What’s your favourite prime lens combination?

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Nebular89

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I’ve always been a 50mm user only. I’ve been looking at 35mm lately to get a bit wider but the difference 35mm and 50mm isn’t massive. I have been considering either going with a 28mm and a 50mm or a 35mm and a 75mm. What’s your favourite combo? I do like that 35mm cropped to square is the same aspect ratio as one of my all time favourites which is an 80mm on a 6x6
 
The Leica Q taught me to love 28mm,

I started out years ago pairing 35+85, but now I frequently use 28mm + 50mm.
My 35/85 primes have had so little use in the last few years that I might think about selling them.

I have it almost replicated on digital MF as 38mm + 80 - which is equiv to 30/63

It's my documentary / portrait setup - which covers my non professional and some of my professional needs.
 
I was sold on 28/50 for a number of years and never could get to grips with 35. I found it a jack-of-all-trades focal length and hard to do anything with. As time has passed (maybe I've just got lazier), I find that if I can carry only one lens - which I almost exclusively do these days - it's a 35 which I can (now) compositionally make work as a 50 or 28. I also really like 24, but the field of view is too inflexible for the (these days mostly random) photography I do. For both the main camera "systems" I own, I have a 28/35/50 prime combo. Interestingly, the Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 is the only RF lens I have and I love it. And the Summilux 35 is paired with a tiny Voigtlander Ultron 35 to give me 2 different sized M-mount options at that focal length.

If I was swimming in cash, I'd also get an 85, but I have a 100 macro that doubles as a portrait lens, and two lenses for the limited amount of work I do with them wouldn't be a sensible idea.

For 6x6 I don't think you can beat the classic 75-80 (low 40s field of view in 35mm terms). Having said that, the 50mm (28mm) is pretty much glued onto my main MF camera.

I guess the answer is, as always; "it depends".
 
Yes, it depends. I never really liked being stuck with 50mm but it is a jack of all trades lens; I have and use a 35mm on my APS-C Nikon, and a 25mm on my Olympus M43, which both amount to much the same thing; I do like using a 28mm on my Pentax 35mm cameras though.
 
I find 35mm more flexible - ideal for only having one prime lens, but 50mm more pleasing. I have both now, but on different cameras.

If I was going for a pair of primes on the same system, I would probably go for 24mm and 50mm, as I like to include more of the environment in my shots. However, if I shot people more I think 85mm and 35mm would work well together.
 
I've taken 24 and 50mm out as a pair and thought they made a good set but 28mm could well replace the 24mm if the extra width isn't necessary or liked. 35 and 85mm could also be a good set up.

Mostly I just pick a 35 or 50mm and enjoy the day. Mostly it's a 35mm.
 
50 and 85/90 for me, although if I had a nice native 105 or 135 that would probably be my long prime.

35 is like a weak 50 to me, and 28 not really wide enough, but for wider than 50 I just really prefer a zoom because framing is so critical at those focal lengths.
 
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Nebular89 said:
I’ve always been a 50mm user only. I’ve been looking at 35mm lately to get a bit wider but the difference 35mm and 50mm isn’t massive. I have been considering either going with a 28mm and a 50mm or a 35mm and a 75mm. What’s your favourite combo?
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I will often go out with just one lens, irrespective of its focal length. But if I'm packing a pair, generally the focal length of one will be about double that of the other. Plus or minus.
 
Too many to list. Whatever FL suits the scene. I do prefer a 4:3, 5:4 or 1:1 crop though.

I reckon through I could just get by with 20mm in Glencoe itself. 35, 40, or 50 on Rannoch Moor. So call it 40mm for there.

For my Pyrenees stuff, 135, 85, 40, 28 and 50 would do the bulk with the odd 200mm. I use a mix of zooms and primes. I prefer zooms at the longer end as 70-200 2.8s are sharp enough, shorter zooms seem to smear in the sides so I run the primes there.
 
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droj said:
I will often go out with just one lens, irrespective of its focal length. But if I'm packing a pair, generally the focal length of one will be about double that of the other. Plus or minus.
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hmmm making a good case for the 35 and the 75. I think I have to have a 35mm, the 80mm 6x6 aspect ratio is too compelling! a 35mm on full frame is most likely fine for indoors but I've bought Jim Marshalls book recently and I think he used a 28mm inside, has a more enviromental look to it that I've never really tried out before. I think 7artisans make a cheap 18mm (would be 28 on my Fuji) that might be worth trying
 
SFTPhotography said:
Too many to list. Whatever FL suits the scene. I do prefer a 4:3, 5:4 or 1:1 crop though.

I reckon through I could just get by with 20mm in Glencoe itself. 35, 40, or 50 on Rannoch Moor. So call it 40mm for there.

For my Pyrenees stuff, 135, 85, 40, 28 and 50 would do the bulk with the odd 200mm. I use a mix of zooms and primes. I prefer zooms at the longer end as 70-200 2.8s are sharp enough, shorter zooms seem to smear in the sides so I run the primes there.
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I cant use zooms, I get choice paralysis! I usually only take 1 lens somewhere otherwise I spend most of my time switching lenses but I like to have a couple of primes that fit different situations
 
Nebular89 said:
I’ve always been a 50mm user only. I’ve been looking at 35mm lately to get a bit wider but the difference 35mm and 50mm isn’t massive. I have been considering either going with a 28mm and a 50mm or a 35mm and a 75mm. What’s your favourite combo? I do like that 35mm cropped to square is the same aspect ratio as one of my all time favourites which is an 80mm on a 6x6
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I've used the equivalent of a 35mm as my "standard" lens for decades . Usually combined with an 85mm (or equivalent), which I often found just a little too long, This was primarily for landscape and some event/reportage type photography, as well as some portraiture. Almost aways with two bodies, so I had a body for each lens.

