Three Canon Lens Masters Pick Their Favourite Lenses

[Larsskv]

My favorites are 85LII, 35LII and 16-35F4 L IS, in that order.

 

[David - Sydney]

The 70-200 f2.8L USM IS Mark II is my favourite for sharpness and focus speed but I use the 16-35mm f4L the most (landscape/waves).
14mm and 50mm f/1.4 are great when I have special needs for them. Hard to beat the focal range of the 24-105mm f4 for general walk-arounds.

 

[NancyP]

Ridiculously, my favorite general purpose Canon lens is the pancake 40, largely because of its negligible weight. It goes everywhere. My favorite of favorites isn't Canon brand, it is a Voigtlander 1:1 macro 125mm f/2.5.

 

[Zv]

My fave might just be the EF-M 11-22, I'm just so impressed by this lens and what it can do for it's size. I can bring it along almost anywhere. Just simply marvelous IMO!

Of course I also love my 16-35 f/4L IS but that's more of a workhorse everyday heavy duty kinda lens.

 

[Click]

My favourite lens is the Canon 600mm f/4 L IS II

 

[Deleted member 91053]

I am off out in the morning after shore birds and waders, two cameras but only one lens. The only one worth taking - my Canon 800 F5.6 L IS! I am lucky enough to have some very nice lenses but the 800 is what I go to 80% + of the time. Simply my most used and most appreciated lens.

 

[candc]

400 doii. Its just such a pleasure to use and the iq and af are excellent.

 

[Big_Ant_TV_Media]

my favorite lenses
used from ny old 7d2 too 5d3 and now 5d4
70-200mm f2.8 is ii and my new 24-70f 2.8 ii "barely used since i had it less then a month"

 

[The Supplanter]

Ridiculously, my favorite general purpose Canon lens is the pancake 40, largely because of its negligible weight. It goes everywhere. My favorite of favorites isn't Canon brand, it is a Voigtlander 1:1 macro 125mm f/2.5.

Yes! The 40mm 2.8 is my favorite as well.

 

[ecqns]

24mm TSE-II
I use the 17mm just as much but prefer the more natural perspective of the 24mm.
Have to use the 11mm of the 11-24 only by necessity but would trade that in for a 14mm TS-E in a heartbeat.

 

[Pixel]

No distortion on the 11-24? That's a laugh. It hardly ever comes out my bag because I hate the distortion on the edges and corners. If there's a person not directly centered in the frame...forget about it.

 

[privatebydesign]

No distortion on the 11-24? That's a laugh. It hardly ever comes out my bag because I hate the distortion on the edges and corners. If there's a person not directly centered in the frame...forget about it.

Yet another poster who doesn't know the difference between lens distortions, barrel, pincushion etc, and projection distortion which is the unavoidable characteristic of projecting a scene whilst maintaining straight lines.

The 11-24 has remarkably little distortion aberrations, the fov necessitates extreme projection distortion but this is not an optical error, just the logical and unavoidable result of a rectilinear projection.

 

[wopbv4]

400 doii. Its just such a pleasure to use and the iq and af are excellent.

+1. 400mm which can be used handheld for extended periods of time

 

[Ryananthony]

40mm and 100L. I really enjoy the 100L for a walk around lens. When to long, the 40mm is almost always perfect for me.

 

[Ozarker]

No distortion on the 11-24? That's a laugh. It hardly ever comes out my bag because I hate the distortion on the edges and corners. If there's a person not directly centered in the frame...forget about it.

Yet another poster who doesn't know the difference between lens distortions, barrel, pincushion etc, and projection distortion which is the unavoidable characteristic of projecting a scene whilst maintaining straight lines.

The 11-24 has remarkably little distortion aberrations, the fov necessitates extreme projection distortion but this is not an optical error, just the logical and unavoidable result of a rectilinear projection.

While you are absolutely correct in identifying the phenomena as projection distortion, let's not forget the lens master said, "no distortion". While it may not be an optical error projection distortion is still distortion. I think this is unavoidable at this fov without a binocular lens

However, the barrel and pincushion distortion control is amazing to me.

Just for the record: I knew what pincushion and barrel distortion were, and knew the difference. I'd just never heard the term "projection distortion" until you wisely schooled me. I thank you for that, but don't assume that just because we didn't know what that is that we don't know the difference between barrel / pincushion distortion on top of that.

Take your well earned sage points and move on without the insult. If you didn't mean to insult then I'll add that your comment could have been worded differently.

 

[Zeidora]

Zeiss Makroplanar 100/2.8 C/Y. Unfortunately very limited usability on a Canon dSLR because of working aperture, but with full functionality as on the Contax RTS III, the most versatile lens for natural history imaging with incredible IQ. Zeiss really muffed it with the new ZE Makroplanar 100/2.0 (including the Milvus version) being only 1:2 mag. Will never understand that blunder.

 

[Maximilian]

Okay, now I am not happy. :'(

Now you know why the Canon 11-24 is a masterpiece

@CanonFanBoy:
Considering the price difference, I'd say I'd still be happy with the tamy as it is a really good glass for a good price.
And be thankful to Canon that they give you the choice to get an even better piece of glass - but for more than three times the money.

 

[Mr. Shakes]

My all time favorite is the original Magic Drainpipe, the EF 80-200 f/2.8 L, I got almost 30 years service, using it both on film cameras, and my transition to DSLR's.

 

[Ozarker]

Okay, now I am not happy. :'(

Now you know why the Canon 11-24 is a masterpiece

@CanonFanBoy:
Considering the price difference, I'd say I'd still be happy with the tamy as it is a really good glass for a good price.
And be thankful to Canon that they give you the choice to get an even better piece of glass - but for more than three times the money.

Very true and cost is the reason I was able to step up from the 70D to the 5D Mark III. Considering how infrequently I use an UWA lens, I think I did the right thing.

 

[lion rock]

I'm sure glad they like the lenses I own. I really should buy them a bottle of Japanese single malt whisky! But, they've taken all my money I used to purchase these great glasses that I can only offer them a virtual serving of cold sake 8) ;D ;D.
Anyhow, those are some of the best lenses made and I'm glad to be onboard.
-r