What lenses are necessary for you?

[canononon]

Hello!

Before I go into my question, just a little bit of a background. I use primarily a Canon AE-1 and have three lenses. Canon 50mm 1:1.8, Vivitar 28mm 1:2.8, and a Canon 100-200mm 1:5.6. So basically a normal, wide angle, and zoom lens. The three pretty much cover all my bases though I have to say the zoom lens doesn't get a lot of lovin' just because it's hard on the wrists.

Overall, what kind of lenses do you guys consider to be "necessary" for your film cameras, why do you value those lenses, and which lenses do you use the most?

And P.S., I would love some tips on proper situations for busting out my zoom lens or just tips on making it more...everyday-able?

Thanks guys!

[TPF Sponsor]

[bigboi3]

I only use a 28mm 2.8 and a 50mm 1.7 lenses for my Yashica FX-2. For film, I pretty much just need those two. Especially for street shooting.

[j-dogg]

I have a 5D Mk.I , EOS 650 and Elan 7e. 24-105 f4L IS for my walkaround / wide, and a 70-200 f4L IS for portraits, landscapes, pretty much anything needed in that range. Got a 50mm f1.8 for low light and that's about it. I need something to cover the 300mm range though.

[dxqcanada]

The essentials ?

24mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.4, 300mm f/4.0 and a 90/105mm macro.

24mm because 28mm is not wide enough. Great for landscapes.
50mm f/1.4 for the speed under low light.
300mm for wildlife. The 300mm f/4.0 is a good compromise unless you have money to get the f/2.8 or a fast 400mm.
90mm/105mm macro, mid telephoto can be used for portrait and especially bugs/mushrooms.

[shufti]

I would choose three focal-lengths: 24mm or 35mm; 85mm or 105mm; 180mm or 200mm.

[compur]

^ ditto

[Wade in Jamul]

All of my 35mm gear is Minolta. The older ones (SRT 101, X 700) share a 35mm f/1.8, 50mm f/1.7 and a 70-200mm f/4.5 zoom. The newer Maxxums (7000 & 8000i) share a Minolta 35-70mm and a Tamron 28-200mm f/4.5. Those lenses cover all the bases for me.

[KVRNut]

Okay, Here's the most used lenses for my Canon FD mount cameras and they are zooms: 28-55 mm macro f.3.5, 35-105 mm w/a macro f3.5, 100-300 mm f.5.6. The 28-55 macro when combined with a lens reverser and extension tubes is a potent little lens. As I also carry a Canon 2x-A teleconverter in the case so I have a wide range of focal lengths to choose from. When out hiking, packing a F-1 and a couple of A-1s, the weight adds up quickly especially when you're walking in the hills so I try and keep things down to 3 lenses.

The 3 most used for my EOS mounts are: 28-105 mm f.3.5 USM w/a macro, or the 28-135 mm f.3.5 IS USM, 28-200 mm f.3.5 w/a aspherical, 100-300 mm f.5.6 macro. With the extension tubes and 2x teleconverter, I have a lens combination that allows me a lot of lee-way when out and about. The good thing about these lenses is that they're lighter than the FD mount lenses and it makes going out with the EOS 1V and 3 easier to shoulder.

Yes, I do have primes and I do use them when the occasion warrents them being used or when I carry a separate lens bag for them and I don't have far to walk. LOL

[djacobox372]

20mm 50mm and 300mm primes

[Mike_E]

I know that this is going to sound like a wise crack but I'm married to my wife not my lenses.
I take what will do the job or if I'm shooting for fun (most of the time these days) then I'll pick just one lens which suits my mood and only shoot with that for the day.

If you're looking for suggestions on a new lens, look around for a 20mm f/2.8.

[ghache]

i have a 50 and a 28mm for my nikon FE and a 50 for my pentax

[PJL]

I know that this is going to sound like a wise crack but I'm married to my wife not my lenses.
I take what will do the job or if I'm shooting for fun (most of the time these days) then I'll pick just one lens which suits my mood and only shoot with that for the day.

I generally do the same thing, especially with my 35mm cameras. My 28 and 50 primes see the most use.

[Sw1tchFX]

I've been shooting with my F100 alot lately, and I've mostly been using my 35mm f/1.4G, It renders real nicely on film. I also use my 50mm f/1.4, and when i want to keep it simple, my 24-120VR. My 24 f/1.4 seems to have focusing troubles with the F100.

I might be replacing it soon though, one of my managers told me yesterday that he'd sell me his mint F100 for $100. Mine's got a busted viewfinder (prism or diopter is loose and shakes around, can't see jack throgh it) and the cost of fixing it is about $100.

[Icarus Image]

Since switching from a 1D to a 7D for video capabilities and it's smaller footprint, I've found that my new go to lens is the 28mm 1.8. Prior to that it was a 50mm 1.4