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

Fjzk wrote:

Whew! I thought it was just me who felt that way. Everyone raves about the 32mm, and so I finally got one when the price dropped a little while ago. But I’m still not reaching for it much when I grab a lens or 2 to go out with. Back in my (non-Canon) SLR days I used my 24mm much more than my 50mm, apparently because it’s the way I see the world. I have a lot in my peripheral vision it seems.

Same with me...not sure if it came from constantly using a 26mm lens in the iPhone but framing at that focal length became very natural to me...I would highly appreciate having a small lens in the M mount such as the RF16 2.8. The sigma seems to be great, but it is comparatively huge for carrying around. The day I buy a RF-S camera I will buy the RF16.

RF-16/50 beg for a small RF crop camera.

Larry Rexley wrote:

silver to silicon wrote:

3 lenses:

• 10-18 EFS (have) or 11-22 M

The EF-S 10-18 is a very good and well-priced lens. It's physically a lot larger, and not quite as good optically as the 11-22, but it's a safer bet for those that may move away from the M mount in future, to the R or even another brand that can use EF lenses with an adapter.

• 18-150 M
• 55-250 EFS. (Does 1.4x Teleconverter count? Three and a half?)

The TC counts, mine lives on the EF-S 55-250 at least half the time.

• for any situation save low light that amazes me vs. options at my SRT era start in this hobby And iso 800-1000 Tri-X monochrome push development was about the limit for low light then, so really not giving up too much.

6 lenses

• macro 35 EFS (have) or 28 macro M.
• 90 adaptall macro probably the optically best lens in bag with nice rendering and bokeh too - manual focus. Sharp enough to use with 1.5x sometimes 2x.
• Pick favorite among manual focus 50-58mm tough choice Helios or MC/MD Rokkors

9 lenses

• A 24mm 2.8 manual focus takes nice close ups and is like a film era 35mm wide normal on M. It makes me question redundancy of 22mm M
• but the 22 M might be #8 for AF, affordable, much smaller size and light weight vs. 24mm as horses for courses like others have said

"There's something" undefinable about the 22mm f2... it's a fun, special lens that's also very good optically. It's one of the few lenses I can put on an M200 or M6ii, like the Laowa 9mm, and put the camera in the pocket of athletic shorts (the "Florida Uniform"). 22mm is a sweet spot for a lot of shooters, including me... and the lens is so small it almost always makes it into my camera bag.

Looking at exif,  35 and 85 mm are my most popular focal lengths in ff terms.

• still not sure between 35 IS macro and old fast film 35mm that can reverse for close macro ( or the idea of 30-32mm 1.4 M). Same logic as 24 vs 22. Keep both IS and old fast 35s for now.

and beyond

• sigma 16mm handled very nice in local store. That might be first new M lens purchased vs, used or refurbished

Even though the Sigma 16mm f1.4 is larger and heavier than any Canon EF-M lens, and most other third-party EOS M mount lenses, there's also something about that lens that makes it particularly satisfying to use. It's solid and has a beautiful finish quality, and in low light, being so wide and having AF, in many cases no other lens can do what it can do. That extra wideness and another stop of speed sets it apart from the 22mm f2. It has become a vlogging lens of choice despite its size and weight. In use it doesn't feel that heavy, only when you carry it around in a bag full of lenses!!

• Handling the 16mm makes me consider the sigma 1.4 trio as future set if I overcome thinking fast 30mm and 56mm AF in M mount are redundant to 35 IS or old fast film primes… I like an old manual 50mm macro and 135mm, too…

being able to adapt EF lenses and old film lenses made the M system appealing

KEG wrote:

Larry Rexley wrote:

silver to silicon wrote:

3 lenses:

• 10-18 EFS (have) or 11-22 M

The EF-S 10-18 is a very good and well-priced lens. It's physically a lot larger, and not quite as good optically as the 11-22, but it's a safer bet for those that may move away from the M mount in future, to the R or even another brand that can use EF lenses with an adapter.

