Which 3 lenses for your 7d?

[rgdfilms]

Right now I own only Nikons, the 17-35 f/2.8, the 50 ZF f/1.4, and the 85 f/2. Thinking about maybe dipping into the L series but am not sure where to start. If you could only get three Canon lenses for your 7D, which would they be and why?

[mcgeedigital]

I have a set of Nikon Primes too, but I am getting:

Canon 15-55mm f2.8
Canon 10-22mm wide zoom
Canon 70-200mm f4 IS USM

[Barry_Green]

Why not just get a Nikon adapter, and use all that glass on your 7D as-is?

[Stephen Mick]

Tokina 11-16 f2.8
Canon 17-55 f2.8
Canon 60mm Macro
Canon 70-200 f2.8 IS

[manglerBMX]

these are my primary lenses i use
nikon 17-35 2.8
tokina canon mount 28-70 2.8
nikon 80-200 2.8

[OPHERBA]

Samyang 8mm 3.5 fisheye
Tokina 11-16 2.8
Canon 17-55 2.8 IS USM
Samyang 85mm 1.4
Looking for a reasnable cost effective long zoom.

Going the Samyang root gave me the possibility to stay on a modest budget without taking a hit on the quality side.

[rgdfilms]

Anyone know where to get an 85 Samyang?

[mickjones]

As Barry Said, go for the adapter ring. I'm using the Zeiss ZF primes on 7D with adapter and they are magnificent, but also got the Canon 16-35 f.28 L.

[plasmasmp]

Tokina 11-16 2.8 EOS EF-S
Tamron 17-50 2.8 VC EOS EF-S
Sigma APO 50-150 2.8 EF-S

Total $2k USD

Adapt primes as needed, though the sharpness is not going to help you out in video mode, the faster speed certainly will.

Also, I dont like the bokeh on the Canon 17-55 EF-S 2.8. Take a look here beforre you buy http://www.photozone.de/canon-eos/425-canon_1755_28is_50d?start=1

[OPHERBA]

Anyone know where to get an 85 Samyang?

European version: http://www.samyang.pl/en

American version: http://www.vivitar.com/products.php#


More info and test regarding the 85 1.4 here: http://www.lenstip.com/166.1-Lens_review-Samyang_85_mm_f_1.4_Aspherical_IF_-Introduction.html

[Terry_Lasater]

Canon 50/1.4 EF
Canon 70-200/2.8L IS EF
Canon 10-22/3.5-4.5 EF-S
Canon 18-55/3.5-5.6 EF-S

[FatDaddy]

Canon EF-S 17-55 2.8 IS
Canon 70-200 F4 IS
Canon 50 1.4 EF

[control zeta]

tokina 11-16 f2.8
canon L 16-35 f2.8
canon 50 f1.4
canon macro 60
canon 70-200 f4

[editman]

I would go for these if I only had 3 to choose between:

Nikkor 17-35/2.8D
Nikkor 35/2.0D
Nikkor 85/1.4D alt Nikkor 50/1.4D

Or if you go with Canon lenses:

Canon 16-35/2.8
Canon 35/1.4
Canon 85/1.2 alt 50/1.2

[morgan_moore]

my 7d kit..

tokina 16-50
nikkor 50 1.4
canon 70-200F4

would have same ranges but higher budget if budget allowed

IMO 35mm is a little short to be a good end of zoom
S

[Richard Wilis]

My kit is the 35L & 85L. I recently sold my 135L and will replace it with the Sigma 100-300 F4 zoom.

For the wide end I'm torn between buying the Tokina 11-16 or the Canon 16-35L. I would really love to go with the 16-35L. But I'm a little concerned the 16mm isn't wide enough on the 7D's crop sensor for city and landscape shooting. Especially since I will crop it even more to a 21:9 ratio in post. Anyone with advice?

[morgan_moore]

IMO 16 is a nice standard wide, wider is moving into the realm where the lens kind of becomes the shot (not always a bad thing)

35 is a little short for some stuff - Talkies - cutaways (I prrfer 50 or 80)

To me the purpose of zoom is two get two lenses on the camera quickly im not seeing the 35 as that second lens

16 50 gives you GV, talkie cutaway, 16-35 does not

I wouldnt spend on that lens myself

Id get a cheaper, more rangy zoom for RnG and some primeness with the change

S

[editman]

I would use my 16-35 as a wide lens and being able to adjust FOV without moving the camera is very nice.

17-55 is also great but that's EF-S and for future cameras, FF maybe, the 16-35 is a keeper.
I rather use a faster 50/1.4 / 50/1.2.

[morgan_moore]

So if you are not interested in the long end I would consider a wide prime IMO like a nikkor 15 oldschool, or maybe a 14 of some kind

of course everyone has their own need set

S

[Richard Wilis]

Selling the 35L and going for the Tokina 11-16 combined with a Canon 24-70 would be another option for wide/mid ranges. Though I already slightly regreted selling the135L and would probably regret it even more selling the 35L. There's just that wow-factor in images that fast primes produce.

