What Are Your Top 3 Favorite & Most Useful Lenses?

Posted by Justin Korn

on January 5, 2010

I am part of a few Photography groups over on LinkedIn and Joakim Lloyd Raboff recently asked, “[What are] your three favorite and most useful lenses?” in the Photography Industry Professionals group. There was some good discussion on the topic, so I thought I’d share the results, provide my input, and ask you what your top 3 are.

For me:

Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS
- This is a solid, very robust and useful lens. If I have my 5D with me, I have this lens with me, period.
- The only drawback I have with this lens is the weight. This lens attached to my 5D really weighs my bag down.
Canon 50mm f/1.4
- A must have prime lens. This lens is fast, light, small…perfect. If I have my camera bag with me, this lens is always in it.
Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5 – 5.6 IS
- This is my go to lens when I travel. With it’s large zoom range and the IS control, I’m know I’m covered and don’t have to worry about traveling with multiple lenses.
Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS (honorable mention)
- I could not go without mentioning this lens. When I have my 20D with me, I have this lens with me. It is equivalent to the 24 – 105 on a full frame, but it’s faster and MUCH lighter. I almost prefer to have my 20D with this lens attached just to keep my back in alignment.

What others are saying on LinkedIn:

Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS (5 mentions)
- I haven’t justified purchasing this lens yet myself, but I have rented it from BorrowLenses. It’s an unbelievably awesome lens.
- The only drawback, again, weight. This lens is a monster.
Canon 50mm f/1.4 (4 mentions)
- As I mentioned above, I love this lens and have it in my camera bag 24×7.
Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L (3 mentions)
- This lens has been on my ‘want’ list since I purchased the 5D at the beginning of the year. I’ve heard nothing but great things about it, though I haven’t tried it out myself just yet. I do have it’s EF-S sister, the Canon 10-22mm, that I use sparsely with my 20D.