Your most common focal length(s)?

[Frank F.]

My prime setup is: 24, 35, 50, 60, 85, 105, 200, 300 plus I got a FX-bodies and the D500 with crop sensor, so any of these lenes hat two "meanings" for me.

For a professional shooting I pick two, one on the longer end like 105 or 85 and one on the shorter end like 24 or 35. That way I got two bodies and I know exactly what happens when I pick up one. The photo bag is for backup batteries, cards and more lenes, but I usually do not open it. If something breaks I always have replacement.

One friend of mine, professional photographer from Manchester once set himself a tough goal and made it: Her shot one year with only one lens. All private, all professional with one one lens. Still cannot believe he made it. but he is quite a genius in my book. This lens was a Nikkor 85mm.

 

[Frank F.]

It can't always be that way. As I mentioned most of what I shoot these days is motorsports and birds / wildlife. In both instances walking closer to get the shot is just not an option. Birds absolutely will not sit still while one walks closer to them, and waterfowl are frequently out in a lake further making it difficult to get closer. They also have a disturbing tendency to land in a tree very close by or at a distance with no consideration to what lens I'm using. With motorsports, depending on the event, when I'm standing beside the track the shot I want may be a good distance from either side or only a few feet in front of me. And it will happen quickly. With top fuel dragsters and funny cars taking about 3.7 seconds to go a thousand feet I don't have much time to get a shot. Even with lesser classes running 6 second passes in a quarter mile they are passing in front of me FAST.

Waterfoul and little birds are special and a zoom like the Nikkor 200-500 is very good if you shoot from a fixed position. A second body with a short prime between 100 and 200 is nice or the 70-200 zoom.

I know people who do motorsports. They use two bodies on the track, one with something like a 2.8/300, one with something like a 2.8/70-200 and the third with a wide angle zoom like the 2.8/14-24 for features on the pit lane. The rest depends on who fits your bill. Is it news media you have to do more anticipation, is it a sponsor or a racing team you get more chance for planning and setting up the shot.

I myself usually do not do birds or sports. I am into food, architecture and portraits. Just a snap from yesterday. I happend to have the 1.8/75 Zuiko with the OM-D on me, no other camera or lens. I saw it, froze and took a long series at f/1.8:

 

[DanOstergren]

I almost exclusively shoot with an 85mm prime. Sometimes I use a 50mm prime depending on the job, and I really want to start shooting with a 100mm prime.

 

[alxm_588]

I think it really depends on your gear and what you're shooting with: I have a 35, 50, 85, 105 prime and a 28-300 (for vacation, when I don't want to switch every minute All of it on FX

I love 105mm for portraits (sometimes up to 200mm or so, depending on the person and facial structure...).
Landscapes, I mostly do 35mm, though I wouldn't say no to a 24!

 

[Nature_Photo_Mastery]

As I specialize in nature and wildlife, my usual focal lengths are:

700mm (Canon 500mm + 1.4x)
150mm Macro

I really want to pick up a wide angle lens and start doing some landscapes soon.
The only wide angle I ever had was the Canon EFS 10-22, which I did not particularly like.