My favorite and most used lenses - and why they are!

When I was presenting at B&H Photo this week, I did one presentation on "The Best Lenses for Different Subjects". During that presentation and my Olympic presentation, I had numerous people ask me what my favorite lenses were, and that lead me to write this blog post.

You will notice that most of my lenses are zooms and not primes. That is because I have always been partial to zooms, and the quality of zoom lenses has increased dramatically over the years, now being on par with prime lenses. I am partial to zoom lenses because I am constantly zooming in and out and reframing my shots before hitting the shutter button.

I am going to list out the lenses I use almost every time I pick up a camera, with explanations of why I rely on those for either the focal length, aperture or both. I am also going to order them by how much I use that particular lens. 

Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8

This has been my go-to lens for more than 20 years. It all started with the EF version and I have upgraded to newer models along the way, but the 70-200mm focal length and the wide aperture of 2.8 has made this my favorite of all time. I use the Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8 lens for most of my individual and family portraits. It is tack sharp from 70mm all the way to 200mm and provides amazing bokeh (quality of blur) behind my subjects.

Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8

When I am photographing receptions and parties, I use three lenses to cover the event. I do use the RF 70-200 lens for all my tight shots, but most of the time I use wider zoom lenses. The Canon RF 15-35mm 2.8 is probably my most used lens at parties, since I am usually walking around the event and close to my subjects. It is wide enough to show them and some of the surrounding scenery, and tack sharp from edge to edge. I find that the wide shots are really popular with my clients, since they show so many of the people who have joined them for their big day. When shooting at 15mm, there is some distortion at the edges of the frame (making those at the edge look wider), but in my opinion, that is acceptable when viewing a very wide shot. Even though I do not photograph a lot of landscapes, this is my favorite lens for landscape photography.

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8

The third lens which I rely on for those same events, is the Canon RF 24-70mm 2.8. This lens gives me a fairly wide view around me, but allows me to zoom in a little more and capture portraits of people with little distortion on the edges of the frame. This is also my second most used lens for portraits, in spaces where the Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8 is too much lens or I want to take a wider shot to show more of the environment.

Canon RF-100-300m f/2.8

I originally got the Canon RF-100-300m f/2.8 lens for my sports photography, primarily for the longer reach and the ability to capture 300mm images at f/2.8. I also love that this lens, which is VERY sharp, is wicked fast in focusing. 

As it turns out, I now rely on this lens for so much more than sports. I use this long, fast zoom lens any time I am shooting a wedding or bar mitzvah from the back of a church or temple. It allows me to zoom in nice and close to my subjects from a distance and, at f/2.8, do so in low light without having to increase my ISO to levels above what I want. 

Even though this lens is big and heavier than the rest of my lenses, I have been taking it on more and more of my photo tours where we are focusing on wildlife. For most of those times, I will bring extenders with me (but more on those in a minute).

Canon RF 7-14mm fisheye

Most people would think of a fisheye lens as a novelty lens and one not used very often, but I find myself reaching for this lens quite often. It is actually my fourth most-used lens at those same parties I described earlier. I really like capturing super wide shots, especially when I am on a stage, just above the dance floor, shooting down over the crowd. It allows me to capture really nice photos, even in tight spaces, and show so much of the environment. Even though I can correct much of the fisheye distortion in Adobe Photoshop, I usually choose not to do that, as I really like the fisheye look.

This same lens was invaluable at the most recent Olympic Games, when I used the Canon RF 7-14mm fisheye for photographing ice hockey and unique views around the city of Milan.

Canon RF 24-105mm f/4

Even though the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4 lens is not towards the top of this blog post, this particular lens does get a lot of use. I do not use it at events, since I rely on the Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 lens for those times, but I LOVE this lens as my "walk around" lens. Whenever I travel (and I do often), I take this lens with me. I find that the focal range from 24mm all the way to 105mm is ideal for most street photography. I know that Canon also makes an RF 24-105mm f/2.8 lens, but I actually prefer the size and weight of the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4 lens for when I am walking around.

Canon RF 100-500mm

This is not a lens I use for photographing events, but I use this lens for most of my other photography, including wildlife, sports and even long lens portraiture when I am traveling. There are numerous things that I love about this lens:

1.  The focal range from 100-500mm is perfect for sports and wildlife photography, when you don't know how close you will be to the subjects.

2. It is relatively small and light (compared to my Canon RF-100-300m f/2.8) and easy to handhold. There are times when I use this lens for more than 10 hours at a time, and it is very manageable for me. I also like that I can lift it quickly to catch fast action, which is not the case with my larger zoom lens. This lens goes on almost every photo tour with me, since I need to keep my carry on size and weight to a minimum. 

