Your favorite older EF lens

[jeffa4444]

Back in 1987 I bought the Canon film EOS 650 the launch camera along with the EOS 620 of the EF system, it came with a 35-70mm zoom. I quickly followed this with the EF28mm f2.8 and I still retain all three today but only really use the EF28 f2.8 lens.

This lens in over 26 years has never left my camera bag and for its size & weight and for the great pictures it has produced will remain there. Yes the EF28 2.8 IS lens introduced two years ago is supposed to be better but Im not filling street posters so for my prints which are no bigger than A3 its perfect. A true testiment to the designers of its day.

 

[NancyP]

400mm f/5.6L, the oldest lens still in the current lineup. Lightweight, well-balanced, fast AF, sharp, affordable - the perfect birding lens for beginners and those on a budget.

 

[wickidwombat]

dunno ...

i think i have a 28-90 somewhere in a drawer
most of my EF glass is pretty new

i do have an FD600 f4.5 that is older than I am though...

 

[DominoDude]

400mm f/5.6L, the oldest lens still in the current lineup. Lightweight, well-balanced, fast AF, sharp, affordable - the perfect birding lens for beginners and those on a budget.

^ Yupp, I agree exactly with what she said!

 

[ajfotofilmagem]

I have the great 100mm F2 USM. This jewel was underestimated by many photographers who know only the 100mm F2.8 macro. :

 

[BLFPhoto]

Hands down favorite older lens 50mm f/1.8 Mk I. (the metal mount version with the distance scale). I still have mine after more than 20 years. It has been replaced by the 40mm pancake as my walk-around street lens, but that may be short lived. I still love the look of that 50 for B&W street.


My old 24mm f/2.8 would be a very close second. I would say I "mistakenly" sold it if you ask me today. I should have kept it. But I sold it when I had, variously, the 17-40 L, 24-105 L, and 24-70 L. I wish I had it today as a small, lightweight complement to the 40mm pancake for my "running" kit that I carry while running and covering ultramarathons. Sometimes I need something wider, and the 17-40 is just too much lens to carry when I'm running for hours around 50 or 100 mile running routes trying to get the shots.

 

[Lurker]

Magic Drain Pipe, 80-200 f/2.8

 

[mrsfotografie]

50mm f/1.8 MkI. Hands down 8)

My old 24mm f/2.8 would be a very close second. I would say I "mistakenly" sold it if you ask me today. I should have kept it. But I sold it when I had, variously, the 17-40 L, 24-105 L, and 24-70 L. I wish I had it today as a small, lightweight complement to the 40mm pancake for my "running" kit that I carry while running and covering ultramarathons. Sometimes I need something wider, and the 17-40 is just too much lens to carry when I'm running for hours around 50 or 100 mile running routes trying to get the shots.

I recently bought a 24mm f/2.8 with the original hood. It's a totally cool little wide angle. Makes you wonder why all these lenses are so large nowadays.

 

[JumboShrimp]

My old EF 20-35/2.8L. Compact, light, built like a tank. I used to take it EVERYWHERE, but not so much any more. (Sigh.)

 

[Jim Saunders]

The 300 f/4. Light, sort-of cheap, great images out of it.

Jim

 

[lintoni]

100mm f2.8 macro - the first prime I bought, back in film days, the oldest lens I have that I still use...

 

[privatebydesign]

50 f1.4 and 15 f2.8 fisheye.

 

[Steve Balcombe]

Another vote for the 50/1.8 (the MkI as we now call it!). I've had mine from new so it must be heading for 25 years old, and I still use it.

 

[c.d.embrey]

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM, mounted on a xxD.

 

[Daniel 78d]

50mm 1.8 mark I

 

[JonAustin]

EF50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro.

This is the only lens I own that Canon released prior to 2005. My copy was manufactured in 6/2003, and I bought it a month later, back when I was shooting with a 10D.

Don't use it very often, but never disappointed when I do.

 

[xps]

100mm Macro 2.8 USM bought in the 90ies...

 

[nda]

EF 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye 8)

 

[nc0b]

I have both the 300mm f/4 and the 400mm f/5.6 classic lenses. Generally used for wildlife, BIF and snapping candids in the park. Not too big or heavy, easily handhold able, and produce sharp images. Usually shoot with a 5D classic or 6D, but will pick a 40D or 60D for small birds.

 

[Steve]

My 1987 300mm f2.8 non-IS is still crushing it out of the park. I've had to have the diaphragm replaced but the AF motor is still going strong (knock wood) and its sharper than a Colbert Correspondents Dinner speech, even with a 2x TC. I love that thing to pieces and I hope it never ever dies. Knock wood.