Your Realistic 3-5 Lens Collection

I would keep my current lens lineup

17-40L
24-70L
70-200L

Simple, lightweight, and the image quality makes me smile every time!

10-22mm Canon (have this one)
24-105L Canon (saving for this one)
100-400L Canon (dreaming about this one)
85 f1.8 (should have grab it back when the wife said to get it)

What I currently have and add a 16-35 and a good 50L.

For crop:

3 lenses:
10-22 (got it)
24-70L
70-200 IS 2.8L (got it)

5 lenses:
(above 3)
60mm or 100mm macro
50 1.4

I know many recommend the 17-55 over the 24-70 for crop, but for my shooting I'd miss 56-69mm a lot more than I'd miss 23mm.

If we're being realistics I Don't think I'm far off having my ideal setup:

EF-S 10-22mm F/3.5-4.5
EF-S 17-55mm F/2.8 IS
EF 70-200 F/4L
EF 100mm F/2.8 Macro
EF 50mm F/1.4

Alongside my trusty 40D + Manfrotto, I'm pretty happy with this setup.

Wow this is a hard choice
with 3 lenses i would probably go for
EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5
EF 24-105mm f/4
EF 300mm f/4

With 5 i would probably go for my current dream collection i hope to be getting
11-16 f/2.8 tonika
EF-S 17-55mm f/1.8
EF 24-105mm f/4
EF 300mm f/4

then either the 70-200 f/2.8 is
or EF 180mm macro

I'm very happy with my current lenses. But If I was to start from scratch and money was no option then I would choose :
16-35L
24-70L
85L
70-200L f2.8 IS
300L f2.8 IS

and of course the 1.4X and the 2X extenders ( I count them as accessories)

I'm part way there but I think this is my realistic goal:

Zooms:
16-35L II
24-70 f2.8
70-200 f2.8 IS

Primes:
24 f1.4 II
85 1.8

Already own:

10-22mm
24-105mm L
70-200mm 2.8 IS L

Would add:

50mm 1.4
100mm macro

16-35mm f/2.8L II, 35mm f/1.4L, 50mm f/1.2L, 70-200mm f/2.8L IS, and 100mm f/2.8 macro

16-35L
24-70L
70-200L
35L
85L or 135L

All a a general shooter should need, rent longer lens only when needed

My signature minus the 50 f1.8 and plus the 100 f2.8 APO Leica Macro

I'll put my two cents in:

Tokina 12-24 f/4
Canon 50 f/1.4
Canon 60 f/2.8
Canon 24-105 L
Canon EF 70-200 f/2.8 L IS (or at least Canon EF 70-200 f/4 L) with extenders
and maybe
Canon 400 f/5.6 L

As you can see from what I have NOW, there's still some saving to do.
I'd add that what I have today is quite satisfactory, though.

Disregardin any budget i would choose for:

Canon 10-22 - Just for landscapes
Canon 24-105
Canon 180 F3.5 Macro
Canon 300 F2.8 with 1.4 and 2.0 extenders

Well that is about it.

Grtz Jan