If you can have ONLY 3 lenses, what would they...???

[FTb-n]

EF 70-200 f2.8L USM IS Mark II
EF-S 17-55 f2.8 USM IS
EF 35 f2.0 (would trade for an EF 30 f2.0 pancake – if only it existed)

 

[lucuias]

The best of the range to cover landscape,portrait,wedding and street photography.

Zeiss 15mm f/2.8
Canon 24-70mm F/2.8 USM II
Canon 70-200mm F/2.8 IS USM II

 

[IIIHobbs]

Thankfully there are so many excellent choices!

 

[EvaCasado]

For my current FF setup:

24-70 2.8L II
16-35 2.8L

And a new TSE lens, the actual ones are not to my taste.

 

[Tammy]

24-70L II
135L
24L II, or the eventual 35L II or 50L II

 

[hopopotamus]

My choice is 16-35mm 2.8f L ll, 24-70mm 2.8f L ( for now ) and 70-200mm f 2.8 is ll. I can't imagine any real life situation where one of this 3 lenses will not get a job done
Of course in real life once you start with the addiction you can never stop. I have 5 lenses and I have my eye on at least 2 more for now.

 

[sweetcancer]

24 1.4 L II
50 1.2 L
85 1.2 L II

That would get me through life. Oh, i'd also need a Canon camera, since I sold mine and ordered a nikon d600 with nikkor 28 1.8G, 50 1.8G (yeah i know, could've gone with the 50 1.4G. Didn't) and 85 1.8G.

 

[Zv]

I'm torn between all primes or the versatility of zooms. I think in order to cover most situations I would have to go with -

16-35 f/2.8 II
24-70 f/2.8 II
70-200L f/2.8 IS II (though I could get by with a 85L)

I have a feelin I might end up with these one day ;D

 

[jrista]

Bird, Wildlife, and Landscape kit:

EF 300mm f/2.8 L II IS
EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L II IS
EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L II

This assumes that teleconverters are allowed, in which case I'd also have the Kenko 1.4x DGX and EF 2x III TC's. I think that would cover most of my needs. Focal lengths range from 16mm through 400mm without gaps when factoring in the teleconverters, plus 420mm and 600mm. If teleconverters are disallowed:

EF 600mm f/4 L II IS
EF 100mm f/2.8 L II IS Macro
EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L II

I'd like to have the MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x as well, but as a niche lens I don't think it would be as versatile as the 16-35mm and 100mm f/2.8 macro lenses.

 

[odie]

I would go for primes.

35.4L, 85.2L and 135.2L

 

[killswitch]

For crop

Tokina 11-16 f2.8 DX Pro MK II
Canon 24-70 f2.8L MK II
Canon 70-200 f2.8L IS II

For FF

Canon 14-24 f2.8L =D (If Canon ever made one that equals Nikon's one)
Canon 24-70 f2.8L MK II
Canon 70-200 f2.8L IS II

 

[Lawliet]

24-70/2.8II
70-200/2.8ISII
Those two cover the everyday situations nicely.
As the last one - the 200-400/4 seems to be to be a good choice, but depending on my mood a macro, TS-E, or Lensbaby might get the spot. Esp. if TCs don't count as lenses...and do closeup filters count?

 

[tnargs]

For all-round general purpose flexibility and a 28mm sensor,

EF-S 10-22mm

EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS - mounted on the camera!

EF 70-300mm L IS


However if macro is a serious priority,

EF 100mm f2.8 L IS - doubles as a portrait lens

EF-S 15-85mm IS

EF 70-300mm IS

 

[Promature]

Well, I used this thread and some others to help me decide on this trio during the 20% refurb sale:
EF-S 17-55 f2.8
EF 85 f1.8
EF 70-200 f4 (non-IS, shooting kids sports outdoors in sunny Florida)

I know it doesn't sound very impressive against everyone's dream list that costs $10k+, but I'd say I did alright for $1.5k and got 95% of the performance those lists offered.

 

[mb66energy]

For APS-C:
10-22 + 60mm Macro + 4.0/70-200
EDIT: the Why: wide and tele landscape/townscape/industrial landscapes + nature photography (Macro) + lightweight + compact +excellent IQ

For Full Frame:
40 + 2.8/100 Macro + 4.0/70-200 w/ 2xTC
EDIT: the Why: tele landscape/townscape/industrial landscapes + nature photography (Macro) + lightweight + compact +excellent IQ - missing good wide angle zoom for FF from Canon (see below) so the shorty forty should compensate until ...

Just missing the full frame body (6D , if IQ is excellent) ...
And I would replace the shorty forty with a 17-40 Mk II if it
delivers good edge to edge sharpness from f4.0 on in the
full frame set.

Best - Michael

 

[tnargs]

Well, I used this thread and some others to help me decide on this trio during the 20% refurb sale:
EF-S 17-55 f2.8
EF 85 f1.8
EF 70-200 f4 (non-IS, shooting kids sports outdoors in sunny Florida)

I know it doesn't sound very impressive against everyone's dream list that costs $10k+, but I'd say I did alright for $1.5k and got 95% of the performance those lists offered.

Excellent lenses, you are in for a treat!

 

[Zv]

Well, I used this thread and some others to help me decide on this trio during the 20% refurb sale:
EF-S 17-55 f2.8
EF 85 f1.8
EF 70-200 f4 (non-IS, shooting kids sports outdoors in sunny Florida)

I know it doesn't sound very impressive against everyone's dream list that costs $10k+, but I'd say I did alright for $1.5k and got 95% of the performance those lists offered.

Excellent lenses, you are in for a treat!

+ 1 on the kit (almost like mine) I would recommend picking up the 50mm f/1.8, it's super cheap but very discreet (as opposed to the 17-55 which tends to scare people - or maybe its me!) and great for kids. I find the 85 a bit long on a crop body for indoor stuff.

 

[AudioGlenn]

35L
100L
70-200 2.8 IS II

 

[Sitting Elf]

Easy!

24-70 f/2.8L II
70-200 f/2.8 L II
The upcoming 200-400 f/4L with built in 1.4X

That gives me a total reach of 24mm (on my 1DX and 5D3) to 896mm (using the 1.4X on my 7D)

 

[runninghead]

24-70, 85 f/1.2, and a 300 f/2.8 II would be a killer combo!