A few days ago, I asked: If you were shipwrecked on a desert island with a DSLR and one lens (assuming you had a way to recharge the camera and your gear didn’t get ruined when your boat ran ashore), which lens would you want to have?
©Duncan1890/iStockphoto
What I really wanted to know was, what’s your favorite lens, the one you couldn’t live without.
I expected some wacky comments, but I didn’t expect so much comedy.
The responses, which were posted here and on Adorama's Facebook page, ranged from the serious photographic answer to the practical to people who just wanted to run with the whole stranded-on-a-desert-island thing.
Here are some of my favorite comments, plus my smarmy responses. Comedy first, then we get down to business (i.e., more practical comments):
“I would choose a lens with an 82mm filter size, so I can use it to signal for help, once I am done taking pictures.” —David Kettinger
I hear Hoya filters can give you a great S.O.S!
“Whatever can be used as a flotation device.” —Andy Flemming
That would be your seat cushion.
“70-200mm f/2.8 with my 1.4 teleconverter, so I can scan the horizon for a ship to rescue me.”—Tom O’Neill
Sorry, your tripod got ruined when the Minnow ran ashore.
“A 600mm f/2. The front element would be large enough to reflect the sun and signal ships and passing aircraft so I could get off the island.”—Marlo Montanaro
Now that’s a practical idea!
“The Canon 1200mm. Remove the innards and turn it into a watertight canoe.”—Joe Watts
Whatever floats your lens!
“I would take the one that is most easy to disassemble so I could start a fire to signal that I was on the island and get off ASAP!”—Barbara Rieke Turner
One little snag: No lens disassembly tools on the island.
“Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8. Scan the horizon for ships, then ride it out to meet them.”—Brian Huchmuth
Brian doesn’t mention that this lens—the big green monster shown above—costs $26,000!
“If we have a computer to edit the Images, tell our Friends over at Adorama on Facebook that were stranded on an Island and to send food and some fashion models...”—Mark Gottesman
Now that’s good thinking!
But seriously, folks...
Of those who took the question somewhat seriously, most preferred some kind of zoom lens. Louie Preciado said he’d want a 28-300mm lens because “that way, I’d never get bored,” or perhaps a 14-24mm “so I can use the lens cap as a dinner plate.” Jonathan Lezman prefers the Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8, “an all-around good lens” while Brian Sutton-Quaid preferred a Tokina 11-16mm.
“I would trade a fast and sharp lens with short depth of field for the versatility of the range of the 18-200mm lens, the best compromise for travel versatility,” notes beeveedee. Kurakensama would go for the Canon 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 EF L USM because it’s “perfect for those gorgeous landscapes of palms and coconuts and strong enough for pictures of details of palms and coconuts.”
Jenn in Pittsburgh votes for the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 IS USM, calling it “the Swiss Army Knife of Canon lenses: Great for portraits, action (wildlife) and it delivers sharp images with fabulous color.”
Others preferred more specialized prime lenses, for very specific reasons . Ed Truitt writes “if I could only take one lens with my Olympus E-P2, it would be the 17mm f/2.8—especially if the "desert island" turned out to be the middle of a big city. The lens is of good quality, and with it the camera is fairly unobtrusive, which is a real benefit for photography in areas where paranoia reigns supreme.”
Martha Benedict voted for the Zeiss 100mm Makro-Planar. “I love details both near and far,” she wrote. Deb Welch-Buchanan agreed, saying “That's a hard decision to make! Hmmm...Close up or Landscape? My final decision would be my Canon EF 100mm f2.8L Macro IS lens, plenty of memory cards and battery backup along with plenty of sunscreen, a hata, drinking water and my walking shoes. Who is going with me.
Bill in Pittsburgh agrees about the 100mm f/2.8 macro lens, although he’d prefer it with an underwater housing.
But zoom lenses, it appears, won out in this informal desert island lens survey. “Can you start a fire with a zoom lens?” asks kfreels.
The last word goes to Trevager in Hevant, UK: “I think I'd have one of those fake 70-200mm lenses that is really a coffee cup and have it filled with a nice cool beer, sit back and enjoy the view.”
And for the record, my desert island lens would be the Leica 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit-M Aspherical, because I want to do street photography if I get stranded on the island of Manhattan, and since my Leica M3 doesn't need batteries, I'm ready to go!
Anyway, thanks to everybody who responded to my desert island lens question. Without you, if I ever got stranded, I would have been totally Lost.
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