How do you handle the 5% of situations when you may need a lens?

I just take a picture of what i have at the moment. For example when i need a long lens and i didnt have the 70-300 id just take the 135. If not that id take the 50L. Look, i better go home with a picture which i have to crop instead of no picture to not even look at it.

Additionally i just run to be closer. I always run if i want to capture a moment, because a second later it might be to late.

I remember last week i saw a very unique scene and it looked just great. I would've needed the 135L or a 85mm lens, but i just had the 50L on. So i ran 20ft closer to take the picture. Not as close as with a 135L but i got the shot.

Just shoot with what you have and if you can, walk towards your subject..

I got wide, standard, and long / macro covered.
24mm, 50mm and 100mm. If I need longer I crop.

When I purchased my first DSLR it was between the Nikon D80 (I believe) and the Canon EOS 400D. I could not really decide, then I asked one of my friends, who I was really looking up to, in terms of photography, and who still is someone, I think is the best Rally photographer in Hungary.

So I asked him, what he would suggest.

In the end, it was the 400D, what made me choose Canon was the more simle usability, and his words:
"Choose what your friends have, because if you needs something, you can borrow, or they can..."

Other choices are to rent, but I usually borrow lenses from friends

Alveric wrote in post #16698110
I guess a corollary question would be: do you carry ALL your lenses with you to every assignment or every time you go out to shoot, just in case you might need a particular focal length?

Never. I use my primes mostly for indoor events with family and friends, museums, etc. My zooms are for travel or outdoor local events, but I will only take a subset of those, with the selection depending on where we are going and what I expect to shoot.

I take the shot with what I have. Sometimes i'm pleasantly surprised and sometimes I'm horribly disappointed.

Over the years as my shooting style was evolving, my tastes changing, etc. I had the lenses I needed for that 95%. When a new situation came up, I made a note of that. Everytime it happened that it was in that 5% area, I made a note. Depending on how often that happened I either ignored it or bought another lens to cover that situaion. 2 times a year = ignore. 6 times a week = buy. You change, circumstances change. Yes, someday you might have to change your lens collection to match what you now shoot.

I did a three week photographic trip through NZ with the 17-40 on full frame. I thought I would miss shots, but I ended up getting shots I hadnt considered and was better off for it. You can always get a shot if you have a camera, sure not always the one you imagined, but certainly good shots. After that I realised the folly of being a collector rather than a photographer.

Alveric wrote in post #16698110
I guess a corollary question would be: do you carry ALL your lenses with you to every assignment or every time you go out to shoot, just in case you might need a particular focal length?

It depends on how much gear people own. People who own 3-5 lenses probably have one bag with all of them that they take 95% of the time. People who own 15 lenses will never carry all of them.

A better question is how often do people take a lens to cover a focal length they don't think they'll need.

Another thought is that regardless of how many lens Ives owned inevitiably you leave some at home when you go out. If I go on a macro walk, I dont take a long lens as well. I may still hit the 5% shot that walk. Alternatively if I carried all the gear I had I may miss the 95% due to not walking as far or being uncomfortable.

I pretty much have it covered from 10mm to 280mm (FoV FF equiv = 16mm-448mm). However, I very rarely carry the whole kit when I'm out shooting. This October I'm going to Africa for a 3 week safari tour, and I'm only taking the 17-55 and 70-200 w/1.4 tc. That will slightly short me on the wide end, and leave a 15mm gap in the middle, but neither one will be an issue for that sort of trip. If I was going back to Italy or anywhere like that with churches and other architecture to shoot, I'd feel the need for the 10-22, but I'd find a way to eliminate something else. Unless I'm primarily on a driving trip, I never carry my whole kit. Just too much to lug around without a good reason.

At least 90% of my normal outings only require the 17-55. It's far and away my most used lens. When I'm out and that's the only one I have, then I just don't look for shots which would require something else.

Rankinia wrote in post #16699576
Another thought is that regardless of how many lens Ives owned inevitiably you leave some at home when you go out. If I go on a macro walk, I dont take a long lens as well. I may still hit the 5% shot that walk. Alternatively if I carried all the gear I had I may miss the 95% due to not walking as far or being uncomfortable.

Or being caught in a quick capture situation with the wrong lens on, so having the right one in the bag was wasted effort anyway.

I'm more into telephoto than WA so my widest prime lens is a 35 f2. And since I shoot outdoors, I've found that a 70-300 IS USM with a 1.4 extender meets my needs so I don't burden myself with a large heavy lens. I use the 70-300 for birds and horseback field trials altho here I am thinking about a somewhat wider zoom that will still give me 300mm. I tried the 35-135 but it's not long enuf for me. I've been thinking about the 55-250 but what I really need is say maybe a 28/24-300.

For intermediate stull I use a 24-105 and a 70-200 f4 IS. And I'm thinking pretty seriously about the Sigma 105 macro. I suspect that'll do it for me.

Preeb wrote in post #16701199
Or being caught in a quick capture situation with the wrong lens on, so having the right one in the bag was wasted effort anyway.

I really hate it when that happens. Been in a few scenarios with the 135 where I felt like I was caught with my pants down. For those few times, a 70-200 F2.8 would come in handy as hell, but I do acknowledge that it would rarely be used.

I can borrow it from my BIL if I'm really in a pinch.

I'm fortunate to be able to buy "most" of my want or need lens. The issue comes when out and about of having the correct lens with me. Even a Lowepro magnum bag has its limitations.

I have quite a well-rounded collection, but many times I won't want to switch lenses or won't have a specific lens with me... So I will do stitching if I need wider... Or try some unique perspectives that you may have not otherwise done with another focal length!

I find being limited at times can give you some of the best results! I used to take all my gear with me to most places, but now I will only take a lens or two and improvise if need be.