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Your favourite sleeper lenses

Mike_5D
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p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · Your favourite sleeper lenses

stanj wrote:
I'll go in the spirit of the title, "sleeper lens" without specifying the mount. To me the 24-240 is a total sleeper. No "serious photographer" takes it seriously, yet in most aspects it's better than anything we had in the 1DS days. I was there

I'm very happy with mine. A lot of people are put off by the slower aperture, but's really only a stop slower than a 24-105 f/4 over that range. And if the faster lens comes up short and needs cropping, you lose most of the image quality benefits.

Sep 08, 2024 at 08:18 PM

ISO1600
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p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · Your favourite sleeper lenses

100/2 USM is such a great lens, I've always found it more enjoyable and useful than the 85/1.8 little brother.

My favorite Canon sleeper is the 28-105/3.5-4.5 USM without a doubt though. Can be had for double-digit prices, it's tiny and light, and on a modern EF body can give you great results as a simple walkaround lens. Combined with an adapter on something like RP or R8 it's still pretty solid, although it's overlooked by the more useful range of the 24-105 kit zoom (which is much larger and more $$).

Sep 08, 2024 at 10:34 PM

robstein
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p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · Your favourite sleeper lenses

Not as old as a lot of lenses above but I'm really enjoying the EF-40 pancake on the RF mount (I know it doubles in size).... It was always "meh" on EF mount bodies I had and only used it for size but on the R6ii body it's far sharper and more responsive - just a surprise to me and a great lens.

Sep 08, 2024 at 10:53 PM

stanj
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p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · Your favourite sleeper lenses

rscheffler wrote:
Better than the EF 35-350L or 28-300L (within the shared range)? I remain curious about the 24-240 in part due to your enthusiasm for it.

Absolutely. I owned two 28-300L lenses on my 1Ds2, 1Ds3 and 1DX, and compared to today's R cameras those were not demanding sensors. I'll take the 24-240 any day, every day.

Sep 08, 2024 at 11:30 PM

gavin_emmons
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p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · Your favourite sleeper lenses

I really like my 24-240 lens as well - for its size and price it is a great all-purpose zoom. It's currently my default lens for backpacking and walk-around landscape photography. It's certainly not perfect but it does very well for a 10x zoom.

Sep 09, 2024 at 12:01 AM

IlyaSnopchenko
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p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · Your favourite sleeper lenses

The 24-240 was tested by OpricalLimits with good results, even borderline excellent on 30MP (unless you try to use it without auto-corrections, that is). Quite a bit better than the Nikon equivalent (that goes to 200mm instead of 240mm), and probably destroys the similar Sony lens which is renowned for poor sharpness.

I'm still curious to try the Canon 28-300 or even 35-350, though. The lack of IS on the latter would not be a deal breaker anymore because of the IBIS................

Sep 09, 2024 at 04:40 AM

Pixelpuffin
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p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · Your favourite sleeper lenses

IlyaSnopchenko wrote:
The 24-240 was tested by OpricalLimits with good results, even borderline excellent on 30MP (unless you try to use it without auto-corrections, that is). Quite a bit better than the Nikon equivalent (that goes to 200mm instead of 240mm), and probably destroys the similar Sony lens which is renowned for poor sharpness.

I'm still curious to try the Canon 28-300 or even 35-350, though. The lack of IS on the latter would not be a deal breaker anymore because of the IBIS................

I picked a 35-350L beater, not pretty but fully works and glass is perfect. I had the same lens back in the analogue era permanently attached to my eos1n
I went out last winter with my current copy attached to my RP…neither missed a beat. The close focus at 135mm focal length is great. Back then I handheld everything, but this time round I needed a tripod either lost technique due to over reliance on IS or old age 🤣

Sep 09, 2024 at 06:30 AM

Ulff
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p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · Your favourite sleeper lenses

My favorite "sleeper" lenses are the already mentioned:

- Canon 40 f2.8: small, light and really excellent between f5.6 and f8 from center to corners. It has also no distortiion and better flare resistence than most lenses in that range. I used it more on DSLR-cameras, but it remains excellent on the R5

