As a longtime pro (44 years in the business) I have owned dozens of lenses from different makers for different brand cameras I have owned. I currently own 13 E-mount lenses from 10mm to 600mm from Sony, Sigma and Tamron for my three Sony fullframe mirrorless cameras A9, A7RIV, A7SIII. I shoot all subjects still and video, under all conditions and use all of my lenses for different purposes. Cheers
https://www.facebook.com/GSWilliamsPhotography
Leitz wrote:
Can you provide an intelligent reason for your query?
I see where you’re coming from. It’s easy to perceive a tone of judgment from his question. If he only needs three lenses then nobody needs more. I’ll choose to look past the perceived tone and choose to believe that he’s truly curious and wants to learn why people need more lenses.
SalvageDiver wrote:
9 lenses across 3 different cameras.
That's the best reason. If it's a hobby then need shouldn't come into the picture.
I have quite a few lenses, probably ten or twelve but mostly I use just one, an 18mm - 105mm that works, probably 95% of the time; it is the only lens I have that cost me much; I have a Sony mirrorless and it is easy to adapt vintage lenses to these cameras.
I have several longer lenses in the range from 200 mm-900 mm which I find useful and a bit fun, but only rarely. And I have a macro lens that is rarely fun but occasionally very useful. Oh, I do have a fish-eye lens that I use pretty infrequently, but it is a bit of fun when I decide to use it.
Honestly, like any other hobby one does what one wants with it. For golf, who "needs" more than one set of clubs...lol...
For me it is a hobby but not my primary one so i do not buy more than I use. But i can see why accumulating lenses would be fun to have a choice for variety of shot options.
When i find a situation that calls for a new lens (like i needed a fish-eye recently) I go get one. I try to buy used whenever I can on special or less used lenses. I have five total, one came with the camera, which is pretty worthless so if we are counting useful lenses I have four including the fish-eye. These have worked for me for every situation i have encountered except for an occasional situation where having a 1000 mm would have been nice.
For a hobby, it is never about how much one needs, but how much one wants - or can afford...(ever seen Jay Leno's garage)?
Six
For dedicated primes, I have a 35mm and a 50mm. 35mm for street and night, 50mm for indoor family gatherings (where the 35mm comes out sometimes, too).
For long distance travel and hiking to known vantage points, I have a 16-35mm, 24-70mm and a 100-400mm.
For 'ding-batting' on an older body, I have a 28-135mm.
taxslave wrote:
Why is it that photographers are obsessed with obtaining so many lenses? I only have 3 lenses that serve me well. I have owned them now for about 8-10 years during which I have bought 4 new bodies. My lenses are the Canon 10-22mm efs, the 24-105mm L EF, and the 100-300mm EF. During the time i have owned these lenses I have owned the Canon XT, the 60d, 70d and now the 90d bodies. But I have never had a desire to buy new lenses. Why would I? My 24-105 is my general purpose lens. I use it for 75% or more of my shots. The 10-22 is for when I have to go wide and the 100-300 is for sports, wildlife and general telephoto needs. I cannot imagine needing anything else other than maybe a 50mm prime with a large aperture. I don’t have a camera bag big enough for anymore lenses.
How many lenses do you own?
Why is it that photographers are obsessed with obt... (
show quote)
Well, for one thing I have 4 cameras, (actually 5, getting my old Panasonic GH1 back from Lifepixel on Tuesday after a full spectrum conversion), so if I only had 3 lenses I’d have a camera with no lens. Your 3 lenses cover a wide range but there are situations your lenses won’t cover. You yourself mentioned possibly wanting a fast 50mm, but I also have a 35mm because it’s closest to “normal” length on my D500. I like an 85mm 1.8 because it gives me a look that I can’t get with any zooms that cover that range. I like my 200-500mm because 300mm doesn’t give me enough reach for wildlife. I have macros for two different systems because I enjoy macro. (I also have reasons for multiple cameras and different systems but get into that another time). I also like to try different techniques so I’ve recently acquired some Lensbaby stuff. I’m out to have fun and I enjoy all of my lenses.
Maybe the question should be lenses per camera body, for those who own multiple cameras?
Yes every lens have its uniqueness. The 300 mm 2.8 tokina vs 70-200 2.8 there is not just 100 mm (focus speed,too) different. Alone the glass is so different, color, color of shade, subject distance, bokeh, distortion......
I left my EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM in the Bentley but Jeeves moved it to the stables for the winter and now the thoroughbreds are blocking it, so I have to use the PowerShot. Sigh.
taxslave wrote:
How many lenses do you own?
Just sold a bunch of primes I seldom used, so I'm down to four lenses for my D850, three for my M3, two for my FM2N, two for my Speed Graphic.
Am I obsessed?
taxslave wrote:
Why is it that photographers are obsessed with obtaining so many lenses? I only have 3 lenses that serve me well. I have owned them now for about 8-10 years during which I have bought 4 new bodies. My lenses are the Canon 10-22mm efs, the 24-105mm L EF, and the 100-300mm EF. During the time i have owned these lenses I have owned the Canon XT, the 60d, 70d and now the 90d bodies. But I have never had a desire to buy new lenses. Why would I? My 24-105 is my general purpose lens. I use it for 75% or more of my shots. The 10-22 is for when I have to go wide and the 100-300 is for sports, wildlife and general telephoto needs. I cannot imagine needing anything else other than maybe a 50mm prime with a large aperture. I don’t have a camera bag big enough for anymore lenses.
How many lenses do you own?
Why is it that photographers are obsessed with obt... (
show quote)
some people acquire trinkets, gadgets and gizmos. Some its cars and motorcycles. For others its camera lens's. If you ask a photographer to justify their purchases you will probably get a large load of B.S. covered with techno-speak. Photographers are artistic creative people and they can come up with amazing rationalizations for their GAS.
bleirer wrote:
I left my EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM in the Bentley but Jeeves moved it to the stables for the winter and now the thoroughbreds are blocking it, so I have to use the PowerShot. Sigh.
Did you look under the seat in the G-IV?
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