What would be your perfect zoom lens?

rjbell

rjbell

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I'm not really much of a lens collector having never more than 3 lenses at one time. At the moment I've only 2 a 10-20 and a 17-50. I probably shoot 70% of my shots between 12-35mm. Please someone make this lens for me or a FX version 18-50 and i will be very happy. They already make a 18-50 in dx annoying so why not fx too?

What would be your perfect lens?
 
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rjbell said:
Please someone make this lens for me or a FX version 18-50 and i will be very happy.
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Canon's 17-40L isn't far off, but that would involve switching to Canon :D

Personally I'd be happy with a 24-85 f/1.4 VR :cool:
 
jpw said:
Canon's 17-40L isn't far off, but that would involve switching to Canon :D

Personally I'd be happy with a 24-85 f/1.4 VR :cool:
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My mate has a 5d3 and a 17-40 and nothing else. I need to play with it for a few hours and see if i could live with it.
 
jpw said:
Canon's 17-40L isn't far off, but that would involve switching to Canon :D
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Came in to say this after reading OP's request, just take a step closer to get 50mm framing.

I use 17-40L a lot, with 85/1.8 it covers most situations. for single lens setup, I go with my 24-105L, but it's actually heavier than my 2 lens setup. :shrug:

my perfect lens isn't far off from 24-105L: a 20-100mm f4 L IS USM. has to be constant aperture, has to have IS, and has to be no heavier than 600g. (24-105L is 650g I think)
 
rjbell said:
My mate has a 5d3 and a 17-40 and nothing else. I need to play with it for a few hours and see if i could live with it.
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I've always prefered primes, but I think if i were to have just a 1 lens set up, the 17-40 would be perfect in my opinion.

I like the 50mm focal length, but always find myself leaning towards wider lenses. I think i'd resent not having a fast prime to acompany the 17-40 though.

I'd reccomend trying the 17-40 set up of your mates! seems to fit your needs pretty well, other than having to switch from Nikon to Canon...
 
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5d2 or 6d?

Update- actually i probably get a 5d1 used if i can get a good price.
 
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rjbell said:
I'm not really much of a lens collector having never more than 3 lenses at one time. At the moment I've only 2 a 10-20 and a 17-50. I probably shoot 70% of my shots between 12-35mm. Please someone make this lens for me or a FX version 18-50 and i will be very happy. They already make a 18-50 in dx annoying so why not fx too?

What would be your perfect lens?
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Sigma have a 12-24, not quite 35 ok, but combine that with a 24-70 and you have pretty much similar to what you now have on DX. 17-50 [Tamron] was my favourite DX lens btw ;)

I wish they'd make a 1.4 zoom - nothing ridiculous, just the standard ranges - that wouldn't cost the earth. It would make life easier for those of us who can never decide if they prefer zoom or primes.
 
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rjbell said:
5d2 or 6d?

Update- actually i probably get a 5d1 used if i can get a good price.
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I know where there's one for sale! :p :D

My perfect 1 lens would be a 50mm 1.4 that was optically perfect! Such a struggle for manufacturers to make such a lens these days...
 
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drb5 said:
I know where there's one for sale! :p :D

My perfect 1 lens would be a 50mm 1.4 that was optically perfect! Such a struggle for manufacturers to make such a lens these days...
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Yet I remember that many years ago - say 50 - lenses were being produced with f0.98 apertures!

And that was approx 50mm on 35mm cameras.

.
 
drb5 said:
I know where there's one for sale! :p :D

My perfect 1 lens would be a 50mm 1.4 that was optically perfect! Such a struggle for manufacturers to make such a lens these days...
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petersmart said:
Yet I remember that many years ago - say 50 - lenses were being produced with f0.98 apertures!

And that was approx 50mm on 35mm cameras.

.
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Shoot Leica. You can get the practically perfect Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux ASPH or the 50mm f/0.95 Noctilux.
 