3. It is a very sharp lens all the way from 100mm to 500mm.

4. This lens lets me focus so close to my subject that, when combining this fact with the 500mm reach, allows me to photograph even the smallest critters and make it look like I used a macro lens.

I don't love the fact that the Canon RF 100-500mm ends at f/7.1, but for the previous reasons I have given, I put that aside and rely on the lens quite often.

Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 

I consider this lens my "specialty lens" and only break it out when I want to shoot images at a really wide aperture, like f1/.2. The final results are really beautiful with incredible bokeh and narrow depth of field, while keeping my subject tack sharp. I use it sporadically, and love the final results. There are many times when 85mm is too much reach and I may switch this out for an RF 50mm f/1.2 lens in the near future. Regardless of the focal length, I do love having an f/1.2 lens in my bag. 

Canon Extender RF 1.4x and Canon Extender RF 2x

 

For most of my photography career I have not been a big proponent of using extenders, but that has changed since getting the Canon RF-100-300m f/2.8 lens. As I mentioned before, I love this big lens, with the ability to shoot at f/2.8 all the way from 100mm to 300mm, but there are many times when I need more than 300mm reach. For those times, I grab either the Canon Extender RF 1.4x or the Canon Extender RF 2x to give me greater focal length. With the 1.4x on the big lens, I am able to shoot from 140mm to 420mm at f/4, and with the 2x I can shoot from 200mm to 600mm at f/5.6. This has yielded some really beautiful photos in Costa Rica and I look forward to using it in the Pantanal of Brazil in 3 weeks and in Tanzania on Safari in Jan / Feb 2027.

Canon RF 100mm macro lens

Last, but not least, is my Canon RF 100mm macro lens. This is the least used lens in my arsenal, but not because of a lack of quality or functionality. This lens is used mainly for weddings, when I am capturing images of the rings and other small details, and also for my trip to Costa Rica when we are photographing the small tree frogs and insects. As I mentioned with the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, I am now using that lens for a majority of my close-up photography in Costa Rica, which lessens the need to bring this macro lens with me. A little less weight in my bag. 

There you go...now you know my most used lenses and how I use them. I hope that this will help you decide what might work best for you in each photo scenario that you might encounter.

I mentioned that many of these lenses are used on my photography tours. Check out the photo tours page on my website to see the exciting locations where I will be teaching in the future. Remember, you can try any of these lenses at no cost (thanks to Canon) when you join me on a trip.

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• Subscribe to the Jeff Cable Photography Blog by clicking HERE!

• Check out my upcoming photo tours to amazing places around the world. I have photo tours to Costa Rica, Peru, Galapagos, Africa, Iceland and more.

• If you are interested in purchasing ANY equipment, please click here to go to B&H Photo, as I get a referral from them if you enter this way. It does not change the cost to you in any way, but it helps me keep this blog up and running.

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FINALLY!!!! I am heading back to B&H Photo for LIVE Event Space presentations!

I know this sounds crazy, but I have not presented at the B&H Event Space in New York City since before COVID. It was more than 6 years ago when I presented there, not knowing how much life would change. The pandemic happened and they shut down the Event Space for years. Now B&H has re-opened the in-store presentation area and I will be there in a couple of weeks for two free presentations (thanks to Zenfolio and Canon for sponsoring them)! 

I did a presentation at the B&H BILD show in New York City last year, but that was at their trade show, not at the store. I am really excited to get back to the Event Space, like the good old days.

You are all invited to come, and if you can't make it in person, they will be recorded and posted to YouTube at some point. I will post them when they are live.

Here are the details:

Topic: Photographing the Winter Olympics in Milan

Sponsor: Zenfolio

Date: September 1st

Time: 3:30pm - 5:30pm EST

Location: B&H Photo at 420 9th Ave

Registration: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/find/eventDetails.jsp/id/5218

Topic: Choosing The Best Lens For Your Subject

Sponsor: Canon

Date: September 2nd

Time: 3:30pm - 5:30pm EST

Location: B&H Photo at 420 9th Ave

Registration: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/find/eventDetails.jsp/id/5219

I hope to see you there!

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• Subscribe to the Jeff Cable Photography Blog by clicking HERE!

• Check out my upcoming photo tours to amazing places around the world. I have photo tours to Costa Rica, Peru, Galapagos, Africa, Iceland and more.

• If you are interested in purchasing ANY equipment, please click here to go to B&H Photo, as I get a referral from them if you enter this way. It does not change the cost to you in any way, but it helps me keep this blog up and running.

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Post Olympics: Coming back to the real world

After being in Milan for most of February, it has been an adjustment to come home. Normally I get home to what I call "Post Olympic Syndrome" where I try to catch up on all that lost sleep. This time around, I dealt with that AND getting sick. This meant that my reentry into the real world was delayed by a week.

