Most used lens in 2011

[Brian500au]

I was looking over some of my photos for 2011 in LR and decided to have a look through what lens I had used the most. The result is more of how my style had changed in 2011 rather than a conscious decision to use one lens over another.

The results were


24-70 f2.8 38.95%
85 f1.2 26.4%
70-200 f2.8 22.18%


In 2011 I spent 3.5 months in Africa but did not take my camera with me so my 24-105 did not get used at all. In 2012 I plan to use both my 50mm and 135mm and lot more to compliment my 85mm in the style of work I now do.

I would be interested to know what is the most used lens amongst other people out there?

[macmich]

i used my 120-400 most of the time
with 24-70 second and macro 90mm third
and very little use out of 10-20 wide angle
cheers macca

[ricktas]

Mine was my Nikon 17-35 f2.8

[Cliff]

An interesting exercise and Lightroom makes it easy.
100mm Macro L 2.8 46%
17-55mm 2.8 29%
70-300mm 18%
11-16mm 2.8 6%

So.... a very strong preference for Macro shots in 2011. I think this might change in 2012 as a Vietnam/Cambodia trip is coming up and I think that the wide angles might get more use.

[Xenedis]

Mine was my 16-35/2.8L II.

Looking at my images shot in 2011 (http://www.xenedis.net/viewalbum.php?a=72157625723583527), that lens featured prominently in the architecture, cityscape, landscape and seascape images I shot last year.

Unusually, my 180/3.5L Macro made a few appearances throughout the year. I rarely do macro work, but found a few opportunities.

I haven't published any of the very few images captured with my 70-200/2.8L IS and 135/2L. They weren't used much.

My 85/1.2L II also didn't see much use, as I didn't shoot any model portraits this year; it only got used for a still-life image of all things.

My 35/1.4L was used for a few opportunistic portraits and a still-life image.

My 300/2.8L IS went unused until last week when I shot some pelicans (I've not published any of the images at this stage).

So, all of my lenses did get used, but most of them got little use.

I also used a couple of lenses I don't own: TS-E 17/4L (hoping to add that to my rig maybe this year) and 400/5.6L.

[ameerat42]

Sigma 16.6mm/4.

[matt shepherd]

Mine would have to be the 10-20mm, it just don't wanna be separated from the body lol

[JM Tran]

was a Canon 100mm f2 until halfway through 2011, then it was replaced by a Sigma 85mm f1.4

with the Canon 35L following closely behind

[filpee]

18-250/3.5-6.3 but then it is the only lens I have at the moment.
Looking to get a 50mm in the near future.

[DAdeGroot]

Just taking a peek at my usage for this year:

I favoured the 1DMkIV body over the 5DII by about a 2:1 ratio.

Most used lens: 70-200/2.8L IS (MkI)
2nd: 400/5.6L
3rd: 17-40/4L
4th: 85/1.2L II
5th: 35/1.4L
6th: 17/4L TSE
7th: 100/2.8 Macro USM (by a long way, very little usage)

Plus some borrowed lenses in small quantities.

[atky]

In order.
I shoot motorsport mostly hence the use of long glass.
Sigma 500 f4.5
sigma 120 300 f2.8
Tokina16 28 f2.8
Sigma 24 70 2.8
Canon 70 200 2.8 L

[Wayne]

Mine;

Nikkor 400/2.8VR
Nikkor 70-200/2.8VR
Nikkor 24-70/2.8
Nikon 50/1.4
Nikkor 85/1.4D

Then my new Nikkor AF200/4 Micro.
In 2011 my Nikkor 17-35/2.8D, which I used quite a bit in 2010 didn't even get put on a body let alone used in 2011, and I thin acquiring the 24-70/2.8 is the reason as that lens covers the focal lengths for most landscapes I do, which was only a handful of images in 2011.

