Which 3 primes combo is your ideal setup?

[Fujica]

^{I'd take the combo: 14mm - 27mm - 60mm}

[Paulie]

My choices are:

 

14mm

35mm

56mm

[capodave]

The three I have settled on are 14,23 and 56.

[calinandra69]

my dream setup is 23, 35, 90 with 10-24 and 50-140 as zoom lens. But it is just a dream...

[Vidalgo]

12 + 27 + 60

[carlcam@gmail.com]

My choice would be:

 

14mm -- excellent wide-angle lens.

 

23mm -- it is equivalent to a 35mm lens.... and it is my everyday first of the bag lens.

 

56mm -- A very fine portrait lens and many other uses.

 

 

[Curiojo]

Ideal: 16f2 - 35f2 - 60f2 [all of them small and light as possible]

 

Actual: 18 (own) - 35 (wish | instead of 27-own) - 60 (wish)

[Snzkgb]

As for me, the initial three primes for X-Pro 1 are all that man needs.

But with new lenses appearing, I think that 23/1.4, 35/1.4 and 56/1.2 are great combo. Add 16/1.4 and 90/2 to previous three and you will get the best combo out of ANY digital system you can imagine (including Leica M family). 

Zeiss Touit 12mm is the best option for non-Fujinon lens too. Add Touit 32mm if you don't like the original 35mm (but honestly both of these lenses are like apples and oranges).

[Ziggy]

I currently own the 14mm & 23mm primes as well as a 55-200mm zoom lens.

To be completely honest this is a pretty good setup that seems to be working for me, however if i would choose 3 primes i would probably swap the 55-200mm with the 90mm prime lens. Mainly cause i like to have the ability to create a lot of diversity in my photography from landscapes to wildlife to close-ups and so on, which this setup seems to cover quite well while staying compact for travel and walking around.

In the end my favourite lens is the 23mm it just creates very pleasing images alongside the X-T1 body.

 

Conclusion, Ideal prime setup;

Fuji X-T1 + 14mm + 23mm + 90mm

[jlmphotos]

Even though I LOVE LOVE LOVE my 18-55 and 55-200 zoom - tack sharp, clarity is amazing,  I've been using the 35 1.4 since 2013 and that lens, to me, is a MUST.  The other two for me, that I use, are the 23mm and the 16mm.

 

The 56mm I purchased and returned as it hunted in good light way too much for my taste.

 

 

[Max_Elmar]

I do quite well with the "OG" three - 18/2, 35/1.4, 60/2.4

 

"OG" in this case stands for "Original Glass"

 

Also have a Rokinon 12/2 and the Fuji 27mm - but they are special use for me.

 

People bring up the zooms in a thread about primes? Well, whatever. When I need stabilization or I need the reach or I have no time to switch lenses, I have the 18-55 and the 50-230.

 

I could easily imagine going with the 14/2.8, 23/1.4, and (maybe) the 56/1.2 - ask me in few years when i have collected them.

[Splodger]

Interesting topic. I'm in a dilemma. I already had the 16, 35 and 56 and was happyish with that spread, but I had a wish list going for my birthday and received the 12mm Rokinon from my wife and the 90 from my (horribly wealthy) brother. 

 

So now I have a 12, 16, 35, 56 and 90mm. I don't want 5 lenses, but I'm loath to part with any of them. I am definitely going to sell one lens, and perhaps two as I could seriously do with the money. So back to the original question, sort of: Of these 5 which would you ditch, and which would you keep?

[c0ldc0ne]

So now I have a 12, 16, 35, 56 and 90mm. I don't want 5 lenses, but I'm loath to part with any of them. I am definitely going to sell one lens, and perhaps two as I could seriously do with the money. So back to the original question, sort of: Of these 5 which would you ditch, and which would you keep?

I'm genuinely curious what you expect to learn from the prospective answers to your question, given that you don't share what you intend to shoot with the lenses you end up keeping, nor do you ask potential respondents to divulge their brand of photography.

 

If I suggested you sell the 12 and the 16, how would that help you in making up your mind? What if you shoot portraits and someone tells you to get rid of the 56 and the 90 because unbeknownst to you, they shoot landscapes and prefer wide over telephoto?

 

I keep coming back to this thread because for the life of me, I still can't wrap my head around why people keep asking for this kind of "anonymous advice". It's like going into an automobile forum and asking everyone what car you should buy, without providing a shred of background info on whether you need it to take the kids to school or join a local drag race.

[CRAusmus]

Seeing as how I spend most of my time walking around the streets and shooting I'd go 16, 35, 56; but you can't rightly do that now can you?

 

I'm curious as to why you had a wish list for lenses, if you didn't want any more lenses...What's all this need for everyone pairing down their kits?  I don't get it.

[Marc G.]

I'd probably sell the 12 and 56... 16/35/90 is a beautiful combination

[Snzkgb]

Interesting topic. I'm in a dilemma. I already had the 16, 35 and 56 and was happyish with that spread, but I had a wish list going for my birthday and received the 12mm Rokinon from my wife and the 90 from my (horribly wealthy) brother. 