It is always weird to go from a world where everything is Olympic focused and I am going a million miles an hour, to being back home and slowing everything down. I also go from shooting and blogging every day, to a more normal routine of shooting on select weekdays and weekends, and blogging once a week. 

I missed one corporate shoot on the week I got home, but was lucky to have my son (who has his own photo business with his wife nearby) cover for me. Then this weekend, I was right back in the routine and it felt really good. The funny thing is...I had to change a lot of my camera settings (like fast burst mode and some focus modes) when starting to shoot back home.

(Photo credit: Mykie Vang of NBC)

I have been looking back at some of the photos of me in Milan and thought I would share some of those with you all. This image was taken at the NBC studio, high above the center of Milan. 

Here is a photo of me shooting rink side at one of the women's games.

Many of you sent me photos of me on your TVs. This always makes me laugh. I think my granddaughter was the best at spotting her "Papa" on TV. 

(Photo credit: Claude Diderich)

I think I was most visible at the times when I was holding up the Canon fisheye lens. Claude was nice enough to send me this photo of me on the glass. Look at the vintage camera being used to my right.

(Photo credit: Heather Pollock)

Here is a photo of myself and Hillary Knight after the women had just won their gold medals. It was smiles all around.

(Photo credit: Heather Pollock)

Heather was nice enough to capture this photo of me wearing a gold medal.  I should clarify, that normally we are not allowed to interact with the athletes or wear a medal, but since I work for the team I am lucky to have this privilege.

Now I am looking back at the Games as another great memory, and sharing the stories with everyone. I have done one presentation to a photo club and have a couple more coming up. If you want me to present at your photo club, just let me know, and I will see if I can fit that into the schedule. I really love sharing the photos and stories with you all.

It is hard to believe that the 2028 Olympics (my 10th) will be in my home state of California! It will be really different to drive to the Games and be in the same time zone. Until then...it is back to capturing personal and corporate events, leading photo tours and more. It is not the Olympics, but I feel equally blessed to be able to do what I love! 

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• Subscribe to the Jeff Cable Photography Blog by clicking HERE!

• Check out my upcoming photo tours to amazing places around the world. I have photo tours to Costa Rica, Peru, Galapagos, Africa, Iceland and more.

• If you are interested in purchasing ANY equipment, please click here to go to B&H Photo, as I get a referral from them if you enter this way. It does not change the cost to you in any way, but it helps me keep this blog up and running.
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Olympics in Milan: My favorite 30 images from these Olympics

Now that I am back home (and laying low), it has given me a couple of days to reflect on my amazing Olympic experience in Milan. That reflection is comprised of stories, key moments, different stress levels and a chance to see some of the beauty of Milan. Most importantly to us photographers, this was a chance to add new images to my portfolio, for which I am really proud. 

What you see in these photos is different from what I see. Because I was the one taking the photos, I remember what I was thinking at that moment, the logistics in getting to that location, the camera settings I chose, and maybe even the challenge of getting that shot.

In this blog post, I want to share with you all my top 30 favorite photos from these Games. I will also try to explain why these made my top list.

This photo is in the collection for two reasons. It was on my first full day in Milan and my first photo assignment for USA Hockey. We had already done the formal photos for the women's team, and right before they left the ice, I suggested a more informal and fun shot. The fact that they were not only open to it, but embraced it, made it even more special. And secondly, I just love the happiness that exudes from them.

I really loved the opening ceremony, especially after the let down in Paris. I loved the colors in this photo. I remember, even when taking this photo, that it was a really cool and colorful moment. 

It is always tricky trying to time photos of pyrotechnics. If I shoot too early or too late, it may not look good. But here I captured that spilt second where there was just the right rotation of the fireworks.

This was a happy accident with the Canon RF 7-14mm lens. I shot a really wide image, but when opening the file in Adobe Camera Raw (and since there is no lens profile for this brand new lens), it opened my wide shot to this. I loved it!

When I saw that the teams would be entering through this gold ring, at the perfect angle from my photo position, I was really happy. I love this shot of Team USA making their entry. 

This is a photo of Aerin Frankel, who was absolutely outstanding in net for the women of USA Hockey. I got this shot with the puck coming right at her.

As I have said so many times before, people's reactions are often more powerful than their actions. This photo really shows that!

I was very excited to photograph the "Quad God" for the teams competition, knowing that it was my only chance to catch him in action. (Note: I knew that the next time he would skate, I would be shooting hockey games.) The second I saw him lean back right in the middle of the Olympic logo, I fired a bunch of shots with the Canon R1, knowing it would make for a cool composition.

During the teams competition, Ilia nailed his performance and ended with this reaction. A golden moment!

