Doug A.
Well-known member
Nikkor 20mm f1.8S and Voigtlander 58mm f1.4 Nokton.
What are your favorite short prime lenses?
- Thread starter sh1209
- Start date
If you would like to post, you'll need to register. Note that if you have a BCG store account, you'll need a new, separate account here (we keep the two sites separate for security purposes).
So that equivalent to a 55mm roughly since it’s crop frame? Thats the sweet spot imo is 40-70 for a lot of things. I absolutely love the 70-200mm focal length as well.
That’s a good set.
My favorite short prime is the Nikon Z 20 mm f1.8. I particularly like it for night shooting, including Northern Lights and the Milky Way, I have other short Nikon Z primes, but I don't use them as much as I had thought I would when I bought them, given how good the Z 14-24 mm and Z 24-70 mm f2.8 zoom lenses are. I also quite like the Z 85 mm f1.8 and Z 105 mm f2.8 if they qualify as short.
Last edited:
Craig McGowan
Active member
My Nikkor 20mm F1.8 is my favourite and most used lens in my landscape photography. It also does a decent job in my night photography endeavours...
My favorite prime is the Z105/2.8, produces amazing photos. But my most used is now the 600pf...and my favorite lens overall is by far the z14-24/2.8. Close runner up is my older F mount 24-70/2.8, still a wonderful lens for everyday use.
Over the years probably the Canon MP-E65
- Nikon 105mm AF-S Micro for macro and portraits
- Rokinon 14mm f/2.4 SP for wide field astro-landscapes including Milky Way shots
- Either 24mm or 20mm on full frame camera for mountaineering and rock climbing photography or landscapes when I'm not carrying heavier ultra wide zoom lenses
- Rokinon 14mm f/2.4 SP for wide field astro-landscapes including Milky Way shots
- Either 24mm or 20mm on full frame camera for mountaineering and rock climbing photography or landscapes when I'm not carrying heavier ultra wide zoom lenses
Likely my Sigma 14mm f1.4. A close second is my Sony 24GM f1.4 and a very close third is my Sony 14GM f1.8.
uh.....none. I recently tried a 50mm 1.8. What a strange, restrictive focal length - too short or too narrow for my subjects. Admittedly I am spoiled by 600mm (more likely 840 with 1.4 TC) and 15mm...... - depending on the subject I am shooting. The finer points of primes just elude me. I'll just admire those that have mastered primes while I enjoy my zooms! 
The Nikon 35/85 S lenses work very well together for many of the events that I cover. However, the look that comes from the 105 f/1.4E lens is easily my favorite. The look can be quite dreamy and the 1.4 aperture is a bonus in dark settings. I’m not selling mine anytime soon, 
I think the 20mm is by far the best prime I own
Hands down, my Voigtlander 21/1.4 in M-mount. If you can’t get a great shot with this lens, you probably forgot to remove the cap. In F, my 28/1.4D.
I have to say I've had a number of primes over the years but my all time favourite is the Nikon 105 f1.4. I will never part with that lens.
That is a great lens. I owned that lens for 3-4 years and it was good for so many things.
Still use 2 F mount lenses with FTZ adaptor Nikon 50mm f1.4 and my favourite Nikon 20mm f1.8. Use the Tamron 15-30 f2.8 and Nikon 24-70 f2.8 for other opportunities.
StefanSC
Well-known member
Samyang's 135mm f2.0 manual focus lens would be my top short tele lens.
It's very slow to use, brutally sharp and has a beautiful rendering.
On the very wide angle, the Samyang 7.5 f3.5 fisheye lens is something that I enjoy using a lot, just for the sheer crazyness and randomness of it.
Honorable mentions:
Olympus 17mm f1.8 - every time i pick it up, I say I need to use it more.
Nikon's old 35mm f1.8 DX lens, used on a D810 in 1.2x crop mode to remove the dark corners. Just silly fun.
And the Olympus 75mm f1.8 lens that feels more like a jewel than an actual lens (though I rarely use it is not quite here nor there).
It's very slow to use, brutally sharp and has a beautiful rendering.
On the very wide angle, the Samyang 7.5 f3.5 fisheye lens is something that I enjoy using a lot, just for the sheer crazyness and randomness of it.
Honorable mentions:
Olympus 17mm f1.8 - every time i pick it up, I say I need to use it more.
Nikon's old 35mm f1.8 DX lens, used on a D810 in 1.2x crop mode to remove the dark corners. Just silly fun.
And the Olympus 75mm f1.8 lens that feels more like a jewel than an actual lens (though I rarely use it is not quite here nor there).
I definitely want to try out an Olympus system at some point. For my situation the weight savings would be great.
In my Nikon setup I only had 1 prime and that was the beautiful 105mm F2.8 F Mount macro.