 

So now I have a 12, 16, 35, 56 and 90mm. I don't want 5 lenses, but I'm loath to part with any of them. I am definitely going to sell one lens, and perhaps two as I could seriously do with the money. So back to the original question, sort of: Of these 5 which would you ditch, and which would you keep?

Do not sell lenses. Lenses ARE the system. Body's gets old and outdated, but lenses stay for decades. Every professional photographer will tell you: NEVER sell lenses (except you have two of the same focal lenght, and one is newer), even if you are in need of money.

[frod]

Mine are 8mm fisheye, 18mm f/2 and 27mm f/2.8. I think it's a reaction to not having any wide primes to choose from in the nikon dx world but now I can't get enough of them.

[flesix]

So now I have a 12, 16, 35, 56 and 90mm. I don't want 5 lenses, but I'm loath to part with any of them. I am definitely going to sell one lens, and perhaps two as I could seriously do with the money. So back to the original question, sort of: Of these 5 which would you ditch, and which would you keep?

 

If I were you I'd sell the 12 and replace the 56 with the 60.

[Alf]

16 , 23  , 56

 

Perfect for my usual work

 

I have the 35 and 90

 

The 35 is virtually never on any of my cameras 

 

The jury is out on the 90 for me at the moment

[Dagobert]

18, 32 and 60. All i need but might swap the touit with the new 35mm 2.

[jlmphotos]

I never thought I would say this but the 16mm 1.4 is freakin' incredible!  During my recent 10 day road trip it was my second most used lens after my 18-55.

 

After the 16, I would say my 35mm 1.4 -- even though I did not use it at all on my trip.

 

Then third:  my Zeiss Touit 12mm f2.8.  

 

In my signature you can read the last two or three posts where I detail what lenses I used and what I learned from my 10 day road trip.

 

 

[ryan_khoo]

my choice would be:

 

12 56 90

 

[howard]

Lenses would depend what I'm shooting...

 

Bodybuilding shoots would be...

 

12mm samyang

16 or 18mm Fuji

23 or 35mm Fuji

 

Weddings would be...

 

X100s

56mm Fuji

16mm Fuji

 

 

I don't own all that gear above because I'm about to sell all my Nikon gear and make the move over to an all Fuji system...

 

General photography.... IMO I think people are mad buying loads of photography equipment if they aren't using it to earn money... If I wasn't shooting jobs I'd sell up, keep just my x100s and be done with it.... Gear literally gets in the way, I'm happy shooting the x100s all day by itself.

[T-Man]

I am a big gearhead and I have a few setups:

 

ONE

1. 10-24mm f/4 (Often carry 'just' this lens. Full-frame FOV of ~16mm to 35mm makes it very versatile. Extension distortion is well-controlled.)

2. 18-55mm f/2.8-4 (Sharp rendition. Excellent hues and very well balanced contrast for 'brilliant' skin-tones.)

3. 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 (Don't like the compression distortion, but easier to carry compared to the 50-140mm f/2.8.)

 

TWO

1. 16-55mm f/2.8 (Wish it had OIS.)

2. 50-140mm f/2.8 (Brilliant but hefty.)

3. Hoping for an ultra-wide WR zoom. Perhaps a WR 10-24mm f/2.8.

 

THREE

1. 18mm f/2 (I have a love-hate relationship with this lens. Hard to explain, or even comprehend, why. I've had it almost 3 years.)

2. 27mm f/2.8 (Full-frame FOV of 40mm, a bit odd. But what can I say, it is a pancake and I love pancakes.)

3. 35mm f/1.4 (Well, what can I say about this. Perfect lens for X-Trans.)

4. 60mm f/2.4 (Many haters out there. IMO, optically this is one of the best lenses I have used. A bit slow to focus...hey it's a macro.)

 

FOUR

1. 14mm f/2.8 (Had traded-in my older copy for the 16mm f/1.4, but bought it again. This copy's aperture ring is fairly tight and has discernible clicks.)

2. 23mm f/1.4 (Another Fujinon wonders.)

3. 56mm f/1.2 (Low-light portraits, and macro with Macro Extension Adapters.)

 

FIVE

1. 16mm f/1.4 (I have a love-hate relationship with this lens also. Perfect FOV and excellent IQ but too bulky.) 

2. 56mm f/1.2 APD (One of my all-time favs. But I'd like replace it with a WR version. So good that I sold my mint+ Rokkor MD 50mm f/1.2.)

3. 90mm f/2 (I've shot with it a handful of times and only for portraiture. Very sharp and beautiful planar transition but fantastic background blur.)

4. 35mm f/2 (I have standing instructions with my camera shop to order/put aside every new release of XF lens.)

 

SIX

1. Zeiss 12mm f/2.8

2. Zeiss 32mm f/1.8

3. Zeiss 50mm f/2.8

 

SEVEN

1. SLR Magic Hyperprime 23mm f/1.7

2. SLR Magic Hyperprime 35mm t/1.4

3. Lensbaby Velvet 56mm f/1.6

 

 

Most of the gear is on my Flickr album 'Photography Arsenal:' https://flic.kr/s/aHsk6xLBs9

[val]

If I could only have 3 primes............

 

12mm

 

23mm

 

90mm