A single prime lens for walkaround?

<p>Here's your challenge. Suggest one single prime lens to use as a walkaround lens. Define "walkaround lens" as a lens capable of tackling these situations: unknown(in advance ) circumstances, cityscapes, interiors, people, tours, landscapes(near and far), walks in the woods, etc, etc. But most importantly, I'm interested in why you suggested what you did. I realize that what ever you decide will be full of comprimises. For use on a 1.6 crop camera. Thanks for playing along. I do appreicate your responses.</p>

<p>50 mm lens has been a standard for a while. 85 mm is too is a good option. FX lens i mean. you get what you see with these lenses. ideal in my opinion. need zoom walk few steps forward.</p>

<p>I tend to like wide/normal views of things, and I like the view of a 35mm lens on full frame. On crop frame that would translate back to about 22mm, and in fact I've used a 24mm f/1.4 on crop frame and found it to be very nice. That would be my choice if I could pick anything. It's an expensive choice though.</p>

<p>Depends on how your inner eye sees. For me, a 35mm on FF is about as natural as it gets. See the picture and raise camera to eye and click. I like 50mm too but it's a too tight much of the time. The EF 20 2.8, 24 2.8 and 24 1.4L are about as close as it gets to the same angle of view on APS-C.</p>

<p>20mm on a dx cam.</p>

<p>I'm partial to something close to 35mm, which is my favorite focal length to use on my rangefinders. For my 40d I use my Sigma 24mm 1.8 macro lens (which is equivalent to about 38mm full-frame) when I want a do it all prime. It's wider than the traditional 50mm, but not too wide to be used for other subjects which makes it a good all-around lens for me. At one point it was my least-used lens but feeling a bit of boredom one day I decided to challenge myself by spending a day using it alone and discovered that how versatile it was for my shooting style. </p>

<p>Of your list of criteria I think it would have the most trouble with interiors and people depending on the specifics of the shot. It's fine for groups of people but would probably be to wide for single portraits. Depending on the building it might not be wide enough if you want to capture the entire room, although the wide aperture would help with lighting. It might not have enough reach for long distance shots. Otherwise I think it can handle most situations quite fine, and since the sigma can focus on something as close as a few inches, I find that it has great overall utility and can handle some shots that I cannot get with my zooms, or situations that a longer macro prime would have trouble with. </p>

Oops I didn't see the word "prime", I favor a 50mm f1.4.

<p>A wide angle lens, as wide as possible. It will allow you to get the wide angle shots which other lenses can't get, and then to zoom in, just crop. How much more versatile can you get than that?</p>

<p>A single prime lens is not really the best tool for the tasks you describe.</p>

<p>Dan</p>

<p>Are you about to make a purchase? I would advise that you walk around with your kit zoom lens for a day and try out the various lengths. Then settle for what seems most natural to you.</p>

Agree with G Dan. Although I shoot on the street with a 35mm and FF cam, for the wide range of activities you mentioned

a zoom is more appropriate.

<p>Trick question, right? There isn't one.</p>

<p>I often just use my 28mm lens on a 1.6 crop factor camera, which is about the same as a 45mm lens on a FF camera. Often it is not was wide as I would like, in which case I simply take a few shots and stitch them together. Mostly I use the 28mm if I think I am going to be in low light, if I have a lot of light I use a 18-55mm zoom.</p>

<p>Confining my answer to Canon lenses, EF24F/1.4L USM. This is the most used "walkabout" Prime on my APS-C bodies.</p>

<p>WW</p>

<blockquote>

<p>A single prime lens is not really the best tool for the tasks you describe.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>To say the least. You describe the reasons why people buy superzooms.</p>

<p>24 f1.4L</p>

<p>If you find the prime or even the zoom that does all this well let me know I'll take it. </p>

<p>28 1.8. Do it myself all the time.</p>

<p>Why? To capture what I see. I am not trying to get THE shot, just what I see. It is how I interpret the world before me and not what I can do with ant certain set of optics. One of the challenges in using a single, prime lens is the limitation. Would this be my choice for a wedding or an event? Of course not. </p>

<p>The 35 or 35 equivalent is my normal favorite. 50 is just a touch tight for me but then again sometimes the extra reach is welcome. If I was photographing people on the street I'd probably prefer something in the 90 range. One guy whose work I see a lot uses a 135 on full frame shooting street candids and comes away with some superb keepers. In the end you pick a lens and make the best possible shots utilizing it's pluses and working within it's limitations.</p>

<p>'walkaround lens' could be the most ridiculous term in all of photography.</p>

<p>35mm Zeiss ZE on full frame.</p><div></div>

<p>Oops. Sorry I forgot about the 1.6x factor. Is there a nice, small, fast 24mm? Or 21?</p>

<blockquote>

<p><em>One of the challenges in using a single, prime lens is the limitation. </em></p>

</blockquote>

<p>What is the value of limiting yourself this way? Isn't there at least equal value in choosing the right tool for the job at hand?</p>

<p>Dan</p>

<p>BTW, I shoot primes and zooms and choose from among them based on what I'm shooting for the most part. I can make good photographs with either, and in various situations either might be the better choice.</p>

<p>The 24mm 1.4L is unbeatable IMHO, both on an APS-C or full-frame.</p>

<p>On a FF body you get the unique combination of a wide angle and a very shallow DOF, and on an APS-C body you get a lens that is roughly equivalent to a 35mm lens (still a fairly wide "normal" lens); one of the few options for this on APS-C.</p>

<p>In both cases, you get an incredible lens that is fast, sharp, not too very big (relatively), and can hold up in all sorts of weather.</p>