!

I really do not have a favorite. I'll use whatever seems to "work".

Sorry to be a fence-sitter (not a comfortable position at the best of times!) but I really can't pick just one!

My Nikon F80 generally wears a Nikkor 28-105mm D, but this can be pretty much anywhere on its range. It even spends some time as a 1:2 semi-macro.

Landscapes (usually) tend towards the wider end of the range, portraits (usually) tend towards the longer. Unless I change my mind. In which case the opposite may apply. Or not.

There, I hope that's cleared the matter up once and for all!

Regards,

Frank

(Wibble!)

Most of my LF lenses are "normal".
In 4x5 this includes 120mm, 135mm, 150mm, 180mm and 210mm. My 5x7" selection is more limited: 180mm, 210mm, 265mm, 300mm.

I have a few wides and longs as well, but I mostly use "normals".

Besides, all my old MF Folders come with "normal" only...

I use the wides for my LF mostly as they are landscapes and such. I even like the wides more often with the MF and 35 work. I kinda like the challenge of composing wide angle shots.

Unlike Aggie I'm rather anal about short DOF so I don't have any thing all that wide in my current lens arsenal. A 127 for my 4x5 is the widest... Or is it a 135? I dunno I just use the darn thing ;)

I keep meaning to buy a 28 or 24 for my 35mm Kit but I haven't managed to get around to it so it must not be that much of a priority for me.

cheers,
Ian

If I translate this poll to:

Which perspective do you prefer?
[] Compressed space
[] Close-up
[] Normal
[] Emphasis on foreground

I would still vote for all four, because there are always hundreds of possible pictures to take from one point of view, but only a few that really work. Each of that few may require a different lens. Preferring a certain lens is equal to making compromises from a (most likely) different point of view. Everybody knows this from practical limitations, too. If I have to limit the number of lenses and if I don’t know what subjects to shoot in advance, I would prefer following order (for 4x5):
4 Lenses: 90, 150, 210, 450
3 Lenses: 90, 150, 300
2 Lenses: 90, 210
1 Lens: 135
From this, you may conclude that I do not expect to find many subjects where an ultra wide lens might be the right choice. On the other hand, if I know that I will be shooting Architecture or flowers in a garden, I would certainly take a different lens set.

For me a 210mm 0n 4x5 pretty much does it all- but my 90mm Angulon is v handy for stuff like interiors and group shots. Anyway, if I had more than 2 or 3 lenses I'd be spending way too much time wondering which one to use and probably miss lots shots!

it depends on what i am taking a picture of -
portraits - long lens
architecture - wide lens

This is relative to 4x5 only. I have a 65, 90, 150, 210 and 300mm lenses. I use them all, but the 150 and 90 get used the most. The 300 is starting to sneaking up there though. I would love to get a 47mm and a 450mm but that would require me to buy a new field camera, something I'm not prepared to do at this point. It's the old 80/20 rule. 80% of your pics are taken with 20% of your lenses.

I think I use a 50mm standard lens for 90% of my photographs. But the poll appears to be closed.
:(