• 18-150 M
• 55-250 EFS. (Does 1.4x Teleconverter count? Three and a half?)

The TC counts, mine lives on the EF-S 55-250 at least half the time.

• for any situation save low light that amazes me vs. options at my SRT era start in this hobby And iso 800-1000 Tri-X monochrome push development was about the limit for low light then, so really not giving up too much.

6 lenses

• macro 35 EFS (have) or 28 macro M.
• 90 adaptall macro probably the optically best lens in bag with nice rendering and bokeh too - manual focus. Sharp enough to use with 1.5x sometimes 2x.
• Pick favorite among manual focus 50-58mm tough choice Helios or MC/MD Rokkors

9 lenses

• A 24mm 2.8 manual focus takes nice close ups and is like a film era 35mm wide normal on M. It makes me question redundancy of 22mm M
• but the 22 M might be #8 for AF, affordable, much smaller size and light weight vs. 24mm as horses for courses like others have said

"There's something" undefinable about the 22mm f2... it's a fun, special lens that's also very good optically. It's one of the few lenses I can put on an M200 or M6ii, like the Laowa 9mm, and put the camera in the pocket of athletic shorts (the "Florida Uniform"). 22mm is a sweet spot for a lot of shooters, including me... and the lens is so small it almost always makes it into my camera bag.

Looking at exif, 35 and 85 mm are my most popular focal lengths in ff terms.

those are the two classics - focal lengths for pj people subjects

for me it's 50 fov and 100 fov

• still not sure between 35 IS macro and old fast film 35mm that can reverse for close macro ( or the idea of 30-32mm 1.4 M). Same logic as 24 vs 22. Keep both IS and old fast 35s for now.

and beyond

• sigma 16mm handled very nice in local store. That might be first new M lens purchased vs, used or refurbished

Even though the Sigma 16mm f1.4 is larger and heavier than any Canon EF-M lens, and most other third-party EOS M mount lenses, there's also something about that lens that makes it particularly satisfying to use. It's solid and has a beautiful finish quality, and in low light, being so wide and having AF, in many cases no other lens can do what it can do. That extra wideness and another stop of speed sets it apart from the 22mm f2. It has become a vlogging lens of choice despite its size and weight. In use it doesn't feel that heavy, only when you carry it around in a bag full of lenses!!

• Handling the 16mm makes me consider the sigma 1.4 trio as future set if I overcome thinking fast 30mm and 56mm AF in M mount are redundant to 35 IS or old fast film primes… I like an old manual 50mm macro and 135mm, too…

being able to adapt EF lenses and old film lenses made the M system appealing

I'll probably only stick to 3 lenses for my M5.  I already have two of them but I'm torn on the 3rd one.  Currently, my M kit is composed of:

M5
Sigma 16mm 1.4
Canon 32mm 1.4
Canon 50mm 1.8 STM (with adapter)

I want a 50mm-ish 1.4 lens and while the Sigma 56mm sounds great, I'm more inclined to get the Canon EF 50mm 1.4 because it is cheaper and I can (still/eventually) use it on my FF DSLR and my film SLR camera.

3 lenses:

- Canon 11-22mm

- Canon 22mm

- Canon 32mm

6 lenses:

- Canon 11-22mm

- Canon 22mm

- Canon 32mm

- Canon 55-200mm

- Sigma 16mm

- Sigma 56mm

AshleyMC wrote:

deanmejos wrote:

I'll probably only stick to 3 lenses for my M5. I already have two of them but I'm torn on the 3rd one. Currently, my M kit is composed of:

M5
Sigma 16mm 1.4
Canon 32mm 1.4
Canon 50mm 1.8 STM (with adapter)

I want a 50mm-ish 1.4 lens and while the Sigma 56mm sounds great, I'm more inclined to get the Canon EF 50mm 1.4 because it is cheaper and I can (still/eventually) use it on my FF DSLR and my film SLR camera.

you could also adapt your existing Canon EF 35mm F2 IS USM — very good lens

you might have done so before deciding to get the EF-M 32 1.4

thank you for the suggestion.  I did start with the 35/2 IS adapted to the M5 but I wanted the 35mm FL too so I just kept that lens on the 6D2.  it's this forum's fault that I got the 32mm 1.4 haha!

