Photography

50mm 1.2

For years I’d say something like a 24-70 2.8G but after having photography become a hobby instead of a side hustle, and switching from Nikon to Canon, I’d say the RF 50 1.2L.

24-120 Nikon - I rarely need anything longer

Sigma art 85mm 1.4 for me. It’s such a great lens. I’ll never get rid of it.

300mm f2.8 or 200mm f2. I love the optical quality and separation of subject and background, plus everyone looks at you funny when you use one

Nikkor 50mm f1.4 😍

45 yrs ago, I had a Nikkor 105mm f2.5. I loved that thing and still pine for it. Don’t ever sell your babies.

Sigma Art 35mm f/1.4. Perfection.

Sigma 18-35 1.8, but speed boosted 0.64x. Cannot get enough of it for some reason.

Anything along the lines of the 24-70 workhorse. (Currently the 28-75 for Nikon Z)

18-105 Nikkor I'm poor :)

I own almost the whole collection of GM/Sony lenses. The 35mm 1.4 and the 70-200GM II are my most used lenses. I cant pick a favorite one because they are both equally used.

Sigma 40mm 1.4.

85mm 1.8

Zeiss c/y 50mm f1.4. Just perfection

Fuji 55-200 f 3.5-4.8.

I just love zooming and isolating things.

Canon FD 50mm f1.2L

Nikon 105mm 1.4

TTartisan. 50mm 0.95

Are my two favourites right now

50 1.2

Sigma Art 35mm 1.4

70-200mm 2.8L

Tamron 35-150. Can't live without it

I’d hope for 2 lenses and 2 bodies and I’d have a 35 mm and a 100 mm! 35 would be my favorite but 100 is nice too when the situation calls for it.

24-70 2.8

Fuji 80mm 1.7 for gfx

Right now, Sony 50 1.2 GM. Mindblowing lens. But the 35 f1.4 GM is also exceptional.

18-55 that came with my camera

My 30mm 1.4 Sigma lens on my apsc camera :)

nifty-fifty

70-200

Nikkor 105 f2.5. I bought it used at Olden Camera in 1975 and it is sharp as a tack.

70-200 f/2.8. Hard to beat. But you add a 100-500 and a 17-55 and you are done.

I love my 85mm for Sony a7ii. Love portraits.

I shoot MFT. That said the Oly 12-100 f/4 PRO is the most versatile lens I have ever used. Sharp across the entire zoom range, reasonably fast, and great IS when used with Oly bodies. Spends more time on the front of one of my bodies than any other lens.

70-200 f/2.8. Maybe my 35 f/1.4.

Picking a zoom lens seems to be cheating, since a zoom can cover just about any range you wish.

Now, if you limit it to a single focal length lens, as I think the questioner may have intended, then I'd recommend a fast 35mm. This focal length provides a bit of a wide angle perspective, but without any distortion, and can serve as a wider "normal" lens, instead of a 50mm. For a second lens, I'd have to go with a 90mm, or the classic Nikon 105 2.5.

But of course, the advent of high quality, fast zoom lenses has made the use of single focal length lenses somewhat of an aberration these days.

50mm 1.8

24-70 or 35 prime

Mine is my Nikkor 105 AI-S F2.5.