- Canon 45 f2.8 TS-E: it was my favorite lens for years, replaced it with the newer 50 TS-E for sharper results and less CA, but in hindsight I liked the 45 more for its size, weight, rendering and bokeh. While the 50 is technically better and for me a tripod only lens, I used the 45 also a lot as a walkabout lens with very creative results

Sep 09, 2024 at 08:58 AM

jj1804
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p.2 #9 · p.2 #9 · Your favourite sleeper lenses

+1 for the EF 40 2.8 pancake.

it's purpose and beauty escaped me back when I was using the 5D with the battery grip. Didn't make much sense then and I got rid of it quite quickly and purchased the EF 35 1.4. When I got into the Canon R system I traded a 35 2.0 IS for a 40 2.8 because of it's size and fell in love. So much so that I purchased a second one in case one broke on me. Image quality stands on its own - even on the R5. I have a print in 120cm x 60cm on the wall from a panorama of this lens. Great detail and a versatile focal length. Hoping Canon replaces it with an RF mount, maybe F/2.0 and IS?

Sep 09, 2024 at 09:16 AM

burningheart
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p.2 #10 · p.2 #10 · Your favourite sleeper lenses

I have always liked what the 135mm Soft focus lens does for me. I mainly use it at the non soft focus setting of 0. I like the colors it produces which for me is a little less saturated and a little bit more towards pastelish end of colouring.

Sep 09, 2024 at 10:33 AM

steamtrain
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p.2 #11 · p.2 #11 · Your favourite sleeper lenses

Sep 09, 2024 at 12:17 PM

steamtrain
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p.2 #12 · p.2 #12 · Your favourite sleeper lenses

I think the 40mm f/1.4 Art is a sleeper. You can find used copies for 600 euro only, while compared to the RF 50mm f/1.2 L (2700 euro) the 40mm Art is simply the better lens.

I would also like to add a sleeper combo: M50mkII + ef-m 32mm f/1.4. The M50 has better SOOC than the M6II, and it's also capable of tracking eyes/faces being smaller in the frame. The 32mm is the best Canon crop lens ever.

Sep 09, 2024 at 12:40 PM

AmbientMike
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p.2 #13 · p.2 #13 · Your favourite sleeper lenses

Pixelpuffin wrote:
I’d like to start topics away from the current and constant threads on R gear.

Can we discuss old sleeper lenses that you’ve stumbled upon again, maybe ones you disregarded first time round ? But now, learning more you’ve found an appreciation??

I’ll start..
The EF 28-135 IS USM
Bought this new back in the 90’s. Really hated it. Returned and managed to get a refund. Then last year stumbled on amazingly clear pictures online, turns out they were taken on the humble 6D with this very lens….off I went!!
Managed to find a one owner boxed mint with hood for very little outlay. Tried...Show more →

Love the 55-250, had 1st version, build and IS much better on STM I currently own. Really great zoom macro, 88-400 ff equivalent under 1 lb! Great hiking lens, who says mirrorless is lighter

I really liked the 18-135 IS quite a bit, a favorite indoor lens believeit or not. Probably more like 120mm (not 135mm imo) at the long end, af pretty inaccurate (like a lit if lenses) <35mm or so, got good photo of an owl at 1/8-1/10 sec hh one time though, took several got some at these ridiculously low ss.

Also 300/4 non IS looks great never tried though. I remember looking at 22-55, isn't that an aps lens, for those film cartridges that came out in the late 90's or something? Hung on to data for better film printing IIRC

Sep 09, 2024 at 12:57 PM

racoll
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p.2 #14 · p.2 #14 · Your favourite sleeper lenses

I've been a fan of the 28-135mm ever since it came out in the late '90s. I used it on my EOS A2 all the time until I bought a 24-70/2.8L for my 1vHS and 10D, but kept it still. I ended up selling the 24-70 but kept the 28-135 because the focal range was much more useful. I think that there was a lot of variation in quality between copies of this lens. My first copy was excellent and wonderfully sharp, while my second copy always seemed soft. I've had 4 or 5 copies of the lens over the years, some of which were sold with camera bodies, but I do have one now that is quite sharp. I use it on my 10D and 40D bodies when I occasionally take them out for fun.

