Too many lenses

[odagled]

As the title states, I think I may have too many lenses. In fact I know I do. Let this be a warning to anyone just starting. It's easy to get GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) when you're in the beginning stages of your photography journey. I started with a D80 back in 06. It came with the 28-80mm f3.3-5.6G & an SB800. It was my fathers camera but of course I'd play with it as much as I could. My next lens was the 18-55mm VR. Looking back, I should have just started building my collection with FX lenses. Afterwards I purchased a 50mm 1.8D & a 70-300mm 4.5-5.6G ED VR. I was doing well as this 3 lens combo covered the whole range for me. The only problem was, once I had seen how sharp the 50mm prime & the beautiful bokeh I could get get out of such a large aperture, I was hooked. I sold the 18-55mm, got a 35mm f/2 & a 18-70mm. The gap between 55mm & 70mm always bugged me for some reason.

Anywho, my point is this: I went through a lot of selling and reselling lenses when I should've had a plan instead. Buying lenses should depend on the type of photography you want to pursue. In terms of money spent, I always bought used so I would always break even or make a little more. Not bad.

My current cameras/lenses and why I use them are:


D80
D7000
D600
FM2

20mm f/4 AI - Landscapes
24mm f/2.8 AI - wide angle/groups
35mm f/2D - street photography on FM2
50mm f/1.4D - portraits
60mm f/2.8 - Macro work
85mm f/1.8g - LOVE for portraits
35-70mm f/2.8D - events
70-200mm f/2.8 VR1 - events/portraits

28-80mm 3.3-5.6G - nostalgic reasons
18-70mm 3.3 -5.6G - keep it on the D80
24-85mm VR 3.5-4.5G VR - came with the D600, just haven't gotten around to selling it.


The 24mm - 35-70mm - 70-200mm is my "Semi-Holy Trinity". New people, don't succumb to GAS! Veterans, how many lenses do you guys have?

-Dan

 

[greybeard]

Lenses for photographers, microphones for singers, trumpets and mouth pieces for trumpet players, guitars for well, guitar players, etc. etc. It just kind of goes that way and professionals are just as bad at GAS. I know a Pro who swears he has every lens Nikon ever made. (I doubt it but he has a boat load of glass)

 

[astroNikon]

I have a bunch of lenses too, but then I also have 2 camera bodies.

But I see you were a little braver than me as you went with some AI lenses. I'm too worried that my eyesight might give me OOF photos too many times.
Even though those AI-S 85mm/1.4s would be nice to have but doesn't save too much from the AF-D version.

I'm also a musician ... musicians are crazy in not only instruments, which cost more than cameras but also mouthpieces, barrels, reeds, ligatures, etc.

 

[goodguy]

Well I was very careful with my lenses and today I feel for my current need I am covered from head to toe.

In my camera bad I have my Nikon 24-70mm 2.8G, Tamron 70-200mm 2.8 VC and Nikon 50mm 1.8D
The first 2 lenses pretty much covers 95% of my needs, they are good for landscape, portraits, good light ot mid light conditions.
The 50mm is used only for low light, its so small and light that I forget its in my bag unless I really need it.

The 85mm 1.8G is used only for portrait and is always left at home
The 60mm 2.8G is mostly for macro and usually will stay at home and only if I will go to a forest I will take it in case I see a pretty bug is calling me.
The 18-55mm VR is a lens I hardly ever use and I take it only if I plan on doing just landscaping, its a very basic lens but its good enough for my needs and I never found the need to get something wider or more advanced, this lens also stayes most of the time at home.

So there you have it 6 lenses, each has its need and use, other lenses I used to own I sold the moment I didnt need them anymore.