I'm now using a 50mm (last few years) as my standard lens but still find the 35mm ideal for those occasions when the 50mm "just" isn't wide enough. I find this more useful than jumping from the 50mm to a "proper" wide angle.

I've also had 28mm, 24mm, 20mm and 18mm lenses (I still have a 20mm, but rarely use it). I'm not fond of pictures that "look" like they have been taken with a wide angle lens, and the 35mm works well for me.

For landscape, when I need something wide, I do a pano with the 35mm, which I prefer over switching to the 20mm. But still use the 20mm when a pano isn't suitable (or. I'm just being lazy). I wouldn't like to be without the 35mm, but a 28mm, or 24mm would get more use than the 20mm. However, I don't want to add more lenses, and the 20mm has the advantage of working in circumstances when the 35mm stands no chance of being adequate.

I also now have a 105mm macro rather than an 85mm, as I like close ups, but I find it both too long and too short for general landscape. Ideally, I would like something like a 75mm macro lens, (plus something a bit longer than 105mm).

It's not an easy choice, but it depends a lot on what type of photography you do, and how many lenses you are willing to carry (or can afford). I'm normally unwilling to carry more than three lenses (even though I sometimes carry five lenses: 20mm, 35mm 50mm, 105mm and 300mm).
 
My favorite is a 50mm 1.4, but that said the lens I used most was a 35mm 2.0, theres something about the "middle of the road length" that worked for me and my sort of pic. Now I mostly use zoom lens, but I still have my primes.
 
Not much of a prime user these days for "normal" use but I do use them for specific purposes; namely macro and super wide angle/fisheye. Even for SWA, I'll often use a zoom but will use the prime if I want/need the extra stop it gives me over the zoom (which is actually wider!)
 
the lenses that I use for 99 percent of the time is the Canon EF 300 2.8 and 100 L macro , I don’t actually have a shorter full frame lens both perfect for what they are designed for
 
Not so much focal length as the lenses I like the look of.
When shooting seriously that’s 35mm Art and the 135mm L

But nowadays I shoot mostly round the house and it’s 50 and 85 that get most use.
 
My go-to for travel/documentary with my Leicas is 21/35/75 I do also put a 28 ans 50 in the bag but rarely get them out (never bother with that 135 anymore). I have also used that setup for landscape photography but I mostly use zooms for that.

002 Three M9s Travel Kit 01-1010625 PS Adj LUF.JPG

My more normal landscape scouting setup (for my serious landscapes I use my Fuji GFXs or Bronica MF film kit.

Three X-T2s.JPG
 
I have a 50mm f1.4 prime on my D850 right now, it is now my only prime lens but I wouldn't part with it for the world. It is small, sharp and reliable and now I've got rid of my Fuji X100V (35mm equiv was just not right for me) makes my D850 a [relatively] convenient camera to take around with me if space and weight is important, like on motorcycle holidays. I suppose if I was doing the prime route exclusively, I'd have a 24mm, 50mm and 400mm all with the widest apertures I could afford. As it is my 50mm was joined by a 14-24mm f2.8 (I like 24mm) and hopefully tomorrow will see me with a 60-600mm Sigma which unfortunately doesn't have a very wide maximum at all (f4.5-6.3) but I don't have ten grand to spend on a fast lens.
 
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I've been struggling with 40mm equivalent on my Ricoh GR3X for the last 9 months and I'm getting fed up with the restrictions.

I love the 24-120 equiv zoom of my M43. ByeBye Ricoh. Who needs primes anyway?
 
Took my equivalent 35mm and 50mm to London and favoured the 35mm for the wider field and wider aperture. (Fujis 23/1.4 and 35/2)
 
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always depends on the assignment. when i'm unsure of the venue I'll have a bag full - 24, 35, 50, 85, 135 and 200. love them all :)
 
Topsy said:
My go-to for travel/documentary with my Leicas is 21/35/75 I do also put a 28 ans 50 in the bag but rarely get them out (never bother with that 135 anymore). I have also used that setup for landscape photography but I mostly use zooms for that.

View attachment 395226

My more normal landscape scouting setup (for my serious landscapes I use my Fuji GFXs or Bronica MF film kit.

View attachment 395227
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I’m jealous of those Leicas! I had an M2 a few years ago, loved it but I stopped using film
 
For what I do I find the standard 50mm just fine. I've also discovered the joys of 28mm. So that would be my combo.
 
Nikon 28mm f2.8 Ais, 50mm f1.4 and 105mm f2.5 just a fabulous trio of lenses on any Nikon full frame camera digital or film.
 
I really love 24 / 40 / 85

my do anything lens is my Sigma 40 1.4, just love that focal length
 
for me - i mostly do macro - my Sigma 150 f2.8 Macro is pretty much welded to my Nikon D810 body, it is a rare day anything else gets put on it :)
 
At the moment its two a Fuji 35mm f2 and a fuji 60mm macro, I am debating whether to add a 23mm or an 18mm
 
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