If you could have only 1 prime(or zoom) lens? Which?

[ajweiss]

I would vote for the 24-105 L for best all-purpose zoom as well. I use it on a 20D and I think the range is great. Personally, I don't need it to go any wider for 95% of my shots, though that is really a personal choice. I know some people here never really go longer than 40-50mm, so the 17-55 (or 17-40) may be their pick. For a prime? I would say a 30ish mm sub-f2 USM lens that just doesn't exist from Canon. Well, maybe the 35mm 1.4L, but I've never used that lens...

[c jensen]

Prime - EF 85 f/1.8

Zoom - EFS 17-55 f/2.8

[bnyc]

Wow, count me among the surprised at the 24-105 votes - especially from all the crop sensor users! I mean, I am one of those people who leaves it on 90+% of the time, but I figured after all the complaints I read, it was because I have lower standards than many. :) I guess it's one of those things that doesn't inspire lust, it just works.

 

As for primes... if I had only one, first choice would be 50/1.0, second would be 50/1.4. On a 5D, that is - sorry, can't guess what I'd use on a crop. The 1.0 is heavy and oft criticized, but I think it gives great results if used carefully and not shot wide-open ALL the time. I imagine the 50/1.2 is similar, without the excessive weight, slow AF and extremely sensitive (fragile) calibration.

[bob_king2]

For my crop sensor DSLRs the Canon EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS is the one I use the most. I like to be able to go wide and 24mm is not wide enough. My most used prime is a Tamron 90mm f/2.8 macro.

 

For film SLRs I use the Canon 28-135 the most but like using my 50mm and 85mm primes. I'm also looking at a wide prime (24 or 28 mm with little distortion) but this is not a priority at this stage.

 

I'm working towards a full frame DSLR which I will buy with the 24-105.

[joel_tomaneng2]

If I had to choose for a crop camera (and had money to spend): Prime -- 35 1.4 L. This is the closest to a normal lens in the L series, moving towards telephoto (56mm); fast focusing; low aperture. Most versatile for a prime, but frankly didn't shell out the money for the 35/1.4 L. I myself have a sigma 30/1.4; its sharp enough (though not as sharp as the 35 wide open) but fast for all kinds of work; however, it's much cheaper than the 35/1.4L -- usually in budget with an XTi (which is what I use it with) Zoom -- 24-70/2.8L I'm not too much a fan of zoom, but this is the one I'd get for a crop camera if forced to use a zoom. Again, fast focusing and widest aperture in it's class; and I don't own this zoom -- I use the 30/1.4 and my feet.

 

I may regret the sigma 30/1.4 purchase as I may get a 5d later this year (or this month-- they're $300 off right now). However the sigma 30/1.4 is what is on the Xti 90% of the time -- it's my workhorse, or what I take when I can't drag my entire system around. What I'm most likely going to do is buy the 5d and attach my other workhorse to it -- 135/2.0L. I have a zoom(70-200/4L, for outdoor action) but I just love the primes!

[christopher hartt dallas]

35L & 24-70L

[geoffs1]

Zoom: 100-40mm IS

 

Prime: 300mm f/2.8 IS with 1.4x and 2x TCs (or 500mm f/4 IS if I can't have any TCs).

[jon_worth]

Granted, I have only tried about eight different lenses so far (with only two being primes), so my experience is limited.

 

Prime - 50/1.8 (great contrast, color, sharpness, though a 30 or 35mm would be more versatile on a crop camera, at least for me)

 

Zoom - Tossup between 17-55/2.8 and 70-200/4 IS (probably the former)

 

I would be interested in hearing if the lenses people pick are actually the ones they use most often (i.e. look at EXIF totals).

 

Kind of like an experiment to see if behavior matches assumptions/biases about the supposed virtues of various lenses.

 

Perhaps a little tricky to carry out, though, since the lenses in our collections are usually not owned for the same length of time.

