One of the things I’m frequently asked is “What’s your favorite lens?” so I thought it’d be fun to share mine with you on the blog today! And although I have several lenses I use and love for a variety of reasons (especially on a wedding shoot!), the lens I reach for THE most is my Canon 50mm 1.2L.  
 
A quick little backstory here before I go on. When I first started my photography business, I was given some wise advice from a seasoned business owner to only invest in things I had the cash to cover. Sounds simple, right?? But when you are first starting out and wanting to build your business, this can be challenging!! Especially when there are ALWAYS new products coming out and it seems like everyone has the latest and greatest while you are busting your booty to save for one lens. But my encouragement to those of you who are just starting out, STICK WITH IT!!! Being patient can be tough, but the wait it worth it!  
 
Before upgrading to the Canon 50mm 1.2L, I first started with the Canon 50mm 1.4 and absolutely loved it!!! I shot with this for years and still own it!!! If you are just starting out in photography, and/or looking for a great portrait lens for your camera, the Canon 50mm 1.4 is wonderful AND a fraction of the cost compared to the 50mm 1.2L!!!
After a few years of saving, I eventually upgraded to the Canon 50mm 1.2L and well…it was a total game changer!! Let me count the reasons why:  
 
It focuses super fast at a wide aperture! What does this mean?? It means you can take a picture with a really soft blurry background while keeping the subjects in razor sharp focus producing an images that is both in focus yet, soft and dreamy like! For my style of imagery, it is a perfect combo! Not only that, it is SO versatile! Because it shoots most similar to how you see things with your naked eye!!! From getting ready shots to newborn sessions to senior portraits, I literally use this lens for EVERYTHING and shoot about 90% of a wedding day with this lens and about 90-95% of my portrait sessions! If all my other lenses went kapoot, this lens would be still be able to capture everything!! Even in low light situations or an indoor reception where my light source isn’t that great, this lens can achieve beautiful images without suffering in quality! Can you tell I’m just a little partial to this lens?!? From the color and quality of the images to the speed of focus, this lens is most definitely my go-to-all-time-favorite!!  
 
So… 
 
If you are looking to purchase a new lens or maybe have your eyes on one in particular but you’re not ready to take the plunge, I encourage you to RENT first! Borrowed Lenses allows you to rent lenses for 3-days up to two weeks!! It’s a great way to try out a lens before making such a large investment!! I still use Borrowed Lenses all the time to rent the lenses I am saving to buy!!!  
 
P.S Good news if you are a first time renter at Borrowed Lenses you receive $10 off your first order – woo hoo!  
 
Hope you found this helpful! If you have any other or additional questions, please feel free to send them to hello@lisadejagerphotography.com!

My Favorite Go-To Lens

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