Since I bought the Canon 50/1.4, I rarely use my Tokina 28-70 f2.8 though it is a really nice lens.
I have a number of M42 lenses and I don't use them much because the focus screen on my digital SLR is not properly aligned. My film bodies are much better, but then I often find that I'd rather the quick workflow with AF.
Finally I have a Schneider super angulon 65/8 for my 4X5 which doesn't see any use. Its #00 shutter is a pain to use as there is no preview lever. I made a bubinga wood lensboard for it, then proceeded to break that board 6 months later. It has pretty severe cutoff on the 4X5. Its very sharp in the middle of the frame, but not on the edges. I found the 75/8 ina compur 0 works much better.
I'm really surprised at all the 50 f/1.4's, as it is probably my most used lens. For me the only lens I have that I rarely use is my 18-55 kit lens I got with my XTI when I bought it.
I bought the EF 180mm 3.5L Macro back in 2001, ive probably only used it 3 times in all these years, but I'll keep it for the time I do get into macro.
My Canon 17-85mm IS and it's friend the Canon 10-22mm. Both sit idle now but only because they don't fit my 1D. The 20D just sits in the bag with these two.
stanj wrote:
70-200/2.8LIS is the least used lens in my bag, followed by the 24-105LIS.
Ha ha ha, I'm opposite
70-200L and 24-105 LIS are the most used ones. I badly miss IS for the 70-200L. They take all the meaningful photos of my family and many others.
My other primes are usually used for backyard or testing shots. 35L, 135L, 180L collects dusts. 100/2 is rarely used. 300/4LIS is seasonal - Frogs and Dragonflies. 50/1.4 or Sigma 20/1.8 can make trip with me when I have room for them. Zeiss 85/1.4 is on sale now.
I hardly ever use now the 18-55 kit lens and the Sigma 28-300 mm macro lens. Seeing some earlier posts here, the Canon 50 f1.4 lens is one of my lenses which I like to use most often.
35/2 [have 35L]
50/1.4 [have 50/1.2L]
85/1.8 [have 85LII]
Peleng circular fisheye [not great quality, but fun, and impossible to replace without much moolah]
My EF 100 Macro/non USM. Since I got a CV 125/2.5 macro, this hasn't been on my camera. Second would probably be my EF 15mm fisheye. This isn't for lack of trying; I just can't figure out how to use it to best effect.
Tamron 11-18... awful CA and almost never used but every once in a while I need to go super wide on my 20D (usually when the camera is setup as a second camera on a tripod at an event and triggered remotely).
Love the 50 1.4 when shooting events in low light! 1Ds MII in one hand (with 24-70L), flash mounted on a mono-pod in the other, 50 1.4 around my neck on the 20D.... crank the ISO to 1600, Tv (about the only time I use Tv) between 60-125 and get lots of candid 80mm shots that no one knows you're taking b/c they see that big rig in your other hand.
500 f/4.5L and 300 f/2.8 IS.
Because of substantial weight of the above two lenses I somehow end up mounting a lighter equivalent on my camera very often, such as the (100-400 + 1.4xTC) combo or 300 f/4.
The imaging advantage that a faster lens offers is rather small and usually means very little for someone like me who is neither selling images nor taking my photography output very seriously.
Interesting discussion. I've pretty much trimmed my lens collection down to those that I only ever use- but previously the lens I used the least was probably the 35L and 50L- while my most used ones were (in order) the 300 2.8L IS (with 1.4x TC as well), 400 5.6, 70-200 2.8L IS, and 24-70 2.8.
I don't use the 135 much anymore, but those times when it is handy makes me keep it...hmmm, anyone want to trade for a 180 macro? That is one I let go that I do regret.
