what goes into deciding which is a favourite lens?

[BillBingham2]

......
My gal went to Catholic school. I never really learned proper enuciation, spelling, and I really annoy my gal with words I create, invent, my slang, and my otherwise improper use of language.

Whenever she corrects me I tell her she is not only being rude, but also oppressive. As a person of color and as a minority, I explain that it is my duty as well as my right to butcher language. I am advancing culture I tell her and also am expressing myself. Slang is not developed by the mainstream.

.....

That sounds great, but I'm a gray-topped cracker. No oppression other than my own doing. Geeks are mainstream now, I bet even being an AV Geek wouldn't count, though it did help getting out of a few classes here and there.

Growing up just outside Rochester NY with the way we mangled pronunciation combined with several hearing problems that combined made it a challenge to try and learn phonics to help with spelling. Moving to NYC and hearing idears and such made me a spell-check-adict.

B2 (;->

 

[summar]

For general shooting with rangefinder cameras I like the 35/2 type 3 Summicron on an M4-P and the 35/3.5 LTM Summaron on a IIIf, very different image rendering but I like both. I just find the 35mm angle of view the closest to my way of seeing, but of course it's completely personal.

 

[Bob Michaels]

What make a favorite lens for me is simple. It is merely being on my camera when a photo op appears.

Now what will be on my camera is also simple. That is a lens that has a focal length that yields the perspective I like for photos, typically something between 21mm and 35mm. One that does not weigh too much is also good as I am going to carry it in my hand all day.

Lens characteristics are also simple. If anyone looking at my photos begins to think about lens characteristics instead of the subject, I know I have totally failed to reach them with the message I hoped the photo would convey.

 

[Canyongazer]

While expressing love for a normal focal length along with <29mm, I neglected to name my faves and why...(not that anyone has demanded clarification 🙂

In FF, Sigma 50 1.4 ART ... combined with the 800E, astonishingly detailed 14"x20"s This camera and lens, along with the Nikon 28mm 1.8, are often on a tripod, serving as my "digital Mamiya 7ll" landscape camera.

In APS, Fuji's 35mm 1.4, usually shot no smaller than f2.8, often at 1.4.
Creamy, dreamy AND selectively sharp!
In addition to "the look", those big taking apertures also happily result in fast shutter speeds and lower ISOs...nice.

 

[Dogman]

...Anyways call me a lazy slacker. I don't like changing lenses. LOL. No need to really change a lens once it is optimized and mated with the appropriate body....

Cal

Me too. That's why I have so many camera bodies--a body dedicated to each lens.

 

[narsuitus]

As I stated earlier, my favorite lens for shooting general subjects is a 35mm lens on a 35mm body.

For shooting landscapes, my favorite lens is a 28mm on a 35mm body. My 28mm lens inventory includes:
Zeiss f/2
Zeiss f/2.8
Nikon f/2.8
Nikon f/3.5
Nikon f/4 perspective control
Pentax f/3.5
Fujinon f/3.5
Vivitar f/2.8
Vivitar f/2.5

However, my personal favorites are the Zeiss f/2 on a 35mm Nikon SLR body, the Zeiss f/2.8 on a 35mm Contax G rangefinder body, and the Fujinon 65mm f/5.6 equivalent focal length on my 6x9cm medium format rangefinder camera.


28mm Lenses by Narsuitus, on Flickr