[Catscradle]

I thought this might be a good discussion point, if not the thread dies on the vine as it should.
Two questions:

1. Assuming you can only keep 1 of the lenses you currently have, what would it be?
2. Another situation, again assuming you can have only 1 lens, it can be any lens that fits your camera, and further assume that price is no consideration, what would that lens be?

Remember, big brother said you can only have 1 lens total.

[Sagitta]

Well if it was a FANTASY lens it would be a FF 10-1000mm f/1.2.

If it was any lens I currently have, the Sigma 10-20mm.

If it was the best lens that actually exists, I'd go for a high quality fast normalish prime of some sort. Focal length doesn't matter *too* much, but I'd want it to be sharp. Any of the limiteds would work for me nicely.

[JinDesu]

1) Tamron 70-200 F2.8

2) DA*60-250 F4

[Louicio]

Well if it was a FANTASY lens it would be a FF 10-1000mm f/1.2.

lol a 1000mm f1.2 would have a wide open aperture diameter of 833.33mm or 83.33cm!

I really like my primes so maybe the 31ltd, as for other lenses the FA 85mm 1.4, or a 50/55mm f1.2 or the A*135mm 1.8. All quite out of my current budget!

[twitch]

The answers to 1 & 2 is the FA 31mm limited, it deserves all the respect it gets from this forum and more. I've owned it now for a couple of years and it still surprises me with it's image quality. A combination of its sharpness, colours, superb bokeh, focal length usefulness and capability to be used on film cameras makes it my favourite.

[Billy Joe]

Fa 77 or

DA50-135 with a 6 year warranty...

[RKKS08]

For digital:
1) 18-55 WR
2) FA 31

For film:
1) A 1.4/50
2) A 1.2/50

One set for both digital and film:
very difficult, but probably:
1) SMC-A 3.5-4.5/28-80
2) FA 24-90

[skunktail]

Film cameras:
1) SMC-F 50mm f1.7
2) Tamron SP Di 28-75 f2.8 macro

Digital (APS-C) cameras:
1) Tamron SP Dii 17-50 f2.8
2) DA* 16-50 f2.8 (for the weather sealing)

[Clavius]

I don't understand the part about "only having one lens". I can't even manage having only one camera. Heck, I can't even manage only having one system!

[jrpower10]

Clavius, I totally get you.
For what I have, the 31 limited
For what I wish I could afford, the A 300 f4 macro would be high on the list, but probably not as my only lens. If only one, I'll stick with the 31.

[hoanpham]

I have read many several threads like this one

It should be a 'zoom' from circular fish eye to 5000mm, f0.5 or brighter, tilt and shift, macro/microscope, defocus control, DOF control, durable build, element sealed, very compact and light weight, out resolves tripple today's best sensors, widely available for very low cost.

Time span for development? maybe 300 years from now?

[Digitalis]

One lens doesn't make a system - and why stop at just one lens?

How about a set of 14,21,35 f/2 lenses a pair of 50 f/1.2 & 85 f/1.2 and a final pair of 150 f/2(macro) and 300mm f/2 apochromatic primes.

I know pigs would fly sooner. Because such lenses would probably require the pentax K mount to be wider than it currently is in order to accommodate the lens in the exit pupil of a 300mm f/2 lens.

if all my camera hardware was stolen and I could only keep one camera/lens combination it would be the K5IIs with the SMCP-K 50mm f/1.2 - which is a lens that can give the Pentax FA31mm f/1.8 a run for its money in terms of Image quality.

[dtmateojr]

Here's a very doable fantasy lens for me:

16-85/4.0 with 77mm filter size, screw focus, DoF scale, distance scale, all metal in nickel finish.

[hoanpham]

I don't understand the part about "only having one lens". I can't even manage having only one camera. Heck, I can't even manage only having one system!

You are not lonely...

[fs999]

1) Soligor 20mm F2.8 C/D Auto
2) A* 135mm F1.8