[ameerat42]

(Thought. Hmm! "Most used lens" sounds singular.)OOoo:rolleyes:

[selaw]

Most. 17-40/4L
Next. 24-105/4L
Least. 50/1.8

[reflect]

24-70mm/2.8, 50mm/1.4, 70-200mm/2.8, 10-20mm/5.6, bt soon I will have my 85mm/1.4 and then things will change. Happy New Year everybody

[Jules]

My most used lens was my Canon 100mm f2.8 Macro (IS version) - by a large margin. It's practically welded to my camera.

[Bennymiata]

Canon 24-105L
Sigma 150mm macro
Canon 100-400L
Canon EF-S 60mm macro (mainly in the studio)
Tokina 11-16mm
Canon 28mm F2.8

I guess your most used lens depends on what you like to shoot, so for some, the tele lenses get the most use, where if you like flowers and bugs, your macro lens gets a good workout.

I don't do a lot of landscapes, so my Tokina isn't used anywhere as much as I would like it to, but I did do a lot of product shots, hence the heavy use of my 24-104 and 60mm macro when I needed to get close in my little studio and the Sigma 150 macro (with OS) for my own fun with flowers and bugs.

[Brian500au]

I am surprised the 24-105mm has not featured more in this thread. I think those that have chipped in are more specialists, and therefore we are seeing very specific lenses being used. It is easy to get these figures if you have LR3 (but I am sure you can find them in other software also).

[Speedway]

For me, it would be close between the 150-500 Sigma (Birds, Wildlife and some Motorsport) and the 18-250 Sigma (Motorsport & general purpose) with the 10-20 Sigma in 3rd. The 50 1.8 Canon & the 90 Tamron also got a fair bit of use.
Keith.

[beachhead]

Hi there,i am just starting out i just received a Nikon 50mm lens for Xmas and went out the other night and took a few pics and was quite happy with the results considering i don't really know what i am doing, so i can see this being one off my favorite lens.

[Rosh]

Easy for me only having one lens the Sigma 30mm f1.4 100%

[JM Tran]

I am surprised the 24-105mm has not featured more in this thread. I think those that have chipped in are more specialists, and therefore we are seeing very specific lenses being used. It is easy to get these figures if you have LR3 (but I am sure you can find them in other software also).

it was mine about 3 years ago when I was starting out:)

[Mary Anne]

Canon 100mm L macro for Insects
Canon 70-200 f/4 L for my backyard birds.

I have a 24-105mm which goes on the 5D Mk11 I don't like it much
I prefer to use the 17-55mm on my old 40D :D

[William]

I am surprised the 24-105mm has not featured more in this thread. I think those that have chipped in are more specialists, and therefore we are seeing very specific lenses being used. It is easy to get these figures if you have LR3 (but I am sure you can find them in other software also).

Brian , How do you get the figures from LR3 ? :o

PS : It will be a tossup between the 24-105 and 120-400 Sigma lately , Which I've been using for landscapes ;)

[Brian500au]

Library --> Metada filter up the top. Pick you year, camera and lens information up.

[William]

Thaks for that :cool: last year the 24-105 f4L :th3:

[Kerry]

24-105 for me..That said, the only time I've had to shoot is pretty much when I've been on holidays and this is my fave lens for travel..I must make my 2102 new years resolution to spend more time with my camera!

[Xenedis]

I am surprised the 24-105mm has not featured more in this thread. I think those that have chipped in are more specialists, and therefore we are seeing very specific lenses being used.

In my case, yes.

I had a 24-105/4L IS in 2005 (one of the first in the country), but sold it later, as I had no use for it as my photographic style and preferences evolved.

It still seems to be a very popular lens. When it was first released (Australia was the first country to receive stock), it wasn't available as a kit, and even the 5D itself didn't come in a kit package.

[Presotto]

Hmm .... Just thinking about it I would have said my 50mm 1.8 but after checking in lightroom I was very surprised.

50mm 17.39%
18-55mm 38.14%
75-300mm 44.47%

[simonw]

The 24-70 2.8 hardly left my camera this year - Love that lens!