Man, my head hurts trying to decide between lenses..

[editman]

I guess we all have the same headache when it comes to lenses. You don't need more than 3-4 lenses but which ones... I have 7 and that's to many.

Anyone who have used a fast prime know it's something special. The Canon L series are great lenses as are the Nikkors D series. I could live with either and I think it's better to buy one great lens and when budget allows go for the next great lens. Stay away from zooms except the wide ones and maybe a 70-200/2.8 if you want to take stills.

[jpardon]

I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to lenses.....I'm getting the 18x135 Zoom as part of a 7D kit that I am purchasing. I'm assuming that, when accounting for the 1.6 crop factor, this will allow me to approximate a 35mm-style image?

Can anyone recommend one really great lense that I can use with my 7D to approximate a 35mm image? Zeiss/Hasselblad/Nikon/Canon?

[Ian-T]

How is this cheap Canon EF 50 mm f/1.8 II lens?


http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/SLR_Lenses/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&cs=19&sku=A0405641#Overview

[yachtclubav]

I'd go with an old manual Nikon 1.8 AI instead of the Canon EF 50 mm f/1.8 II. They're cheap on ebay and IMO a better image and much better bokeh.

I just got the Sigma 50mm 1.4 and absolutely love the image. Pretty stunning to me, but pricier - around $500 and heavier if that matters to you. Definitely worth a look if you're considering the Canon 50mm 1.4 which is around $400 i think.

I'd recommend using primes as well. In general they tend to look better to me and are much faster because don't we all want to shoot in the dark. I think the L glass is beautiful and those lenses hold their value well. I've been buying lenses on craigslist, trying them out, and selling again if I decide not to keep. So far I think I'm actually ahead $25 with this practice. I'm still a bit shy of buying lenses on ebay though. I like to see the glass before I buy.

For what it's worth the kit I've pretty much settled on is this -

Tokina 11-16mm 2.8. Very nice wide, fast and sharp, built quality is good, minimal distortion for the range. Love it.

Canon 24mm 1.4L . This things Expensive!! - probably too much. But I got a good price and it works out to be a perfect field of view for my everyday and steadicam work. There seems to be a lot of other less expensive options in this range. But this does look good and will hold its value for a long time as it's pretty much brand new.

Sigma 50mm 1.4 . I love this lens. I had about 5 different 50's here at the same time, including the Canon 1.2L. This was my favorite - even without considering the fact that it is less than half the price. Check out the sample pictures on the web or better yet buy one and see for yourself. I still like the Nikon manual primes though. Can't beat those lens for less than $100.

Canon 100mm 2.8 USM Macro - This is a pretty specialty lens. I needed a macro for something I was shooting. Got this one. It looks beautiful and I decided to keep. I've been shooting lots with it.

Canon 80-200 2.8L. Haven't used it for anything other than tests. Looks good though. Is the IS that helpful?

Cheers,
Anthony

[patssle]

Just ordered the Canon 18-50 2.8. Jeeze, half the price of the camera. Plan on getting the 70-200 2.8L IS once one of my stocks explodes - it's as expensive AS the camera. Hopefully that happens soons.

[Kholi]

I'd go with an old manual Nikon 1.8 AI instead of the Canon EF 50 mm f/1.8 II. They're cheap on ebay and IMO a better image and much better bokeh.

I just got the Sigma 50mm 1.4 and absolutely love the image. Pretty stunning to me, but pricier - around $500 and heavier if that matters to you. Definitely worth a look if you're considering the Canon 50mm 1.4 which is around $400 i think.

I'd recommend using primes as well. In general they tend to look better to me and are much faster because don't we all want to shoot in the dark. I think the L glass is beautiful and those lenses hold their value well. I've been buying lenses on craigslist, trying them out, and selling again if I decide not to keep. So far I think I'm actually ahead $25 with this practice. I'm still a bit shy of buying lenses on ebay though. I like to see the glass before I buy.

For what it's worth the kit I've pretty much settled on is this -

Tokina 11-16mm 2.8. Very nice wide, fast and sharp, built quality is good, minimal distortion for the range. Love it.

Canon 24mm 1.4L . This things Expensive!! - probably too much. But I got a good price and it works out to be a perfect field of view for my everyday and steadicam work. There seems to be a lot of other less expensive options in this range. But this does look good and will hold its value for a long time as it's pretty much brand new.

Sigma 50mm 1.4 . I love this lens. I had about 5 different 50's here at the same time, including the Canon 1.2L. This was my favorite - even without considering the fact that it is less than half the price. Check out the sample pictures on the web or better yet buy one and see for yourself. I still like the Nikon manual primes though. Can't beat those lens for less than $100.

Canon 100mm 2.8 USM Macro - This is a pretty specialty lens. I needed a macro for something I was shooting. Got this one. It looks beautiful and I decided to keep. I've been shooting lots with it.

Canon 80-200 2.8L. Haven't used it for anything other than tests. Looks good though. Is the IS that helpful?

Cheers,
Anthony


I like the way this guy thinks.