Also, the thread is about the perfect "zoom lens" ;)
 
Tokina make some excellent UWA zooms that cover the focal length you want for nikon and canon. (17-35 F2.8 if I remember right)
 
Cagey75 said:
Sigma have a 12-24, not quite 35 ok, but combine that with a 24-70 and you have pretty much similar to what you now have on DX. 17-50 [Tamron] was my favourite DX lens btw ;)

I wish they'd make a 1.4 zoom - nothing ridiculous, just the standard ranges - that wouldn't cost the earth. It would make life easier for those of us who can never decide if they prefer zoom or primes.
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It would be huge and cost a fortune.
 
I'd quite like a f4 alternative to the Nikon 17-55 2.8 DX. VR would be nice too, and maybe go a bit longer on the tele end.

Would be lighter and cheaper, though the 2.8 is pretty good value used but heavy and no VR.

I am one of the seemingly few who think there's plenty of mileage in the crop format. Especially if you shoot wildlife/sports on a budget.
 
That's a fair point, so i've changed my mind!

12-300mm f1.2L IS

:cool:
 
In fantasy land, an 8mm - 500mm f/2.8 with adjustable rectilinear distortion correction!

In reality (or at least closer to possibility!), a 12mm - 70mm f/2.8 (or even f/4) would do for the majority of my wants/needs, as long as I was allowed to keep my 8mm fisheye as well.
 
Nod said:
In fantasy land, an 8mm - 500mm f/2.8 with adjustable rectilinear distortion correction!

In reality (or at least closer to possibility!), a 12mm - 70mm f/2.8 (or even f/4) would do for the majority of my wants/needs, as long as I was allowed to keep my 8mm fisheye as well.
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12-70 would be perfect for me too but i didn't want to be greedy:D
 
I'd be very happy with a 12-70 also! 1.4 though ... :D
 
Cagey75 said:
True, but we're only dreaming here really, about stuff that doesn't exist - or was that not the point?
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Just dream of a 6mm-1600mm f/0.95 VR III that's as big and heavy as an empty coke can.

rjbell said:
I'm not really much of a lens collector having never more than 3 lenses at one time. At the moment I've only 2 a 10-20 and a 17-50. I probably shoot 70% of my shots between 12-35mm. Please someone make this lens for me or a FX version 18-50 and i will be very happy. They already make a 18-50 in dx annoying so why not fx too?

What would be your perfect lens?
Click to expand...

Get a 14-24 or 16-35 or a 24-70 on FX.
 
I can't seem to find a picture or video of the view through the viewfinder of a FF in crop mode, i'd like to get the idea of what it looks like. Anyone got one?
 
I just emailed Tamron and told them to hurry up and produce a 17-50 full frame version!:lol::cuckoo:
 
Not zoom, but, since I'm in the market for a longer macro lens [currently own the 105] - I would love a Nikon 200mm 2.8 macro with VR + USM, that didn't weigh over 1KG and wasn't gigantic. Best at present is their old 200mm f/4 hulk, no VR, and noisy as hell.

Tamron managed a fairly neat 180mm, but it lacks VC and HSM. I've seen it in action and I could run 100m in the time it takes to go it's focus range. Will probably end up with the Sigma 180, with OS + HSM - Just would prefer Nikon.
 
Tokina has just announced a 12-28 f4 for a crop. Might be my perfect lens.
 
For me is CZ 16-80 DT (as I am shooting Sony) but not fast enough at 3.5-..
16-35CZ too heavy to use on a regular basis.
 
Before I decided to go primes one of the main lenses I was considering was the Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 24-70 F2.8.
 
70-200 f2 IS

*goes into super dream mode*
with detachable 70mm f2 prime for portrait mode

so it would function like a 70mm f2, but with a variable teleconverter in front of the lens that somehow didn't slow down the apperture


failing that, a 70-120 f2 IS 1:2 macro portrait lens

(or an af version of the zeiss 100mm f2 makro)
 
The Canon 200-400/4 at under £5K !!!
 
The new full frame Nikkor 18-35 seems like it could be my ideal lens.
 
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