 

--Jon

[pto189]

35 f1.4 and 24-105 f4 on 20D

[aappelphotography]

Hi,<br/>

if I could have only one zoom it would be the EF 17-40mm F4 L. If I could add a prime it would be the Canon EF 50mm 1.4<br/>

Regards,<br/>

André

[sbrauchli]

Crop sensor: 17-40 4.0 L and 300 2.8 IS L

 

Full frame: 24-105 4.0 L and 300 2.8 IS L

 

I know the 300 is a monster, but I consistently get amazing color, sharpness and compression with it, so for landscapes and wildlife it is my favorite lens. The 70-200 2.8 IS L is also another favorite, but you said pick one zoom so the 24-105 is more versatile (especially when coupled with the 300). At least with the 5D and 40D all of these lenses are hand-holdable.

[bjscharp]

Sigma 30mm f1.4 (though the EF 135mm f2 is a very close second)

 

Currently don't have any zooms (aside from the kit)...

[markonestudios]

For 1.6 crop, I'd choose the 17-40L. For a prime, I think the 24 f/1.4..

[david_darby]

200 f/1.8

[steve.elliott]

Being forced to just select one lens is too much of a compromise. But the obvious answer is the 24-105 f4 IS L. Too slow and image quality is compromised compared to better lenses like the 35 f1.4 L and 85 f1.2 L II in my opinion. So prime selection would be the 35 f1.4 L because of the useful general focal length.

[yakim_peled1]

If I could only have one lens I'd probably wouldn't use a SLR/DSLR system as I see this as one of its main advantages.

 

Happy shooting,

Yakim.

[sven_felsby]

Some people see the world in wideangle, others through a tele. Make up your mind: do you want real wideangle? If so, the choice has narrowed down to 17-40 or 17-55. If not, go for the 24-105.

[zachk1]

I'm a film guy but often will go out shooting with only one prime lens. Generally a normal lens. Often the 80mm F2.8 on the Rolli TLR. Of course that camera can't change lens.

[stein_andersen]

I'm currently using a Sigma 30/1.4 as my only lens on my 400D. I do have the kit 18-55 3.5-5.6 IS lens as well, but am really not using it.

 

I'm getting a long telezoom, though, and later a normal-zoom, but for now, a normal prime works fine.

[guido_soentpiet]

Hi,

 

Just one zoom? I take the perfect range 24-120, which attached on my Sony R1 ;-)

 

Cheers!

[athinkle]

One more vote for the 24-105. I know it's not particularly wide on an APS body, but I got to spend some trigger time with both the 17-85 and the 17-55 2.8 and I wasn't that impressed. Maybe there was something wrong with them or with the 40D I was using at the time, but they just didn't hold a candle to what the 24-105 could do. To be a REAL nuisance, I'd have to say that the most useful ONLY lens I've used is the one stuck to my G9... 35-200 IS in a pocketable size takes you a long way.

[lester_wareham]

Prime: Probably 100mm macro, close second 300mm f4 IS

 

Zoom: More difficult, probably 24-105 f4 IS, but I normally team it with the EF-S 10-22 for a minimal system.

[lauren_macintosh]

Zoom- EF-s 17-85mm IS USM the only one I use as a walk around

[wentbackward]

My favourite prime is a nikkor 50mm 1.4 even on an AFS-C. Favourite zoom is my 80-200 f2.8 but not practical as a single lens esp on a C form. Actually it's a crime to buy a DSLR and limit yourself to a single lens. Especially when indoors I'll always grab my Ricoh GX100 before I grab my 18-200 3.5/5.6 VR (which I unfortunately bought to be practical but it just isn't except in bright daylight), so would not recommend a DSLR with a single lens as the top compacts & prosumer cameras now compare favourably to low end DSLR kits, especially if convenience is a factor (I'm assuming it is if you're asking about a single lens).

[photo_dark]

24-70L 2.8 get's my vote..... I'm not sure about primes... but I have a feeling it would be something between the 30-50mm range.