Choice of prime lens

[MattKing]

My standard kit is 3 lenses - 24mm f/2.8, 35mm f/2.0, 85mm f/2.0.

Of the three, the 35mm lenses (I have 2) spend the most time on the camera(s).

If you do use short telephotos, I think you need to consider them when you decide on your wide-angle choices.

[Pumal]

The other one that I find myself using a lot is a Nikkor 20mm together with an 18-35 AF Nikkor Zoom

[largely]

I tend to use my 50mm more than anything but my 24mm and 85mm also see quite a bit of use.

Larry

[Mark Fisher]

As you can see, getting agreement is tough around here (: I think your plan of getting the 24 then a 35 is a good one. If you shoot in the city much, a 35mm is hard to beat for street shooting.

[tkamiya]

Thank you everybody. I already have 50, so I'll get 24 next and see where it will take me. I'll probably get 35 after that if/when I feel the need. I'm so glad I asked here. I can read so much "reviews" and none of them really describe the lens in the context of actual image making process.

[2F/2F]

My plugs for 28mm never seem to work. They always go for the 24 instead.......

[Paul VanAudenhove]

My plugs for 28mm never seem to work. They always go for the 24 instead.......

My 28 gets more use than my 24! It took me a while to 'click' into the 28, prior to that I preferred longer lenses. But now I would pick the 28 over the 35 or 24. Maybe I should shoot more often with those two lenses.

[Poisson Du Jour]

Choice getting hard, hmm?
Remember this: what works for other photographers may not necessarily work for you, even with enthusiasm and dedication. As a bare-bones start, 24, 35 and maybe (even much later) 50mm. Done and dusted.

[tkamiya]

Choice getting hard, hmm?

No, actually.... Many folks were so kind to elaborate on reasons behind their personal choices. That helped me a lot. I never thought I'll see consensus and that wasn't why I was asking. (I know better.... just try asking what MF camera to get around here and you'll see 10 pages in few hours)

While I still read lens reviews on various sites, I am finding more and more, their usefulness are very limited. Numbers can tell just so much, and nowadays, numbers alone are taking on life of their own. I'm more interested on making images that I like, not the sharpest or most distortion free, or MTF just slightly better than the next guy's....

Anyway, thanks everybody. I have my aim set now.

[5stringdeath]

My plugs for 28mm never seem to work. They always go for the 24 instead.......

I use my Biogon-G 28mm all the time because its an awesome lens. But if I'm not shooting with the Contax .. well, lets say someone was leaving me on an island and I could ONLY have two lenses ... I'd probably pick a 24mm and a 50mm.

I do love the 35mm FD lens I have too :-)

A lot of my lens choices have to do with cameras I own. My Contax G1 has a limited set. My Koni-Omega has a limited set.

Now if I'm shooting with the FD its all about what I'm in the mood for, hah. But usually I'll be in the mood for a 35mm day, and grab the Canon.

Just buy every lens you can afford like the rest of us haha.