Part 3 of a series (part 1 part 2)

All photographers have a favourite lens - mine has long been a Canon EF 200mm f/2.8LII prime lens, which I bought to replace a Canon EF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 III and which has since become the lens I use most often due to it's sharpness, colour rendition and extreme portability. Being fast and relatively light, it is a great lens for handheld shots, especially in low light and when combined with a Canon EF II 1.4x Extender or Canon EF II 2x Extender it becomes a handy 340m/f4 or 400m/5.6 when needed. The 75-300mm whilst a nice size and a decent lens, just isn't in the same league.

Another favourite is the amazing Canon EF 300mm F4L USM prime lens, which I acquired to replace a Sigma 170 mm - 500 mm - f/5.0-6.3 DG APO Aspherical zoom lens that I found too big, too heavy and unwieldy, the images rather lacking the contrast and dynamic range which the Canon L lenses give. The quality produced by this Canon lens is legendary and I am only just starting to discover how much fun it is to use. I have the non-IS lens which I find gives excellent, sharp results. Combined with the Extenders, this lens gives a very useful 480m f5.6 and 600m f8 although a tripod or monopod are essential supports. It can also be combined with extension tubes and the Canon 500D close-up lens for some interesting macros, giving a much greater working distance of course.

Whilst zooms do give a little more flexibility, I feel that my photography improved since I acquired these primes since I now think more about my position when framing a shot instead of relying on the zoom. That said, I do now have a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L  zoom lens, which I acquired second hand at a good price, for occasions such as working from a hide or a tripod, when it is more difficult to change focal length quickly or in very dusty or sandy surroundings where frequent lens changing is not a good idea. Mine is the non-IS version which is reportedly slightly sharper, but no longer being made. It was strange having the ability to zoom at first as I kept forgetting and moving position. Not quite as sharp as the prime, much heavier and I did find it a bit unwieldy at first - so much so I considered replacing it with a Canon 100 mm-400 mm - f/4.5-5.6 L IS on the basis that if I have to carry a heavy zoom it might as well cover a greater distance and Arthur Morris seems to rate this very highly for bird flight shots. However, I found the bigger lens that bit too heavy and never really got on with the telescopic push-pull zoom, so after a week it went back and I kept the 70-200. I am now so glad I did as this lens has become a real favourite and is used more often than I expected. It is especially useful for sports, events and any kind of fast moving activity. I shoot some non-league football and other sports events so for that this lens is perfect. It is also good for in-flight photography providing the birds are fairly close, as it does lose more definition when combined with either of the extenders than the primes do. Understandably, as this is a zoom but it does pair up well the extenders when needed.

For wide scenics and short focal lengths, I love the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM which I acquired to replace a Canon 20-35m, which in turn replaced a Cosina 19-35mm. The Cosina was quite good but lacked vibrance and was quite soft around the edges. The Canon 20-35 was better but I never quite got on with the diaphram on the lens and always ended up with wonky horizons. The 16-35L zoom gives excellent results with superb colours and contrast even when used wide open and at wide angles, although it is possible to see some vignetting in the corners when used with the 5D. This lens is so adaptable and as it is fast, it is ideal for low light conditions. I have got excellent results with this lens shooting landscapes, close ups and interiors. Due to the 1.3 conversion factor on the ID Mark II the 16-35L is of course, even wider than it appeared on the 10D with its conversion factor of 1.6 so this can give near fish-eye effects if you are not careful. The first time I used it on the 1D Mark II, I was photographing old mills and forgot about this - I ended up with some very strange looking mill chimneys! The effect is even more pronounced on the 5D of course, due to its full frame sensor and gives some dramatic effects

A Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Lens handles the standard range and is perfect for very low light or where compactness is needed. This little lens has got to be the best value of all - trouble is, I always forget it's there but when I do use it the results are always sharp and well defined. It gives brilliant results on the 5D making a light and compact solution for travelling and is just such a fun lens to use.

I also sold my Sigma EX 105m 2.8 Macro lens, since for close-up and macro work I now use a Canon 500D close-up lens on the 200L and 300L with some great results. The 500D close-up lens makes a very lightweight alternative to carrying a separate macro lens and is good to keep in a pocket 'just in case'. I have also used it with great success combined with extension tubes on the 300L. The 200L with x2 extender and extension tubes is also producing some really interesting results and is fun to use but a tripod is essential as the slightest movement will spoil the image. The depth of field with this combination is next to nothing so I tend to use selective focus and have achieved some very pleasing results. I continue to experiment with this set up further.

An impulse buy at Focus on Imaging in 2008 was a Lens Baby 3G complete with tele and macro kit and adapters. It looked like the kind of lens with which to have some fun and I had seen some of Tony Sweet's images taken with it so thought I'd give it a try. I seemed to be all fingers and thumbs however and never quite got the hang of the technique despite several attempts. I did manage a couple of interesting shots but as I hardly ever use it I am now considering selling it.

I subsequently sold the Lens Baby as I never really did use it. I also sold the 70-200L zoom lens as I did not use it that often, preferring the 200 prime as it is significantly lighter and better balanced with the 5DII and also has better image quality. 

Part 4 - Camera Bags