Please, though, throw some Zeiss in there. =D

[yachtclubav]

Ha ! well thanks. I did shoot a music video with a set of the Zeiss primes. Newer ones - i don't have much experience with them or really know them. Of course they looked good, but hmmmm maybe too sharp for me or something? I don't know just didn't excite me that much - especially enough for the price difference.

That said i'm also the guy that was shooting all my stuff for a few months auto ISO on a D90 cause i actually liked the flicker and thought it was interesting. kinda super 8mm? i'd throw a nikon 50mm 1.8 AI on there and handhold it all day with the ISO going nuts and the wobble just having a field day. Whatever, for what i was doing (fashion promos) it looked cool and the clients were stoked.

All said and done Zeiss 24mm pops up on craigslist i'm on it. And i'll keep making crap in the meantime.

[FrankD]

Any suggestions on a good reasonably priced 24mm? The Expensivewith a capital 'E' scares me.

[seven.b]

I just received the brand new Canon 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 lens. Hopefully this covers most of the focal lengths I need with good quality. I was about to go with two lenses at 400 dollars each to coever these focal lengths, but I decided to go with one for 800 to do the job.

[commanderspike]

I liked the 15-85mm although I didn't get to play with one long, it feels well built and has the next generation IS system in it. The 15mm wide end really does make quite a big difference over the standard 17mm / 18mm wide end of most other kit lenses and the fact that it's also a telephoto at 85mm is a bonus.

[sunburst]

How is this cheap Canon EF 50 mm f/1.8 II lens?


http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/SLR_Lenses/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&cs=19&sku=A0405641#Overview


its a no brainer. buy it now.

[Rakesh Jacob]

Yeah man the 50mm 1.8 is surprisingly sharp, amazing value

[iniosante]

After trying several lenses, including L's, this is what I've narrowed it down to for the time being...

Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8
Sigma 30mm f/1.4
Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8
+
Canon 2x II Extender
Canon 25 II Extension Tube

Ash
www.iniosante.com

[DadinWestchester]

24-70L 2.8, 70-200L 2.8IS, 16-35L 2.8 will cover you for zooms. Why skimp on an investment that will last a lifetime? I have a few L primes on top of these.

[editman]

You can't beat the L series. Very fine lenses and they'll last a lifetime.

[visugeek]

Here are my choices:

Kit lens 18-135.

Sigma 24mm f/1.8

Canon 35mm f/2

Canon 50mm f/1.4

Opteka 85mm 1.4

I'll rent a 20mm or 15mm as needed, and may buy either of the two as money becomes available.

These 4 primes total about $1500, and only the Sigma is not a full frame lens so I should be able to get a good return on my investment. I've already got the 50mm 1.4, and love it. You can shoot with 100 watt bulbs at ISO 640 cleanly and it has great DOF.

I've got 2 ND 8 filters and 58 to 76mm filter adapters so that I can use them in bright sunlight.

Now I need a follow focus and viewfinder. A matte box is optional, but I will probably get one as well. I'm considering the Indian company on Ebay for these items. I'm trying to stay on a budget and am very happy about what I will have been able to put together for under $4000.

[James Dierx]

This is my first DSLR & I don't have a big budget. As of now this is my arsenal.

Kit lens 28-135mm
Canon 50mm 1.4
Sigma 30mm 1.4 (just purchased 20 seconds ago from B&H! next day air.. shooting a concert this Friday!)

I love the 50mm 1.4 but realized I wanted wider shots a lot.

[Biz]

I initially bought the Canon 17-55 EF-S 2.8 IS lens to go with my 7D but i wasn't happy with the zoom range as it was too wide for me, so I immediately took it back and upgraded to the Canon 24-70mm 2.8L which is my main goto lens on the 7D. I am also a first time DSLR user.

I am selling a Sigma 10mm 2.8 Fisheye on eBay that I just bought a month ago and only used 4x if anybody is looking for a good deal
on that lens. - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160374995720

I hope to get a Tokina 11-16mm and some 1.2 L series Primes in the future.

[tony240sx]

I change my mind every 10 minutes on what lenses to get. I think I will get the tokina 11-16 back after selling one cause I was hard up for cash(bad move). I am also going for a 70-200 f/2.8 but not sure whether to go is or not, basically just waiting to see what i can get the best deal on. I already have the 28-135 as an all around carry lens and a 50mm 1.8 which I will eventually upgrade back to the 1.4. That should keep me satisfied for about a day or so.

[dvollrath]

24-70L 2.8, 70-200L 2.8IS, 16-35L 2.8 will cover you for zooms. Why skimp on an investment that will last a lifetime? I have a few L primes on top of these.

That's EXACTLY what I would get if I had over 3500 to spend on glass. I would add in a 14mm prime too.

Instead my current setup is a Sigma 14mm 3.5 (the older one), Canon 28mm 1.8, and a Nikon 105mm Macro lens. Over time I'll add some old nikon primes to this. Ideally a 20, 50, 85, and maybe a 70-200 zoom or at least something longer than 105.