Your Dream Lens - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

02/26/2005 03:56:42 PM · #1

Ok, I've had this on my mind. Why isn't there a single lens that would cover all my needs? I want a zoom with decent wide-angle, good telephoto, tack-sharpness end to end, even wide-open. Bust most of all, I want it to be fast, and hand-holdable in low light.

Yeah, I know, wide apertures and big ranges never ever combine to get sharp images, unless it's extremely expensive. Well there's no such lens, so I don't care how expensive it is.

Here's the challenge: list the specs of your dream lens.
Easy. Ok, now it gets harder: make it realistic. How do you know if it's realistic? You gotta list your estimate of price with it!

Things to keep in mind when estimating price:
Zoom lenses cost a LOT more than primes, more glass. Wider apertures require bigger glass, which costs a lot more. Longer lenses require bigger glass at a given focal length than a short lens. I think tank-like construction and perfect optics go without saying. Bigger zoom range will cost more. Any combination of these will generally multiply the price.

Here are two lenses that would blow my socks off:

18-90 F2L IS
$2400

35 F.7L
$4000
(F.7 is two stops faster than F1.4)

hsteg

Fujifilm X-T20

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

02/26/2005 04:16:16 PM · #2

EF 10-1200 1.2L IS USM

and it has to be white. lol

ClubJuggle

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

02/26/2005 04:19:25 PM · #3

Originally posted by hsteg:

EF 10-1200 1.2L IS USM

and it has to be white. lol

Harrison, are you aware this lens would be over 1 meter in diameter? That doesn't exactly meet the "hand-holdable" criterion.

-Terry

Message edited by author 2005-02-26 16:20:18.

pitsaman

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

02/26/2005 04:19:47 PM · #4

Originally posted by hsteg:

EF 10-1200 1.2L IS USM

and it has to be white. lol

Imagine the price !!! XXX,000,000 $$$ LOL

pmichaud

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

02/26/2005 04:20:52 PM · #5

Originally posted by hsteg:

EF 10-1200 1.2L IS USM

and it has to be white. lol

WITH macro :)

Plexxoid

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

02/26/2005 04:24:45 PM · #6

Thanks for being REALISTIC. C'mon people, what's YOUR dream lens?

fotodude

Nikon D70

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

02/26/2005 04:37:07 PM · #7

The beautiful NIKOR DIGITAL 105mm Macro around........$1000.....(sigh)

on other cameras i really need a 28 or 18 fixed lense for my Bush Pressman 4x5 but its going to cost me $400 bucks and i'm also buying for digital......or the 250mm fixed for the pressman like $500.....

those are my dreams right now everything else i can't afford anyway.......lol

_brando_

it was nice dreaming with ya'll

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

02/26/2005 04:39:20 PM · #8

Originally posted by ancientimages:

Originally posted by hsteg:
EF 10-1200 1.2L IS USM

and it has to be white. lol

WITH macro :)

And a beer dispenser.

hsteg

Fujifilm X-T20

02/26/2005 04:40:12 PM · #9

Id like to see a 500mm 5.6L IS USM. It would be cheaper and smaller than the current 500 f4 L. Maybe an 800mm 5.6 or 6.3L IS USM. Those are realistic but expensive.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

02/26/2005 04:47:29 PM · #10

Originally posted by hsteg:

Id like to see a 500mm 5.6L IS USM. It would be cheaper and smaller than the current 500 f4 L. Maybe an 800mm 5.6 or 6.3L IS USM. Those are realistic but expensive.

What possible good would IS be on a 800mm lens?

Gauti

Canon EOS-7D

02/26/2005 05:52:04 PM · #11

Originally posted by nsbca7:

Originally posted by hsteg:
Id like to see a 500mm 5.6L IS USM. It would be cheaper and smaller than the current 500 f4 L. Maybe an 800mm 5.6 or 6.3L IS USM. Those are realistic but expensive.

What possible good would IS be on a 800mm lens?

