aellman Loc: Boston MA

Why would you give a pointless snarky answer like this that wastes everyone's time?
Do you think it makes you look smart? Quite the opposite.

Mr Bill 2011 Loc: southern Indiana

When I was young and money was tight, the 50mm lens that came with my camera was all I "needed." When I had more money coming in and could afford it, I found I "needed" a telephoto. It took a long stint of unemployment before I learned the difference between "need" and "want." These days, I can afford pretty much whatever toys I want, but find I really only need one or two lenses per camera. Indeed the last camera I bought, a Lumix ZS-100 has a fixed lens, and is the one I usually carry because it doesn't weigh a ton around my neck.

Leeo Loc: Oregon

Any lens that makes you happy! All my lens make me happy. A lens that doesn't function makes me sad. Gone are the days when I would use a fruit juice can, on my camera body and turn my 50mm 1.2 lens backward to shoot macro. Now I have an M2. I am happy.

SAVH Loc: La Jolla, CA

The question begs more questions. Why do you own a camera? Is it just for recording a few family events? Are you, as I am, an enthusiastic but certainly non-professional photographer who enjoys the hobby and uses various lenses for various photo opportunities? Clearly, there is no one right answer to the specific question apart from further defining why you own or use the camera.

Scotty

JohnH3 Loc: Auburn, AL

I honestly don’t think there is a mere simple and correct answer to this question. I think it depends on the variety of the things you like to shoot. I own a number of prime lenses and use them mostly with “planned” shooting where I have a lot of control over the situation. They are sharper than my zooms. Obviously, in the majority of the situations, I can’t control the situation so that is where my zoom lenses are most valuable to me. I have a nice variety of them also in various focal length ranges and f values. I have a lens that I like when shooting basketball and another I use when shooting a baseball game. I have the lenses that stay on each of my three bodies and at least a second in each camera bag. I have expensive lenses and often a similar lesser expensive lens when I go into a situation where I fear the lens could potentially be damaged, etc. I would rather lose a $350.00 lens than a $2200.00 lens.

No, I am not a profession photographer because it is not what I do for a living, but I want to be as good at the craft as I can possibly be. I tend to save and buy a new lens when I start coming upon a need for one. I will also occasionally upgrade a lens to a new version if the improvement warrant it in my mind.

The above is why I don’t think that there is any one standard lens set you can own. Problem is that photographers are not standard either! What you own has to fit what you enjoy doing!

tommystrat Loc: Bigfork, Montana

Or a swinger of birches?

latebloomer Loc: Topeka, KS

I sadly don't collect. It seems more like I accumulate stuff.

tommystrat Loc: Bigfork, Montana

Let's define our terms... Bob Dylan said, "He knows what you want, but I know what you need." Want - need - hmmmm....

xt2 Loc: British Columbia, Canada

Each to their own, who cares?

SteveR Loc: Michigan

There's always room on the shelf for one more. Think of it this way....go price a Bass boat. Now figure how much money you've spent on camera gear, subtract it from the price of a Bass boat. That's how much more you're allowed to spend. By then the price of Bass boats will have increased, allowing you more room for the next lens or camera.

aellman Loc: Boston MA

I used to reverse my 50mm Minolta (normal) lens for macro. Haven't thought about that in decades.

bodiebill

If you already have several lenses keep a record of usage while pursuing your favorite photo taking.
That will tell you how many you really need and which lenses.
If you change your subject preference then do the same record keeping.
If you can afford it buy as many as you need and use.

Selene03

It really depends on you, what and how you photograph, many elements figure into it. I know a lot of people who believe in only shooting with primes --then you might need more lenses than I do. I mostly use zooms because I am never quite sure from what vantage point I want to shoot or what my options might be, especially in someplace unfamiliar. Even then, it is hard to figure out what a minimum might be. I like to have wide, medium, and long covered, but macro is fun and i do have some primes I use for astrophotography (although my wide angle lens would work for that too).

Billynikon2

I own many but my favorites are a 50MM 1.4 and my 10-24 zoom.

One Rude Dawg Loc: Athol, ID

As many as I like, that's part of the fun of photography.