How do you pick your lenses?

[Dorset_Stupot]

Hey folks,

So how do you choose your next lens purchase? For me there isn’t many camera shops near me to go and try a lens so I watch a multitude of YouTube reviews (Christopher Frost, Dustin Abbott, Jared Polin, Chelsea and Tony Northrop etc…) Then narrow my choice down to a couple of lenses and the final decision usually based on reviews, my usage/need and price.

How do you choose yours?

 

[SO8]

I look at any youtube reviews and kind of take any common points from all of them and then read the written reviews online.

Taking common bits from reviews led me to look straight away for how soft my 24-70 f2.8 was at 70mm wide open ... and it is softer than my 24-105 at f4. Put the 24-70 to f4 though, and it is sharper again.

I've bought mainly from previous experience doing weddings with my wife (who is the professional) as she almost exclusively used 24-70 and 70-200 f2.8 lenses for a reason ... they were high quality and covered what you need at a wedding. I don't do them with her these days but went out and bought the same lenses out of habit and a desire for f2.8. Reality is the 24-105 f4 is almost as good as the much dearer 24-70 f2.8 ! I couldn't help myself though and after a few reviews watched and read the order was placed

A good think about what I need them for + what I actually just 'want' leads me to the internet.

Holding the lenses is ideal and though I want a 28-70 f2 I have seen one and resisted ... as I think it will just sit a lot of the time, much like my old EF 85 f1.2 Mk2 did. A truly great lens with stunning sharpness, but the weight put me off. I didn't listen to the reviewers at the time and ended up with an expensive toy never used.

I don't do landscapes but favour close 'ish with blur ... so have just watched any 50mm f1.2 review I can ! This is an expensive hobby !!