08-27-2016, 09:16 PM
I've wanted to add my thoughts here for quite a while, but work and other stuff prevailed.
Anyway, the oldest lens I recall I really liked, was an SMC Takumar 105 F/2.8. That was in the days I still owned a Praktica LTL and a Praktica LLC
. This was my favourite lens by far in my early SLR days, back in1973 and 1974 . I owned 4 lenses back then (35 mm 3rd party, 50 mm Praktica, 105 mm Takuma and 135 mm Meyer, plus a Panagor macro-converter).
In 1974 or 1975 I got my first Pentax, an ME, and traded in the 105 Takumar for a 100 F/4 SMC Pentax Macro (which I still own). I liked that lens too, but not as much as the 105. A few years later I got an MX as well, with a 40 F/2.8 and a bit later a 21 F/4. Those, with the 50 F/1.8 where the lenses I used most, and liked most, although I did get two of the better 3rd party zooms back then, Tokina I think. In the 1980s I did a lot of specialist macro work, I loved using the Leitz Focotar macro lenses back then, especially the 25 mm.
Forward to 1994, and I got another Pentax, MZ50 I think, but i never really liked that a lot, and sold that on, including the lenses I got with that. For about 10 years photographed very little, other than with compacts, too busy with work, family etc. Then I started to get more into another hobby of mine, requiring photographs again, for use digitally. After soem deliberation, I got a Canon G5, and got hooked again, resulting in my first dslr, a Canon 350D, immediately with a bunch of lenses I knew I wanted. Never looked back since either, and of all the lenses I tried, used, bought, sold on, rebought etc., my current lens line-up is really what I like a lot:
TS-E 17L
TS-E 24L II
TS-E 45
TS-E 90
24L II
50L
85L II
135L
180L Macro
MP-E 86 Macro
Extender 1.4x III
I also loved the 70-200 F/4 Ls, but always shot at the ends of the zoomrange, which is why I sold them, and the 100-400L, which I owned twice - great lens for macro actually. I will probably get the Mk II at soem stage, and that will likely be the only Canon zoom lens I will own, barring possibly the 8-16 Fisheye and the latest UWA zoom, 11-24. But then, I've got something with WAs.
Other lenses I really liked were the 24L Mk I, 28 F/1.8, 50 F/2.5 Macro and EF-S 60 Macro.
Other than my Canon FF setup, I also own an MFT setup, first a Panasonic GF-2, followed by an Olympus M10, and now an M-5 II. Love it because it is nice and compact, and easily better than my old 350D and/or 400D. Lenses wise I always enjoyed the pana 20 F/1.7, 14 F/2.5, 7-14 F/4, Leica 45 F/2.8 macro, and for casual shooting the panny 14-140 - I still own these, and still use them. Besides those I now also have and like the Oly 14-42 EZ, because it is nice and compact, the verdict for me is still out for the Oly 12-40, panny 35-105 and Oly 12-50. This because I mostly shoot with primes. The 12-40 is really excellent, as is the 35-105, the 12-50 is ok, but certainly not my favourite.
One thing I really love with MFT is the Metabones 0.64X EF to MFT adapter - I use that with my Canon lenses when I do not mind taking a little more stuff along when travelign light. Combined with the 85L II an 135L it is is utterly amazing. The 85L II becomes a 109 mm F/1.5 equivalent lens, which essentially brings me back to my favourite focal length of 43 years ago, just quite a bit faster. Love it.
Kind regards, Wim
Anyway, the oldest lens I recall I really liked, was an SMC Takumar 105 F/2.8. That was in the days I still owned a Praktica LTL and a Praktica LLC
. This was my favourite lens by far in my early SLR days, back in1973 and 1974 . I owned 4 lenses back then (35 mm 3rd party, 50 mm Praktica, 105 mm Takuma and 135 mm Meyer, plus a Panagor macro-converter).In 1974 or 1975 I got my first Pentax, an ME, and traded in the 105 Takumar for a 100 F/4 SMC Pentax Macro (which I still own
). I liked that lens too, but not as much as the 105. A few years later I got an MX as well, with a 40 F/2.8 and a bit later a 21 F/4. Those, with the 50 F/1.8 where the lenses I used most, and liked most, although I did get two of the better 3rd party zooms back then, Tokina I think. In the 1980s I did a lot of specialist macro work, I loved using the Leitz Focotar macro lenses back then, especially the 25 mm.Forward to 1994, and I got another Pentax, MZ50 I think, but i never really liked that a lot, and sold that on, including the lenses I got with that. For about 10 years photographed very little, other than with compacts, too busy with work, family etc. Then I started to get more into another hobby of mine, requiring photographs again, for use digitally. After soem deliberation, I got a Canon G5, and got hooked again, resulting in my first dslr, a Canon 350D, immediately with a bunch of lenses I knew I wanted
. Never looked back since either, and of all the lenses I tried, used, bought, sold on, rebought etc., my current lens line-up is really what I like a lot:TS-E 17L
TS-E 24L II
TS-E 45
TS-E 90
24L II
50L
85L II
135L
180L Macro
MP-E 86 Macro
Extender 1.4x III
I also loved the 70-200 F/4 Ls, but always shot at the ends of the zoomrange, which is why I sold them, and the 100-400L, which I owned twice - great lens for macro actually. I will probably get the Mk II at soem stage, and that will likely be the only Canon zoom lens I will own, barring possibly the 8-16 Fisheye and the latest UWA zoom, 11-24. But then, I've got something with WAs
.Other lenses I really liked were the 24L Mk I, 28 F/1.8, 50 F/2.5 Macro and EF-S 60 Macro.
Other than my Canon FF setup, I also own an MFT setup, first a Panasonic GF-2, followed by an Olympus M10, and now an M-5 II. Love it because it is nice and compact, and easily better than my old 350D and/or 400D. Lenses wise I always enjoyed the pana 20 F/1.7, 14 F/2.5, 7-14 F/4, Leica 45 F/2.8 macro, and for casual shooting the panny 14-140 - I still own these, and still use them. Besides those I now also have and like the Oly 14-42 EZ, because it is nice and compact, the verdict for me is still out for the Oly 12-40, panny 35-105 and Oly 12-50. This because I mostly shoot with primes. The 12-40 is really excellent, as is the 35-105, the 12-50 is ok, but certainly not my favourite.
One thing I really love with MFT is the Metabones 0.64X EF to MFT adapter - I use that with my Canon lenses when I do not mind taking a little more stuff along when travelign light. Combined with the 85L II an 135L it is is utterly amazing. The 85L II becomes a 109 mm F/1.5 equivalent lens, which essentially brings me back to my favourite focal length of 43 years ago, just quite a bit faster. Love it.
Kind regards, Wim
Gear: Canon EOS R with 3 primes and 2 zooms, 4 EF-R adapters, Canon EOS 5 (analog), 9 Canon EF primes, a lone Canon EF zoom, 2 extenders, 2 converters, tubes; Olympus OM-D 1 Mk II & Pen F with 12 primes, 6 zooms, and 3 Metabones EF-MFT adapters ....