If you could only have 3, 6, or 9 lenses for your M system?

Thought experiment to assess the value, importance, and usage of lenses on our M cameras...

If you could only own a set of 3, 6, or 9 lenses for your Canon M system, which would you choose for each set?

Here are mine:

3 lenses:

- Canon EF-M 11-22,

- Canon 32mm f1.4

- Canon EF-S 55-250 IS STM with adapter

6 lenses:

- Canon 11-22mm IS STM

- SIgma 16mm f1.4

- Canon 22mm f2

- Canon 18-150 IS STM

- Canon EF-S 55-250 IS STM with adapter

- Rokinon 135mm f2.0

9 lenses

- Laowa 9mm f2.8

- Canon 11-22mm IS STM

- SIgma 16mm f1.4

- Canon 22mm f2

- Canon 32mm f1.4

- Canon 18-150 IS STM

- Sigma 56mm f1.4

- Canon EF-S 55-250 IS STM with adapter

- Rokinon 135mm f2.0

3 lenses:

- Canon EF-M 11-22mm

- Canon EF-M 22mm

- Canon EF-M 55-200mm

6 lenses:

- Canon EF-M 11-22mm

- SIgma 16mm

- Canon EF-M 22mm

- Canon EF-M 32mm

- Sigma 56mm

- Canon EF-M 55-200mm

9 lenses

- Canon EF-M 11-22mm

- SIgma 16mm

- Canon EF-M 22mm

- Canon EF-M 28mm Macro

- Canon EF-M 32mm

- Sigma 56mm

- Canon EF-M 55-200mm

- Canon EF-M 18-150mm

- Canon EF-S 55-250 IS STM with adapter

Larry Rexley wrote:

Thought experiment to assess the value, importance, and usage of lenses on our M cameras...

If you could only own a set of 3, 6, or 9 lenses for your Canon M system, which would you choose for each set?

3 lenses:

NEVER!

6 lenses:

This would HURT!

9 lenses

I'd have to sell some to get down to 9!

R2

the three I choose

32 f1.4

100 L

11-22

the six I choose

32 f1.4

100 L

11-22

55-250 stm

toki fe 10-17

24 IS

the 9 I chose

32 f1.4

100 L

11-22

55-250 stm

toki fe 10-17

24 IS

70-200 f2.8 L

56 ( perhaps I'll add)

28 macro (perhaps I'll add)

MyM6II wrote:

3 lenses:

- Canon EF-M 11-22mm

- Canon EF-M 22mm

- Canon EF-M 55-200mm

6 lenses:

- Canon EF-M 11-22mm

- SIgma 16mm

- Canon EF-M 22mm

- Canon EF-M 32mm

- Sigma 56mm

- Canon EF-M 55-200mm

9 lenses

- Canon EF-M 11-22mm

- SIgma 16mm

- Canon EF-M 22mm

- Canon EF-M 28mm Macro

- Canon EF-M 32mm

- Sigma 56mm

- Canon EF-M 55-200mm

- Canon EF-M 18-150mm

- Canon EF-S 55-250 IS STM with adapter

I agree with this except for the last one, which I would replace with the EF 400 5.6 L. This is my actual lens list.

3: 11-22, 32 1.4, 56 1.4.

or 5: 11-22, 32 1.4, 56 1.4, 55-200, 22 f2.

no need for more than 5.

Only 3:

EF-M 22 f/2.0

EF-M 11-22

EF-M 18-150.

Only 6:

EF-M 22

EF-M 32

EF-M 11-22

EF-M 15-45 (yeah, I actually like it)

EF-M 18-150

EF-M 55-200

Only 9:

EF-M 22, 28, 32

EF-M 11-22, 15-45, 18-150

EF 50, 70-300L

Sigma 16

Larry Rexley wrote:

If you could only own a set of 3, 6, or 9 lenses for your Canon M system, which would you choose for each set?

3:  11-22,  18-150,  EF 100-400

6:  Add EFS 60 macro, EF Sigma 180 macro f/2.8, EF 500 f/4 II

9:  Add 32 f/1.4, Sigma 16 f/1.4,  300 f/2.8 II

Sadly like R2 - would need to sell some lenses even with 9!

3 lenses: EF-M 11-22mm, EF-M 18-150mm, EF-M 22

It covers 11mm thru 150mm and get the EF-M 22 f/2 for low light

I also bought extension tubes for macro.

6 lenses: add

EF-M 32mm f/1.4

Sigma EF-M 56mm f/1.4

EF-M 55-200mm

9 lenses: no, thanks. I'm good.

But, let's suppose I would get 3 for free.

Then, I would get:

Rokinon/Samyang 12mm f/2

Sigma 16mm f/1.4

That's it.

3: 11-22, 22, 18-150

6: 11-22, 16, 22, 56, 18-150, EF 70-300 USM II

9: 11-22, 15-45, 16, 22, 28, 32, 56, 18-150, EF 70-300 USM II

Advi wrote:

3 lenses: EF-M 11-22mm, EF-M 18-150mm, EF-M 22

It covers 11mm thru 150mm and get the EF-M 22 f/2 for low light

I also bought extension tubes for macro.

which extension tubes did you get? AF works ok?

6 lenses: add

EF-M 32mm f/1.4

Sigma EF-M 56mm f/1.4

EF-M 55-200mm

9 lenses: no, thanks. I'm good.

But, let's suppose I would get 3 for free.