[swifty]

Very interesting to see the results. I must check my Lightroom stats when I get home although I've never done this b4 and don't really know where to look.
I wonder if it also sort data from just the flagged photos (ie. omitting the rejects) and whether that changes everyone's data.

[bgolds99]

I'm pretty sure i don't have to do a check LR.... I'm almost positive i would have used my Nikkor 35/1.8 DX the most. It's a great standard lens - sharp wide open, decent bokeh, lightweight, fast (focus). Perfect walk-around and social event lens.

[Brian500au]

Very interesting to see the results. I must check my Lightroom stats when I get home although I've never done this b4 and don't really know where to look.
I wonder if it also sort data from just the flagged photos (ie. omitting the rejects) and whether that changes everyone's data.

The results are always dependant on the filters you have applied in LR.

[DeanCMorgan]

Mine is fairly even
100-400 Canon 35% - Mainly People Photography
17-40mm Canon 35% - Mainly landscapes
180mm Macro 20% - Macro obviously
24-104 10% - Random Stuff. Not used much these days.

[gje38752]

This raises a very interesting question, how many of us have expensive stuff we don't, or rarely use/

15=85 70%
70=200 20%
60 macro 10%

Trying to decide if I NEED Tokina's 11=16 - dunno yet

[Chayelle]

My 10.5 f2.8 fisheye, love it! :)

[Lance B]

Seat of the pants belief of what lens I used most this last year would go to the Nikon 300mm f2.8 VRII with and without TC's due to my concentration on birds. The second most used lens would be a toss up between the 16-35 f4 VR and the 24-70 f2.8 due to my trips abroad.

[BLWNHR]

I don't use Lightroom so can't give an exact percentage but I know my Nikkor 24-70/2.8 was my preferred lens for the year.

My breakdown would look something like:
Nikkor 16-35/4 = 25%
Nikkor 24-70/2.8 = 70%
Sigma 70-200/2.8 = 5%

Which is a far cry from when I used to do a lot of motorsport which would have seen the 70-200 and 24-70 percentage swapped pretty well.

Thanks for the thread, an interesting thing to reflect upon.

[Viper]

Mine in order.
16-35 f4 Nikkor
50 1.4
24-120 f4 Nikkor

[bxaftw]

24-105 F4L Canon (60%) which is a shame as ive found it to be a very soft lens, not impressed.

8-16 F4.5-5.6 Sigma (30%) great lens, such a shame I can't really use my filters with it, otherwise would get a lot more use for land/seascapes.

50 F1.8 (10%) it's autofocus died, then after about 5months it repaired itself, so now I use it on occasion for people.


Really need a 16-35 F2.8..

[old dog]

I would have to say that my 17-55 would be far used more than the others. Just seems to stay on the camera.

[Erin]

35mm 1.8.

90%

No jokes. I am addicted to that lens.

[KeeFy]

17-55 - 56%
50L - 21%
70-200 L II - 13.6%
50 1.8 - 5.6%
Flim cameras - 2%
other lenses - 1.8%

I only started acquiring other lenses mid last year with the 17-55 + 50 1.8 being the main/only lenses for the first half of 2011 so i reckon it shows it aptly.

[dieselpower]

My stats are interesting as I changed cameras and acquired two new lenses in October, just before going overseas.

Unknown (55mm f/2.8 macro manual lens) 8.4%
Tokina 11-16 f/2.8 12.62%
17-55 f/2.8 19.43%
18-105 f/3.5-5.6 42.28% (this lens was retired in October when I acquired the 17-55 f/2.8)
50 f/1.8 6.5%
70-300 f/3.5-5.6 10.8%

[Brian500au]

Be interesting to revisit this thread at the end of 2012 and compare the results. I know for me I have already sold one lens this year, and I contemplating (and truly struggling to part) with another lens I love, but have not used for quite a while (24-105). I am even looking at selling my second canon body, as it has only seen the light once in the last 12 months.

[FallingHorse]

70-200mm 2.8 -70%
10-20mm 4-5.6 - 25%
17-55mm - 2.5%
50mm 1.8 - 2.5%