I also love my copy of the 24-240. Prior to buying in to the R-system I read a review of this lens that a guy was testing on his R5. At the end of his review he stated that the 24-240 was, in and of itself, a good reason to get into the R-system. It's the perfect general photography lens and I find myself using it a lot on both my R5 and R62 for walk-around shooting.

Andy

Sep 09, 2024 at 06:15 PM

IlyaSnopchenko
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p.2 #15 · p.2 #15 · Your favourite sleeper lenses

steamtrain wrote:
Over 100mm IBIS does around one stop only, and at 350mm it will do next to nothing.
Hmm... I could swear it works with my 100-400mm lens (the original push-pull one). I usually turn IS off on it because it doesn't seem to mate well with IBIS, and rely on IBIS instead. Though I've not made any real quantitative tests...

Sep 10, 2024 at 02:21 AM

an_also
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p.2 #16 · p.2 #16 · Your favourite sleeper lenses

Not sure if this would be considered a sleeper since it’s an L lens but I really like the EF 24-70 F4. My copy seems sharp through the range and the images I get from it are always very pleasing. The dedicated macro mode at 70mm is also a good bonus.

Sep 10, 2024 at 06:12 AM

Milan Hutera
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p.2 #17 · p.2 #17 · Your favourite sleeper lenses

My favorite sleeper lens is EF 50 f1,8 II. I only have lenses that I use, except this one. It sleeps in the bag. I take it out from time to time, last time in March when I used that and 1D IV to take some product photos.

Sep 10, 2024 at 08:36 AM

Dragonfire
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p.2 #18 · p.2 #18 · Your favourite sleeper lenses

The 28-105 worked nicely on my 10D but now they have both passed on

Sep 10, 2024 at 08:54 AM

Robin Smith
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p.2 #19 · p.2 #19 · Your favourite sleeper lenses

The 15mm fisheye is a lens I miss. I agree about the 70-300L. I noticed a drop in performance going from the 6D due to the higher resolution of the 5DIV, but I may be imagining things.

I too wanted to try the 100/2. I had the 85mm f1.8 and replaced it with the Sigma 85 f1.4 EX, which was a very nice lens, although AF was not 100% reliable, but I miss it just the same.

The 70-200mm f4 IS was a great lens, and the 135mm f2 is still sorely missed, but everyone knows about that one.

Sep 10, 2024 at 09:26 AM

Pixelpuffin
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p.2 #20 · p.2 #20 · Your favourite sleeper lenses

steamtrain wrote:
I think the 40mm f/1.4 Art is a sleeper. You can find used copies for 600 euro only, while compared to the RF 50mm f/1.2 L (2700 euro) the 40mm Art is simply the better lens.

I would also like to add a sleeper combo: M50mkII + ef-m 32mm f/1.4. The M50 has better SOOC than the M6II, and it's also capable of tracking eyes/faces being smaller in the frame. The 32mm is the best Canon crop lens ever.

Yes Yes YES!!
You are so right, love my M stuff.
Biggest mistake ever when canon discontinued the M range.

Fabulous system.
That 32/1.4 💕💕
Keep toying with the idea of buying a 2nd copy . 🤣

Just remembered another sleeper lens..
EF-s 15-85usm. The range is phenomenal 24-135 FF equivalent. I bet that lens sings on the new R crop bodies.

Yes the 40stm is definitely THE sleeper lens, small, cheap but so sharp…explains why I have 3 copies (2 black 1 white), I like the 24mm stm pancake too.

With regards to the 100/2 & 85/1.8 primes, again have both, but the MFD always always catches out..it’s almost 3ft!!!

Let’s not forget the 28/1.8 adapted mine to ef-m before I bought the 32/1.4. Mirrorless improved the focus accuracy wide open.

Edited on Sep 10, 2024 at 11:59 AM · View previous versions

Sep 10, 2024 at 11:12 AM

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