In my newer Canon setup, I have 2 primes
1) 16mm F2.8 RF - inexpensive but it does seem to swing above its weight class. I had low expectations but have been more than pleasantly surprised. Not an "L" lens but it is more than good enough for what I do with it
2) 100mm RF Macro. I like this lens but I liked the Nikon F version better. The Nikon macro had a dreamy-like quality to the way it resolved images. It was sharp but there was also an artistic softness to them. The Canon lens is "cut your eyes" razor sharp. I like the sharpness and crispness of the lens but I do sometimes miss that "something" quality of the Nikon macro. Yes, the Canon has some adjustment where the spherical softness can be adjusted but in playing with this, it is a little bit is too much and a lot is way too much. I just leave it locked in the center and leave it at that. So far, I've found absolutely no situation where I would turn that dial one way or the other.
In my newer Canon setup, I have 2 primes
1) 16mm F2.8 RF - inexpensive but it does seem to swing above its weight class. I had low expectations but have been more than pleasantly surprised. Not an "L" lens but it is more than good enough for what I do with it
2) 100mm RF Macro. I like this lens but I liked the Nikon F version better. The Nikon macro had a dreamy-like quality to the way it resolved images. It was sharp but there was also an artistic softness to them. The Canon lens is "cut your eyes" razor sharp. I like the sharpness and crispness of the lens but I do sometimes miss that "something" quality of the Nikon macro. Yes, the Canon has some adjustment where the spherical softness can be adjusted but in playing with this, it is a little bit is too much and a lot is way too much. I just leave it locked in the center and leave it at that. So far, I've found absolutely no situation where I would turn that dial one way or the other.
Too many to list! I have about 30 vintage manual focus prime lenses from 19mm to 1000mm if you count my Tamron SP500 with its matching 2x TC.
I have some duplicate focal lengths in 24mm, 58mm, 100mm, 135mm and 200mm. I have 6 135s! 2x Zeiss f3.5s (long story), Olympus f3.5, Minolta f2.8, Sun f2.8, and a Super Takumar f2.5.
I love them all.
I have some duplicate focal lengths in 24mm, 58mm, 100mm, 135mm and 200mm. I have 6 135s! 2x Zeiss f3.5s (long story), Olympus f3.5, Minolta f2.8, Sun f2.8, and a Super Takumar f2.5.
I love them all.
I bought two primes for under $1k each while starting to build my Z inventory. Both are great lenses. They are the 85mm f1.8 and the 105mm macro. Both of these lenses are rated very high for optical performance and it shows in use. The 105 is a highly rated macro lens.
In general other than the birding lenses my favorite lens of all is the 14-24mm f2.8 zoom. The perspective on this lens lends itself to wonderfully creative opportunities, and the images from this lens are incredibly detailed and sharp edge to edge.
In general other than the birding lenses my favorite lens of all is the 14-24mm f2.8 zoom. The perspective on this lens lends itself to wonderfully creative opportunities, and the images from this lens are incredibly detailed and sharp edge to edge.
Jack S.
Active member
I'm pretty happy with my 20mm 1.8s and just got the 35mm 1.8s from my wife for Christmas. Been walking about with it on the Z6II, enjoying the extra reach, but will reserve judgement until I can shoot some aurora to make any comparisons. I love the 20mm, it does everything I ask of it but wanted to try the 35mm, just to see how it compares.
I think it will work well for what I use them for.
I think it will work well for what I use them for.
Owney
Active member
I used that lens to cover a play for a newspaper. Pictures were great. It stays in my bag all the time.
O
Well-known member
50mm 1.4 Ziess (micro contrast and detail, subject isolation jumps off the page, amazing colours)
50mm 1.8 Z (excellent lens for mirror less, pick of the bunch)
35mm F2D (used properly is amazing if you have a good one, tiny, excellent LLP, so Cheap to buy)
16mm F2.8 D Fish Eye, with back insert-able filters. (light small, super sharp, creative, 180 degree view, originally made for Astro work, so versatile if you know how to drive it)
Below is the 35mm F2 D Christmas day LOL taken i think only as a JPEG hand held snap.
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
Last edited:
O
Well-known member
I like my primes but gee whiz if its a challenge and very critical to take advantage of any opportunity, or you cant fail to get the shot, the ever reliable just get it done workhorse 24-70 F2.8 G saves the day every time.
Below
I woke up one morning and saw this opportunity emerging, no time to think as the light was changing, i just grabbed tripod with the 24-70 F2.8 G on my D3X at the time, i just knew confidently it would get the job done no matter what, time was of the essence. Bare feet, no shirt only shorts i ran out the door on the sand and rocks.
The wave wash would fill what looked like a hole so i would wait for a second or so for the water to be draining creating the fall look, then shoot,
took 2 frames went back to bed.
Normally it would be deciding on which lens, then setting up filters, then researching and over thinking.............tail wagging the dog LOL.
The point being the 24-70 F2.8 simply removed a decision process, gave me options to fit into what ever space was needed, that is a versatile tool, i was committed in just hitting the shutter, how refreshing.
While the pixel peepers and technical experts would tear this image apart pointing out to much CA etc etc and all sorts of other points, hey it hangs on the wall proudly, it also won several competitions to my surprise.
Overall the point being the 24-70 F2.8 gave me a safe range of options which was awesome. Editing could bring out more or different outcomes.
There just tools its how well the craftsman uses them to their potential.
Only an opinion
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.