[Fcsnt54]

For me it varies with formats which is odd, id think it would be the same. With m43 im a fan of 60mm, in apsc i like 16mm, in full frame i like 31, and in medium format i like 75mm and 150mm

[bony]

In full frame I like 77mm and 300mm. Sometimes I use 31 and 43mm.

[SpecialK]

The quantity of shots at a particular FL are misleading. I can take 990 shots at 500mm at an air show and keep 50, and take 25 shots at 28mm and keep 20.

Take your favorite 25 or 50 or 100 images and check the focal length used for them. That might make more sense. Mine are all over the range and that is why I said the subject is the determining factor. The actual FL is immaterial.

[sqrrl]

I find I can snap a camera up with a 35mm on apsc and nail the framing consistently - I have my 35mm 2.4 basically welded to my kp 90% of the time.

Then again I suspect part of this is balance, if I had a 21mm I'd probably find the same thing quickly enough.

[BrianR]

The quantity of shots at a particular FL are misleading. I can take 990 shots at 500mm at an air show and keep 50, and take 25 shots at 28mm and keep 20.

Take your favorite 25 or 50 or 100 images and check the focal length used for them. That might make more sense. Mine are all over the range and that is why I said the subject is the determining factor. The actual FL is immaterial.

Subject was a big factor for me as well, and things like stacking or time lapses can really mess with the numbers.

In my case, the relative percentages of focal length use stay roughly the same on smaller collections of favorites (e.g. stuff I printed the past couple years) and the quantities are in-line with my objective rankings. I like simple and clean compositions, a mid telephoto (100mm) makes this simple for just about any subject, followed by a toss up between my desire to photograph things from as far away as possible (300mm) or use an ultra-wide (14mm) for a more dynamic up-close perspective.

[ivanvernon]

My favorite focal lengths are partially determined by the availability of lenses at particular focal lengths. My favorite FLs are 31mm and 77mm.

[Ishpuini]

That would be 16mm on APS-C, and that used to be 24mm in my film days. Not much has changed over the last 25 years...

It started with a manual Vivitar 24/2.8 on my SFXn, then the DA16-45/4 on my *istDS, followed by a long series of lenses with this focal length as most used mm: DA*16-50/2.8, DA15/4 (more or less), Sig 8-16 and most recently the Samyang 16/2. I'm not counting the Zenitar 16 FE.

Strangely my current favourite standard zoom has become the DA20-40, which doesn't include 16mm. OTOH, this 20-40 means I always carry a +/- 16mm prime (the DA15 or the Samy16), which I didn't before. Perhaps that's one of the reasons why I like the DA20-40 so much as well?

Wim

[jumbleview]

Mostly 24 - 28 mm (APC-S)

[photoptimist]

Tough question! 50 is nifty and 28 is great. Those are the two focal lengths for which I have the most copies and probably take the most pictures.

[ccc_]

this made me look....
I have around 73000 images on a HDD

these are ballparked
25k are 300mm
15k are 500
9k are 18mm
5k are 135mm

the remainder are scattered about

I knew on zooms I tended to use the ends but this exercise really brought it home

[jesaja]

In my case, da 21mm/f3.2 is my favorite. With this lens, I can shoot 28mm like street and 35mm like portrait and group photo.

[35mmfilmfan]

Trite answer :

The one that helps me best represent the subject I am shooting.

And no, I am not con-trite.

[ChristianRock]

I don't have many taken on my K-3 II yet, but before I decided on my frist lens for the camera, I looked at the "focal length (35mm equiv)" of the 12k photos taken over the years on different point-and-shoots, and the vast majority of them were 50mm or less, and the bulk of those were close to 28-35mm. My years with a Nikkormat FTN (that I still have) my only lenses were a 50 and 35, and I always much preferred the 35mm. It seemed more natural. So 35mm in film/full frame terms is my favorite. Which means I need to find a 24mm prime for the APS-C sensor. Unfortunately there only seem to be two with autofocus--the Pentax 24 F2 which is a bit pricy for a lens that always looks beat up (bad choice of color) or the Sigma 24 F1.8, which I've only seem for sale once and I'd love to see for sale again.

Sigma also had an AF version of the 24mm f/2.8, but it is becoming more rare these days. Still, when you find it, it's cheaper than the 24mm f/1.8, and it is very good optically by all accounts.

I find that for most uses, AF isn't necessary on APS-C for a 24mm lens. A lot of times I just set it at f/5.6 and hyperfocal and go. I've been toying with some manual 24mm manual lenses for a couple years now and currently have two - a Cosina (Vivitar) and a Tokina, though they seem to be exactly the same lens, down to the coating's reflections. It is a good performer - the same lens was even sold as a Carl Zeiss Jena (!!). I recommend it, very good lens, very sharp especially at longer distances which is what you want in a 24mm lens. It does need a hood because it flares up very, very easily.

24mm on APS-C would be my 3rd favorite focal length, after 50mm and 35mm.

[Na Horuk]

I like wide angles, but I also enjoy the DFA 100mm
My most used wides are 14mm, 21mm, 35mm (I know, 35mm is not really 'wide' on APSC)

[Madaboutpix]

Based on a quick analysis of ~5,500 images on my hard drive which I consider keepers of various degrees, my FL preferences for APS-C (K-7, later K-3) would seem to be:

1. 18mm (used to be the most-used FL by far with my kit lens)
2. 300mm (long end of my DA55-300)
3. 15mm (subjectively my favourite wideangle)
4. 55mm (long end of kit lens, short end of telezoom)
5. 35mm (my standard and currently most powerful macro options)
6. 50mm (yeah, my DA50 has seen a lot of use since I got it and has largely taken over the short-telephoto realm)
7. 10mm (short end of fisheye zoom, a latecomer in my bag, but getting a lot of love)

Other FLs which I could see myself using a lot would be 21mm (if I had a DA21mm) and 100mm (if I had a DFA100WR).

With me, FL choice has to do a lot with subject matter, but may also be affected by sheer availability, or favourite lenses (as opposed to FLs), portability/convenience, and other factors.