Then, I would get:

Rokinon/Samyang 12mm f/2

Sigma 16mm f/1.4

That's it.

-- hide signature --

Bye

The results are very interesting, with a sample size of 11 so far.

Looking at the 'top 3' set only:

The Canon EF-M 11-22 IS STM is the clear favorite here, with all 11 people choosing it in their top 3! Not surprising - it's an amazing lens.

Also so far the trend is to include a zoom with telephoto coverage in the top 3, either the Canon EF-M 18-150 (5 people) or a dedicated tele zoom 55-200 (2), EF-S 55-250 (i), or EF 100-400 (1).

The other lens usually included is a fast wide-to-normal prime, either the EF-M 22mm (5) or the EF-M 32mm (3) or the 28mm macro (1) which can do double duty as a sharp normal prime and a great macro lens.

Interestingly the EF-M 15-45 and 18-55 kit lenses were the least popular overall, easily beat out by the versatile 'sharper' EF-M 18-150. They're not bad lenses --- just not as good as the others on the mount.

For me, it's just as interesting to see the 'outliers' that popped up. The EF 100mm f2.8L macro lens, Rokinon 8mm f2.8 fisheye, Rokinon 12mm f2 (great astro lens), Laowa 9mm, Rokinon 135mm (another great astro lens and low-light tele).

For me, recently I found that the Laowa 9mm was suprisingly good and useful and opened my mind... faster and wider than the 11-22 it really has something to offer. For me it bumped either the Rokinon 8mm f2.8, the Rokinon 12mm f2 lenses, or the canon 28mm macro off my 'top 9' --- and I really like those lenses!!

And occassionally I'll still stick the 15-45 or the 18-55 on a body to get 'wide' zoom coverage. I'm with R2... would not want to part with any of my lenses.

I’m late to the party … as usual.  I have so many competing interests that photography is suffering.  But here goes:

11-22:  my most used lens, by far.  If I could only have 1 lens, this would be it.

Everything else is a distant second.  But maybe in order:

18-150: Covers such a wide range.  It’s the lens I got with my M6 II.

15-45:  Yup, that one.  I keep it on my M5, as a general-purpose camera and lens.

OK, next tranche:

8mm Rokinon fisheye:  I shoot a lot of interiors and landscapes, and this gives me the very wide view I need … usually after de-fishing.  Recently got the Laowa 9mm for same purpose.  It might supplant the Rokinon at some point, after I get more experience with it.

65mm Laowa macro:  Allows me to poke my nose into a lot of interesting places.  I also have the Canon 28mm macro, but haven’t used it that much.

70-300 EF USM:  Gives me the long reach I need at times (with adapter).

And the 3rd category.  Mostly my primes.  Maybe I need to learn to love them more:

56mm Sigma:  I don’t do a lot of portraits, but I like it for that use.

32mm:  Everyone raves about it, so I was compelled to get it recently at its new lower price. Not enough experience with it yet.

22mm:  Have had some recent good experiences with it recently, after ignoring it for a long time.  I expect it might be a great companion to the M200 refurb I have on order.

If you had asked this question 6 months ago, my answers would have been different.  As I am sure they will be 6 months from now.

Sorry for my previous tongue-in-cheek post. I didn’t have any time to write then.

My list (M6ii body):

• One lens only: My fine EF-M 15-45. No doubt.
• Two lenses: 18-150 + 32mm
• Threee lenses: 15-45, 32, 56
• 4: Add the EF 100mm L Macro
• 5: Add the 16
• 6: Add the 22
• 7: Add the 18-150 back in
• 8: Add the Sigma EF-S 10mm Fishy (finest lens under 15mm I’ve ever used)
• 9: Add the EF-S 55-250 + 1.5x “Larry Rexley Special”

I have to say that the EF 100-400ii +/- 1.4x iii did really well on the M6ii. The Laowa 65mm is a very fine macro lens. The EF-M 18-55 kit lens I use at work is super sharp.

I didn’t like either my EF 85 f/1.8 or the Sigma 17-55/2.8 (bad copy?). I was neutral about the 8mm Samyang/Roki fisheye, the little 28 Macro, the 40 STM and 60 Macro. Didn’t use the 11-22 much (my own fault).

Wish my RF 70-200/2.8 would fit (never owned the 55-200). And I think the 90 TS-E Macro would be fun.

Back to just one lens… maybe it would indeed be the godsend 32. Hmmm.

R2

3 lenses:

1. 11-22mm
2. 22mm f/2
3. 32mm f/1.4

6 lenses:

1. 11-22mm
2. 22mm f/2
3. 32mm f/1.4
4. Sigma 56mm f/1.4
5. EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro
6. 28mm Macro

If I need more reach, I'd not use an M camera, the RF100-500 likes to sneak into my bag every trip

I started with the original M and 22mm, I really wish there would be an updated body in that formfactor. The M200 comes very close, but I've become used to being able to charge the M6II over USB-C, the M200 doesn't have that.

R2D2 wrote:

Sorry for my previous tongue-in-cheek post. I didn’t have any time to write then.

LOL - I liked that post

3) 11-22, 28 macro, 55-250 + Kiron-Rexley 2X TC.

6) Add: 22 f/2, 32 f/1.4, 18-150, 70-300 IS II USM. Subtract 55-250.

9) Add: UWA prime, 15-45, 100L macro.

R2D2 wrote:

Back to just one lens… maybe it would indeed be the godsend 32. Hmmm.

R2

My 32mm is almost never in the dry box !