What is your favorite lens and why?

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I have tried to like my 24-105, 17-40, 50 1.4 and 40 2.8 more than my 70-200 mark II because the 70-200 is so darn big. However, everytime I take it off my camera, unless I'm inside at night or truly can't back up a little, I regret it later. It's just that much sharper and more versatile than the other lenses. Wish I could have the 24-70 II because if it's similar I'd sell the 24-105 and the 17-40. Likely keep the 50 1.4 for speed and the 40 2.8 for travel.
 
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As I always say when this question is posed....

EF 135mm f/2.0L

Hands down.

For me, that's the lens I go to when it absolutely has to be right. I know the lens won't let me down. Obviously, it's a focal length that can be used in every situation, but that's its only limitation. I'm hoping the new Sigma 35mm will be its counterpart on the wide end.
 
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This is a hard question to answer in some ways, but at the end of the day, my favourite lens is also my most used lens. For the past few years, the lens that has held this title in my lens arsenal is the Canon 15-85mm. Great image quality (sharp, contrasty, good colours) - fast, accurate USM AF and 4-stop IS.

I just find it a very godo combination-package - a quality walk-around, that can often meet most of my photography needs in the average 'day-out' shooting. 24mm - 136mm is a great focal length, and it doesn't really have any IQ failings. I take this lens when I'm capturing the official photos for camps and other events that I lead.

In terms of other lenses, I see all of them as more 'specialist' lenses, and for particular circumstances, they 'are needed' / my favourite.

eg: Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 HSM EX (ultra wide angle, particularly for landscape, sometimes for architecture)
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro (for close-up photos of flowers, plants, insects, details - and even occasionally ad-hoc portrait)
Canon EF 70-300mm L f/4-5.6 IS USM - my wildlife and birding lens - for BIF as well as the outdoor portrait

Regards

Paul
 
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Probably the 70-200mm 2.8L II. Razer sharp images with nice bokeh. Useful for landscapes as well as events. I would really love it if it weren't so darn heavy...

I recently added a 135L, but I'm getting quite a few out of focus shots with it. The shots I've manually focuses are stunning however. When I have time I'll run AFMA with Focal and I imagine it will move to the top of my favorite list pretty quickly.
 
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bholliman said:
I recently added a 135L, but I'm getting quite a few out of focus shots with it. The shots I've manually focuses are stunning however. When I have time I'll run AFMA with Focal and I imagine it will move to the top of my favorite list pretty quickly.

You should definitely calibrate it. I've only had mine a couple weeks and have not yet used it as much as I'd like, but it has performed superbly on 2 different bodies. I will be using it for a model port in the morning.
 
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My go-to lens is the 100-400 F 4-5.6 L IS. My passion is wildlife photography and I do not have the $$ to afford bigger glass, so I make do with this lens on my 7D and 5D Mark iii. I find it to be reliably sharp and to produce excellent images. Are there better lenses out there? Undoubtedly, but this is what I can afford and it works well for me. I used to have a Sigma 150-500 but the Canon lens simply runs rings around that lens.

Now, my absolute "best" lens for sharpness is the 70-200 F4 L IS. It's definitely sharper than the 100-400 and I use it whenever I know that I won't need the extra reach of the 100-400. It produces fabulous images for me, I love this lens.
 
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My favorite is the 50 1.2. Why? Because I love the focal length and the biggest reason...because so many people hate this lens and I have fantastic results with it. It makes me feel pretty good about myself. Even though I really know this is just an amazing lens I feel like I know something they don't.

PS

85 1.2 is friggin' amazing I just don't get to use it as often as I'd like.
 
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Flektogon 35mm on my film camera. I just LOVE wideangles even 35mm is not so wide really. I just love taking portraits including the environment and not only "bokehlicious" shots all the time. I was never a fan of tele....wideangle feels so good to me :))
Whenever im back to my crop camera im kinda bothered by the field of view it offers. shame its hard to get a cheap+good IQ wideangle lens on APS-C. Cant wait to use 24mm on film or FF @o@
 
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