Speaking of reactions, this was the first really nice goal scoring celebration of the Games for me.

I have always enjoyed creating motion pan photos (where I slow the shutter speed of the camera and I move the lens at the exact same speed as the athletes). This was one of those moments. I saw these two in this position and I tracked them as closely as I could. I knew that if I could get a sharp image of their faces, that this would be a cool shot.

Brady Tkachuk scored a goal and turned right in my direction with this awesome reaction. 

For most of my long track speed skating photos, I took them at slow shutter speeds, but not for Jordan Stolz. This guy is so fast and I wanted to make sure I got a nice shot of him in action! I put myself in a position to get him coming around a turn with a nice Olympic background. 

When selecting my favorite images from these Games, even I was surprised at how many of the photos I selected were reactions vs actions.

I spent a lot of time keying in on Hillary Knight, as she was on the cusp of setting a new US Olympic record. I love this shot of her coming right in my direction, with just her and all the opposing players in the frame. 

I have to include at least one shot of the Winn brothers. They were hysterical for the entire Olympics.

These next photos were taken on my one free day of shooting no Olympic sports, but getting a chance to see the beautiful city of Milan. 

When I walked into the Galleria, I immediately knew this would be a cool location for the RF 7-14mm fisheye lens. I took a bunch of photos and thought I was done, until I saw these two gentlemen. The minute I saw them, I knew that they would be the perfect subjects in front of an already amazing background. (Note: I made sure that they were dead center in the frame so that they would not be overly distorted by the curvature of the lens.)

I took many photos of the Olympic flame that evening, but I think this is my favorite (also taken with the fisheye lens). 

This was the game winning overtime goal in the women's gold medal game. I was happy to capture this image with the puck just crossing the goal line in this historical moment for the team!

The image still gives me chills. I love all the levels of emotion that is captured in this one frame!

This is not my first time capturing the women winning gold, but something I hope for every time.

This was a special moment for me as four-time Olympian, Kendall Coyne and five-time Olympian, Hillary Knight grabbed a flag and skated towards me for this photo. As the team photographer, this is just pure gold!

I could not pick favorite images of Milan and not have at least one photo of the Duomo. This was taken after I had recorded the second interview for NBC. You can see the studio lights on top of the building to the left of the Duomo. I ended up staying in the area to get some blue hour photos, about 30 minutes past sunset.

It is not often that I would pick a warmup photo as a favorite, but this is one of those shots that I am really proud of. I was pushing myself to get something different and unique after shooting so many of these over the weeks. I remembered seeing, in previous warmups, that Jaccob Slavin would stay in one position stretching while others would skate and shoot around him. I thought this would be a fun slow shutter shot and it was.

Finally! After weeks of trying to get a really solid fisheye shot on the glass, it finally came in the men's semifinal game. I really hated the fact that both teams were wearing similar colors, but in this case it worked out well.

It was the last day of the Olympics and the big gold medal game for the men of USA hockey. The first goal of the game was scored by Matt Boldy, and he gave this celebration right in front of me. I knew immediately that this would be a keeper.

Just like the women's celebration photo, this one shot has so many levels of jubilation in one photo. 

We all know the story about Jack Hughes being the hero for Team USA, missing teeth and all. I love this shot with his bloody mouth and finger raised in celebration.

Connor Hellebuyck was arguably the best player on the ice for the team, and I love this shot of him basking in the glory of the win.

This photo captures one of the most poignant moments of any of the Olympics that I have covered, when the men paid tribute to Johnny Gaudreau by including his jersey and kids in the team photo...an absolutely amazing moment, captured in a single frame.

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• Subscribe to the Jeff Cable Photography Blog by clicking HERE!

• Check out my upcoming photo tours to amazing places around the world. I have photo tours to Costa Rica, Peru, Galapagos, Africa, Iceland and more.

• If you are interested in purchasing ANY equipment, please click here to go to B&H Photo, as I get a referral from them if you enter this way. It does not change the cost to you in any way, but it helps me keep this blog up and running.
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Olympics in Milan: The second NBC piece on me

I just received the second interview from NBC, which was done in the NBC work room by the Duomo. Garvin Thomas (who did the interview) had reached out to me months before the Games and wanted to do a piece with me giving advice for taking sports action shots.

You can click the image above or just click HERE.

This one is only a couple minutes long. :)

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• Subscribe to the Jeff Cable Photography Blog by clicking HERE!

• Check out my upcoming photo tours to amazing places around the world. I have photo tours to Costa Rica, Peru, Galapagos, Africa, Iceland and more.

• If you are interested in purchasing ANY equipment, please click here to go to B&H Photo, as I get a referral from them if you enter this way. It does not change the cost to you in any way, but it helps me keep this blog up and running.
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