Must Have Lenses

[jpgarnier]

Hello

Since I posted a previous question regarding lenses and I'm in the market for buying a new lens, I would like to get the groups opinion on what are the lenses that a photographer should have?

If you were stranded on a dessert island with your camera, unlimited film and a darkroom that could do both color and B&W, what three lenses would you absolutely want with you?

JP

 

[Les McLean]

I would take my 70-210mm Zoom for my Nikon F90X, the 35mm Sekor for my Mamiya 645 and 150mm Schneider for my 4 x 5 MPP.

 

[Nige]

lol @ Les!

I'd go for a 24/35/85 combo in 35mm (since we're in that forum)

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

It kind of depends on what you want to do. As I've been using my 35mm mostly for bird photography for the last few years, I would have to say the 400/4.5 and 600/4.5 are my normal lenses and I'll often bring a 90/2.5 macro for the occasional macro along the way, but that's a fairly esoteric set of choices.

And bird photography would be the thing to do on a desert island, after all, since the birds come and go, and there would be a fair amount of variety, while landscapes and self-portraits might get a little tiring after a few years, and street photography just wouldn't make sense. The 90 macro would be fine for still lifes, and I guess since I would have lots of time on a desert island, I guess I could composite some big panoramas with it, so I wouldn't need a wide lens.

 

[Silverpixels5]

my 28, 50, and 135mm lenses are my favs.

 

[Tom Duffy]

Yeah, Les is cheating, working medium and large format into the answer in the 35mm forum

you know, this question doesn't mean what it used to, what with the incredible zooms available today. you could say a 16-35, a 24-70 and a 70-200, all f2.8, of course.

unless you get into the nuances of optical performance among or within brands, the answer is usually something inclusive (28mm), something fast (50mm), and something to access from a distance, that will also let you do portrature (90, 180?).

Another perennial (sp?) question is the one camera, one lens question. The answer is often even a camera you don't own, because it's a compromise compared to the combination of cameras/lenses you do own. this question is often driven by the realization that when every camera/lens you ever owned isn't enough, maybe the answer is to reduce the variables and get back to concentrating on the picture, instead of the equipment.

BTW, remind me not to let Les do my portrait with his 35mm lens on his medium format camera!

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

<P>

Why not?

 

[Silverpixels5]

If i had to narrow it down to one then it'd be my Nikon FM with the 50 mm lens.

 

[Tom Duffy]

David,
LOL! because you have a prettier keyboard than I do!

 

[Tom Duffy]

I could only pick one camera/lens per format, but in each case the lens would be a 50-75 mm equivalent in 35mm.

 

[Joel Rainville]

Easy, since I usually limit myself to 3 lenses : 24, 35 and 180. And after a while, I'd probably hope to find a 85mm lying around on that desert island.

For my Nikon, the AF 35mm f/2 is by far my favorite one!

And this was my first post on yet another online forum... which looks like a nice place by the way!

 

[Jorge Oliveira]

First it would be the 50mm
Then the 120
And finally the 28.

I have a few more lenses - but they usually just gather dust...

Jorge O

 

[FrankB]

My Nikon F80 has a Nikkor 28-105mm darn near glued on the front of it!

I also have a 50mm f1.8 diamond cutter(!) and 70-300mm ED, neither of which I'd wish to set aside, but the 28-105mm takes at least 80% of my shots and wins hands-down. The 1:2 semi-macro facility doesn't hurt either...!

Regards,

Frank

...A man has got to know his limitations - Harry Callaghan, philosopher

 

[VEDearduff]

Of the lenses currently in my kit, I would have to go with one of the following sets.

Set one; 20mm f/2.8 AIS, 85mm f/1.4 AIS, and 180mm f/2.8 AIS ED.

Set two; 20mm f/2.8 AIS, 35-70mm f/2.8 AF-D, and 180mm f/2.8 AIS ED.

And a third set that includes one lens that I'm currently looking for, the 35mm f/1.4 AIS. This set would be for low light/available darkness.

Set three; 35mm f/1.4 AIS, 50mm f/1.2 AI, and 85mm f/1.4 AIS

I would want to have my FM3a with me because I use it more that I do my N90s.

Vernon

 

[Jim Chinn]

A new 50mm F1.0 noctilux for the Leica that hope to have someday!

 

[vazquez]

My choice for Nikon would be the 24mm f/2.8, the micro-Nikkor 55mm f/3.5
and the 135mm f/2.8. For the Kiev-4a it would be the 35mm f/2.8, 53 f/1.8
and 85mm f/2.0

 

[Foto Ludens]

a 50mm f/1.8 FD for my canon (well, a f/1.4 would be better, but 1.8 is all I have) and an 80mm f/2.8 (but I'd kill for an F/2) for the 6x6. Yeah, I know, boring answer... but it's what I use

 

[Jeremy]

I use a 24mm, 50mm, and 85mm. I also have a 15mm fisheye that comes out on occasion. I think I may be adding a 24-85mm zoom to cover this range and toss in the 50mm for the f/1.8. Don't really have much use for the longer lenses anymore.

 

[bjorke]

Since the Original Query Specified "Camera"...

...not "cameras"...

For my 35mm I'd carry the 45, the 28, and be torn over the 90 versus the 21. Heck, it's a small island, the 21.

If I needed to eat the lenses to survive, the 45 would be the last to go.

 

[fingel]

I would probably take my 50mm 1.4, it's never let me down, it's tack sharp, and I could probably start a nice little campfire with it if need be. Otherwise I would take my 500mm lens and use it to scan the horizon for passing ships

 

[modafoto]

If you were stranded on a dessert island with your camera, unlimited film and a darkroom that could do both color and B&W, what three lenses would you absolutely want with you?

The Canon 65 mm super macro...

 

[bobfowler]

Screw "what lenses"... I'd want a way off the island so I could sell some of the damn pictures!

Having said that, if I could ONLY have 3 lenses I'd have a 24mm f/2.8 Nikkor, a 55mm f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor, and an 85mm f/1.8 Nikkor. I could live without my favorite zooms in that situation...

 

[naaldvoerder]

It would have to be 50 mm 1.4, 28 mm 2.8 and 85 mm 1.4 for my Contax SLR. Depending on the size of the island, nothing bigger would be needed, I don't think...

JJ

 

[Robert Jaques]

For 35mm three manual focus primes. 24mm F2.8, 50mm F3.5Macro, 100mm F2.8.
I own and use these three focal lenghts the most.
They work well for me.

 

[Allan Swindles]

A macro lens is a must plus a wide angle and a short tele. Of course you could opt for a long tele. if you want a shot of the ship on the horizon that should have picked you up.