Must Have Lenses

[tomtom]

if it's only 35mm -
contax distagon 28mm 2.8 and makro planar 60mm f2.8 for my aria
and my lomo lca (i know it's not a lens but it's great for cross processing!)

tomtom

 

[John McCallum]

...Have you tried the Schneider 80mm Super Symmar Aspheric XL lens? I was wondering how that lens handles movements. This lens has my name all over it.

Unfortunately have to answer no, to that Robert - only the 90mm Super-Angulon XL (which I try quite regularly ). Schneider have good published notes of their lens image circles, however.

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

Unfortunately have to answer no, to that Robert - only the 90mm Super-Angulon XL (which I try quite regularly ). Schneider have good published notes of their lens image circles, however.

Yes! and Schneider's coverage numbers are very conservative - in my experience!

 

[roteague]

Yes! and Schneider's coverage numbers are very conservative - in my experience!

The published numbers for that lens shows it having a 212mm image circle.

 

[bkorites]

This question is almost meaningless unless you state what kind of photography you do.

I'm a landscape painter. My primary interest is taking landscape photos to paint from so I use a Nikkor 50mm 1.8. Why 50mm? Because the angle of view is apropriate for a landscape painting. What I mean by that is, if you take say a 12" wide painting and hang it on a wall, the normal viewing distance is about arms length. The angle subtended by eyeballs to either side of the painting is about the same angle as a 50mm lens.

If I wish to zoom in on a distant feature, say an island on a salt marsh, I scan the slide and enlarge in photoshop. I think of this as my "digital zoom lens". Results may not be as good as shooting with a zoom lens. but it's adequate for my needs and saves carrying a lot of gear in the field.

Since most of my shots are taken in unusual places, out on a salt marsh, in a kayak, etc I use a robust Nikon FM-10 which will take as good a picture as any other camera when used with the correct lens and film.

I have a digital Sony 717 which takes wonderful pictures but is a b$%ch to use in the field, as are most dc's. Also, the Sony pics, while I call them "wonderful", do have a certain "clinically pure" look to them which I don't care for. So the 717 stays in the studio where I use it to put stuff up on me web site.

 

[Flotsam]

and my lomo lca (i know it's not a lens but it's great for cross processing!)

Not a lens? It is the only camera in the world that has:

"Professor Radionov's extra-special and totally sexy lens. It is the close-up/long range/ night vision and ever-watchful glass eye from Russia with THE RELENTLESS WINK."

I love my LCA.

 

[Robert Jaques]

Must have lenses for a desert island.

35mm
A 50mm Macro. I use a Olympus Zuiko 50mm F3.5. It is the sharpest lense I own (Even with a scratched rear element).
Second choice a 24mm.
Third choice a 100mm

4x5
90mm. There has been mention of the Nikkor 90mm F8. I use this lense. Although dim it is still useable. Cost effective. Extremely sharp!!
150mm Rodenstock APO Sironar S. A good lense if your starting out with 4x5. My favorite 4x5 lense.

 

[Julian Hart]

One lens and one lens only..........,

its got to be a 55/60 Macro!

Julian

 

[Ken N]

Nice to see other Olympus users out there. My favorite three are the 35/2.8, 50/3.5 and 100/2.8. These are my go-everywhere lenses. After that it's the 24/2.8 and 200/4.

Hmm. That's about everything in my entire 35mm kit.

 

[BruceN]

Yay Olympus!

First choice: Zuiko 24/2.8
Second Choice: Hoya 135/2.8
Third Choice: Sigma 35-70/2.8
Fourth Choice: Zuiko 300mm/4

Gosh, that's the entire arsenal for my OM-2n.

 

[jd callow]

If my camera was my 4x5...
schnieder sa 38mm xl (6x12) or 47mm
schnieder sa 72mm xl (4x5)
14" comm ektar (4x5) or some modern lens of similar length

or Mamiya 6
50mm, 75mm, 150mm
big suprise! the only lenses ever made for it

or Nikon FE2 35mm (I'd have to borrow it)
17mm, 35mm 180mm

 

[eagleowl]

I'd take...

...My sigma 17-35mm
canon 70-300mm IS
and sigma 175-500mm

 

[Stephen J. Collier]

28mm f/2.8 50mm f/1.4 100mm f/2.

Those should cover it for me.