I'm currently running 4 lenses on two bodies because I leave the EF 50mm STM (adapted or not) at home.

M5
Sigma 16mm f/1.4 (25mm equivalent)
Canon 32mm f/1.4 (51mm equivalent)

6D2
Canon 35mm f/2 IS
Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS

so it's like i have the 24, 35, 50 & 100 setup

late to party, nevertheless

3 lenses:

32, 11-22, 55-250 IS STM

6 lenses:

add 16, 56, 18-150

9 lenses:

add - Laowa 9mm, 28, 22

ericch wrote:

late to party, nevertheless

never too late:)

3 lenses:

32, 11-22, 55-250 IS STM

I have these 3 lenses - and I think if only 3 lenses, you have the right ones, and you have the right order of priority

6 lenses:

add 16, 56, 18-150

for only 6 lenses, I think you got it right by adding the 16 and the 56 in that order next

the 18-150 was probably purchased as a kit so I'd probably delay the 55-250 stm, but it would be first purchase because of the kit

I'd definitely add the 100L

therefore, so far, you'd have 6 lenses in the following order:

18-150, 32, 11-22, 16, 56, 100L

9 lenses:

add - Laowa 9mm, 28, 22

those are 3 nice lenses, but I'd go for 11 instead of 9 with two M6II bodies in the following order:

18-150 (bought as kit), 32, 11-22, 16, 56, 100 L, 55-250 stm, 22, 9mm, 28, R2's 10mm siggy fishy

if only 9, the 28 and fishy get left off

Interesting & fun thread!

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 (for M6 II):

- Canon EF-M 11-22,

- Canon EF-M 18-150

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

6 lenses (for M6II):

- Canon 11-22mm IS STM

- Canon 22mm f2

- SIgma 56mm f1.4

- Canon 18-150 IS STM

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

- 1.4x Kenko TC EF-S

most times I actually omit the 22mm

9 lenses, will require backpack:

- Laowa 9mm f2.8

- Canon 11-22mm IS STM

- Canon 22mm f2

- SIgma 56mm f1.4

- Canon 18-150 IS STM

- Canon EF 100-400mm IS with adapter

- 1.5x Kenko TC EF (for extra tele reach)

the above with M6II, the below in separate bag for "P&S" shots/OPS

- 15-45mm IS STM on M100 #1

- 50-200mm STM IS on M100#2

MAC wrote:

I'd go for 11 instead of 9 with two M6II bodies in the following order:

18-150 (bought as kit), 32, 11-22, 16, 56, 100 L, 55-250 stm, 22, 9mm, 28,  R2's 10mm siggy fishy

if only 9, the 28 and fishy get left off

No WAY!!!  That Fishy is one of my favorite lenses of all time!  Fast accurate AF with IQ suitable for Weddings!

And fun stuff too...

Mounted on a 650D

Siggy 10mm Fishy at @mazon

So good I had to buy it again after (foolishly) selling it the first time.

R2

R2D2 wrote:

MAC wrote:

I'd go for 11 instead of 9 with two M6II bodies in the following order:

18-150 (bought as kit), 32, 11-22, 16, 56, 100 L, 55-250 stm, 22, 9mm, 28, R2's 10mm siggy fishy

if only 9, the 28 and fishy get left off

No WAY!!! That Fishy is one of my favorite lenses of all time! Fast accurate AF with IQ suitable for Weddings!

And fun stuff too...

Mounted on a 650D

Siggy 10mm Fishy at @mazon

So good I had to buy it again after (foolishly) selling it the first time.

R2

very cool!

for me it was the toki 10-17 I had to buy a second time