Recently at the V Festival in Melbourne I took it in as my main lens. It didn't cause any hassles at entry (past the signs saying "no professional cameras"/etc) and when standing at the fence right at the front of the mosh pit (not much attention was paid to the "no moshing allowed" signs) I got great shots of Madness, Elbow, etc. Even as the evening got dark!

The 24-105/4 and 17-40/4 lenses are other workhorses I like, but the 85mm/1.8 has a special place in my affections at the moment.

[Reschsmooth]

It has been over 12 months since I started this thread, and, in that time, I have had the 17-35 fixed.

In my original post, I mentioned that, if I only had 2 lenses, I would be happy to have the 17-35 and the 85 1.4. I can reaffirm this view as both lenses are just amazing to use.

Again, my only problem with the 85 is that it just appears too long on the DX sensor. That said, when I have the room, the sharpness and contrast are wonderful and I rarely have a problem with AF speed. Chasing after Alex with it is a different story. The 17-35 is also a fantastically sharp lens with super fast AF.

The only thing that may alter my preferred two lens list would be if I owned the 24-70 2.8 as a replacement for the 17-35. Having used this lens on a full-frame camera, I was suitably impressed. However, I reckon I would miss the 7mm on the wide end.

So, I reckon my preferred 'limited' line up that I could live with, with no additions, would be the 17-35, 24-70 & 85 1.4. Particularly on a full-frame sensor. I haven't shot beyond 85mm for a very long time.

[tntman]

My favourite is my Canon 70-200mm F2.8IS

It's fast enough for sunset portraits.....captures detail and color accurately!

Next lens would be a 100mm Macro USM!