Your Realistic 3-5 Lens Collection

I'm real close to the last post here:
EF16-40 f/4L
EF24-105 f/4L
EF50 f/1.4
EF100 f/2.8L Macro
EF70-200 f/2.8L

The 50 gets the least use of all the above, followed up strangely enough by the 24-105, which is my oldest lens now (13+ years) and to me seems a bit soft. If I go mirrorless, that will be my first one to be replaced with an RF.

MatthewK wrote in post #19077369
I'm more specialized now too, so I rarely shoot with zooms anymore.

Fuji 16 f/1.4
Fuji 35 f/1.4
Fuji 18-55 or 16-80
Fuji X100V
Nikon 500mm f/5.6 PF

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This is very surprising to me, Matthew!

I always thought you were a bird guy, rarely ever shooting anything other than songbirds, and always shooting with 600mm or 800mm supertelephotos. . Guess I was wrong about that ...... or else you completely changed what you shoot, how you shoot it, and what you shoot with.


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Tom Reichner wrote in post #19101583
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This is very surprising to me, Matthew!

I always thought you were a bird guy, rarely ever shooting anything other than songbirds, and always shooting with 600mm or 800mm supertelephotos. . Guess I was wrong about that ...... or else you completely changed what you shoot, how you shoot it, and what you shoot with.

.

Birding and family photography, two worlds for me that exist on completely different planes in the photography multiverse They don't mix, I've tried, as my wife can attest.

When I started out, I was your typical generalist photographer that just wanted to capture the world around me, at one point even had an insignificant wedding and portrait business, and my non-birding gear is a hold over from those times. These days I try to keep my "home kit" as minimalist and fun as possible, whereas with birding it's is a super gear intensive experience.

Has anyone thought of donating the money they're spending on these fantasy lenses to some kind of good cause instead? Genuine, non-snarky question.

Latest version of my list for my 80D:

Sigma 18-300 - not the sharpest lens around but sharper than my 75-year-old eyes. Does almost everything. Good if I am limited to one lens.
Canon 60/2.8 EFs Macro - the sharpest in my bag. Good not only for macro but also for short telephoto, and is very light weight.
Rokinon 8mm/3.5 Fish-eye - a fun lens that doubles as my extreme wide-angle. Software can fully or partially remove the fish-eye effect whenever I prefer.
Sigma 30mm/1.4 Nice colors but sometimes misses focus. Had to buy and use the Sigma dock to set the focus. Not the sharpest, but OK from f/2 and beyond. Great for selective-focus shots.

I can conveniently carry only two or three lenses - usually the 18-300 Sigma plus one or two of the other three. That is all my 75-year-old back can handle.

I must not be gear happy enough for this forum because I’m still enjoying the same lenses I’ve used for the past 10 years or so. Primes 24/50/135
Zooms 16-35, 100-400. Love this setup along with my 35 1.8 for travel ( if and when I can travel again)

I still even enjoy my 5d2. I thought I’d dump it when I got the r but I still think it’s a great camera

Tommydigi wrote in post #19122855
I must not be gear happy enough for this forum because I’m still enjoying the same lenses I’ve used for the past 10 years or so. Primes 24/50/135
Zooms 16-35, 100-400. Love this setup along with my 35 1.8 for travel ( if and when I can travel again)

I still even enjoy my 5d2. I thought I’d dump it when I got the r but I still think it’s a great camera

Don't be too hard on yourself, you're a model of consistency we all should strive to emulate Less gear churn, more actual photography.

Haha. Well I haven’t shot as much lately but I still love it.

Yesterday I completed my ideal lens setup. Really excited about it.

- TS-E 17mm
- TS-E 24mm
- 35mm L II
- 135 L
- 70-300 L

All used on a single 5Ds R

All bought second hand over the years for very competitive prices.

Can't see anything being added or removed anytime soon, mostly due to financial reasons but I also can't see any room for quality improvements. Maybe weight, but I'm young enough to do some heavy lifting

Fraserphoto wrote in post #19119549
Has anyone thought of donating the money they're spending on these fantasy lenses to some kind of good cause instead? Genuine, non-snarky question.

Nope

Fraserphoto wrote in post #19119549
Has anyone thought of donating the money they're spending on these fantasy lenses to some kind of good cause instead? Genuine, non-snarky question.

Never

Update for what I'm using lately

24mm f/1.4L II
70-200mm f/2.8L IS II
400mm f/4 DO IS with 2xIII almost always on

I pretty much leave the camera on the 400mm on the tripod. Ready to shoot at a moment's notice. Never know when there will be some interesting wildlife wandering through the yard, mostly deer or birds. Otherwise the 24L and 70-200 have been my go to general stuff when I get time to go out and about.

I try to make sure to use the 8-15L, 40mm, and 100L macro but I don't make as much use of them as I'd like. I'd add a 17-40L or 16-35L and probably wouldn't mind getting another 24-70L IS or 24-105L but it's not necessary and my wallet has tightened up, something about having a mortgage and kids....

My current line up

Ef 400mm f2.8 III
Ef 400mm DO II
Rf 100-500mm
Ef 16-35 f4
Ef 70-200mm f2.8 III

RF 24-105mm f4 on the way should be here Monday.
Ef 100mm L macro rarely use it

Both EF 1.4x + 2x extenders

EF24 2.8
RF35 1.8
EF50 1.4
EF85 1.8

Love this lens set. Pretty affordable and capable.

On the RP.

Own:
Tamron 24-70mm f/2,8 G2
EF 70-200mm f/2,8 mark II

Planning to get :
Tamron 15-30mm f/2,8 G2 or Tamron 17-35mm f/2,8-4
Tamron 35-150mm f/2,8-4
EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 mark II

EF TS-17mm
Tamron 35mm f/1,4
EF 50mm f/1,2L
EF 85mm f/1,2L
150mm~180mm macro lens