 

[Derrel]

D80
D7000
D600
FM2
20mm f/4 AI - Landscapes
24mm f/2.8 AI - wide angle/groups
35mm f/2D - street photography on FM2
50mm f/1.4D - portraits
60mm f/2.8 - Macro work
85mm f/1.8g - LOVE for portraits
35-70mm f/2.8D - events
70-200mm f/2.8 VR1 - events/portraits

28-80mm 3.3-5.6G - nostalgic reasons
18-70mm 3.3 -5.6G - keep it on the D80
24-85mm VR 3.5-4.5G VR - came with the D600, just haven't gotten around to selling it.


The 24mm - 35-70mm - 70-200mm is my "Semi-Holy Trinity". New people, don't succumb to GAS! Veterans, how many lenses do you guys have?

-Dan

Seems about like the minimum a guy could do with, if you ask me! I own most of those, except for the 18-70 and the "new" 24-85 VR, but I do have a 24-85 AF-S G, the first version, and I even own a little 28-80 plastic-mount, but it is the earlier D-series model! GAS is not that bad....it's not! My 35/2 AF-D just blew the lens diaphragm last weekend, in the middle of a shoot, it conked out! I looked at the rear LCD and though...WHOA!!!!! WHITEOUT images!!! I thought, "Now THAT is seriously overexposed! WTF? OMG!" Shooting at f/11 at 1/250 in fairly bright sunlight with fill-flash, but the danged lens was shootin' at f/2.0!!!! No stop-y-down-y!!!!! Well, I now have an excuse to buy that new Sigma 35mm f/1.4 ART lens! Woo-hoo!

 

[tirediron]

Too many lenses? Does. Not. Compute.

 

[KmH]

At the peak I had 19 Nikon lenses, but I had a thriving retail/commercial photography business too.

Now that I'm retired I have 2 lenses.
A Nikon AF 24-85 mm f/2.8-4D (can do 1:2 macro from 35 mm to 85 mm)
A Nikon 80-200 mm f/2.8D ED 1-ring.

I'll probably also get a Nikon AF 14 mm f/2.8D ED when I run across a good deal for one.

 

[hamlet]

Each person is different. I personally never want to overlap focal lengths or buy too many little lenses unless the advantages far outweight the disadvantages. I'm nearly a year into photography, and i have bought 3 lenses i regularly use.

 

[odagled]

I have a bunch of lenses too, but then I also have 2 camera bodies. But I see you were a little braver than me as you went with some AI lenses. I'm too worried that my eyesight might give me OOF photos too many times. Even though those AI-S 85mm/1.4s would be nice to have but doesn't save too much from the AF-D version. I'm also a musician ... musicians are crazy in not only instruments, which cost more than cameras but also mouthpieces, barrels, reeds, ligatures, etc.

I bought the 20mm f/4 AI first because it was so cheap, about $140?. The filter ring is a little bent but whatever. I loved the feel of a classic lens. Tough as a tank! I was also hesitant about missing focus but I figured I might as well try and learn manual focus, zone focusing, hyperfocal distance, etc. The price was right too! Since I already have the 85mm 1.8G, I was thinking of getting a 105mm f/1.8 AIS or f/2.5 just for fun.

 

[astroNikon]

RAts
i think I just bought two more lenses the last couple days

 

[odagled]

RAts
i think I just bought two more lenses the last couple days

It's an addiction...

 

[shadowlands]

I have two bodies and four lenses, but I keep my eyes peeled for more glass... always... sucks being human!!!

 

[hamlet]

I have two bodies and four lenses, but I keep my eyes peeled for more glass... always... sucks being human!!!

Opening brand new gear always feels like Christmas morning. I'm so vain.

 

[odagled]

I have two bodies and four lenses, but I keep my eyes peeled for more glass... always... sucks being human!!!

Which lenses? I see a 50mm 1.8D right?

 

[astroNikon]

I have two bodies and four lenses, but I keep my eyes peeled for more glass... always... sucks being human!!!

Which lenses? I see a 50mm 1.8D right?

his signature ...
Nikon AF-S 28-70 F2.8D,
Nikon AF 80-200 F2.8D
Nikon AF 20-35mm F2.8D,
Nikon AF 50mm F1.8D


he has the old trinity variation