It'd probably have to be ISSSSSSSS on a 800mm :)
I can hook my spotting scope to my 10D and make it a 800mm F10.4 lens. Too slow. It it was F4 (even F5.6) with or without IS I'd start saving yesterday.
For me, the current dream lens would be really wide, say: 14-18mm and REALLY fast (F1.8 or faster) but sharp enough to shave. I'd be willing to shell out up to USD 1500 for it.
Cheers
Petur

Message edited by author 2005-02-27 06:08:11.

petrakka

02/26/2005 06:18:58 PM · #12

my dream lens would be a fisheye with zoom capabilities, yet still keeping the fisheye effect. preferably a 10-200 mm or something
edit- although i know this is not realistic haha

Message edited by author 2005-02-26 20:17:54.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

02/26/2005 06:43:36 PM · #13

I'd like to see a Canon 16mm f/2 prime, tack sharp. No EF-S please.

krazyivan

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

Canon EF 50mm f1.2L

02/26/2005 07:40:11 PM · #14

I'd like to see a Canon 18-300mm f/2L IS USM. This would be a little bigger than the current 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS.

This 18-300mm f/2L IS USM would probably cost $3000

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Nikon

02/26/2005 08:13:29 PM · #15

Originally posted by krazyivan:

I'd like to see a Canon 18-300mm f/2L IS USM. This would be a little bigger than the current 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS.

This 18-300mm f/2L IS USM would probably cost $3000

About three times as big and you would never touch one for under $6000.

But it's nice to dream.

blemt

Nikon D70

02/26/2005 08:26:39 PM · #16

Originally posted by nsbca7:

Originally posted by ancientimages:

Originally posted by hsteg:
EF 10-1200 1.2L IS USM

and it has to be white. lol

WITH macro :)

And a beer dispenser.

And a lackey to carry it for me.

Clara

krazyivan

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

Canon EF 50mm f1.2L

02/26/2005 08:28:21 PM · #17

Originally posted by nsbca7:

Originally posted by krazyivan:
I'd like to see a Canon 18-300mm f/2L IS USM. This would be a little bigger than the current 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS.

This 18-300mm f/2L IS USM would probably cost $3000

About three times as big and you would never touch one for under $6000.

But it's nice to dream.

How about an 18-200mm f/2L IS USM not as big and the cost would be about $3500-4000. I'd just get a 1.4x Teleconverter to add range, I'll lose a full stop but this would be more realistic as far as being able to hand hold the lens.

deapee

Kodak V803

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

02/26/2005 08:38:27 PM · #18

ok...I'll play.

How about an 8-22 2.8 el cheapo for $200. Sounds realistic enough to me, just make it cheap and plastic. I seem to get fine images with cheap glass.

Olympus 9-18mm f/4.0-5.6 M.Zuiko Digital ED

02/26/2005 09:13:56 PM · #19

Actually my dream lens already exists.

My allowance however has not gotten this high. (yet)

jonr

Olympus OM-D E-M5

02/26/2005 09:20:38 PM · #20

I actually can get 2 of my dream lenses soon.
14-35mm f2
35-100mm f2
(Yes, constant F2!)

KiwiChris

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

02/26/2005 09:35:24 PM · #21

Originally posted by nsbca7:

Actually my dream lens already exists.

My allowance however has not gotten this high. (yet)

Yeah, but what would you really use that sucker for? Appart from impressing your friends of course....

blemt

Nikon D70

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Nikon

02/26/2005 09:37:09 PM · #22

Originally posted by KiwiChris:

Originally posted by nsbca7:
Actually my dream lens already exists.

Yeah, but what would you really use that sucker for? Appart from impressing your friends of course....

Self defence in a dark alley? Or to smash gators over the noggin in the swamp?

Clara

02/26/2005 10:02:21 PM · #23

Originally posted by KiwiChris:

Originally posted by nsbca7:
Actually my dream lens already exists.

My allowance however has not gotten this high. (yet)

Yeah, but what would you really use that sucker for? Appart from impressing your friends of course....

Most of my friends would probably never see this. When I go out to the swamp I usually go alone, though if I had this I might want to hire a porter. In wildlife photography speed at long distances makes for otherwise unobtainable shots. The farther you can be from your subject the less chance you have of interrupting their normal behavior. Just think, you could do macro work from 40 feet with an extension tube attached.

Plexxoid