Best Complete Lens Collection

-MasterChief- wrote in post #5775793
oh that explains it! maybe i should stop staring at my 16-35!

Well there ya go! "A watched pot does not boil."

Double Negative wrote in post #5775578
They multiply at night, when no one is watching.

Oh man, we need to tie you up. Are you divorced yet?

dahl wrote in post #5272771
I like to shoot "everything" and I would love to hear which lenses you think complete a collection of lenses. Now I know that most upgrade and have different budgets.

What would the best collection of lenses be for a medium budget? And for a large budget? I am not really thinking about special lenses, but the smallest amount of lenses that will perform best for you in all kinds of different situations.

I'm sorry if there's already a thread on this subject, I'm sure there is, but I haven't been able to locate it.

Finding a kit to shoot "everything" is not easy. You'll end up with way too many lenses.

I noticed that you've mentioned "travel" several times and it's also in your signature. If travel is the first of your "everything" and you want to travel light, the 17-55/2.8 and the 55-250/4.5-5.6 make a good combo. I travel with the 17-55 and the 70-300/DO, but this combo is expensive and heavier. From what I can see and read, the 55-250 seems to have good IQ.

About not wanting to buy an EF-S lens, been there and done that>>for about 6 months. But when I thought about what I needed for a trip to Monterrey, CA, I decided I needed the f/2.8 and IS for museums, night shots and the aquarium. The second best purchase I've made so far (i.e., it's the second most used lens in my kit).

for me what best is this set up:

17-35mm L F/2.8
35-350mm L / 28-300mm L IS

i think this should cover for a tight budget.

On my 30D I've got...

• Tokina 11-16 2.8
  
• Tamaron 17-50 2.8
  
• Canon 70-200 2.8 IS

Look at my gear list and tell me why I just bought 3 lenses yesterday. There is no end to it. So many choices and so much variety.

gasrocks wrote in post #5776361
Look at my gear list and tell me why I just bought 3 lenses yesterday. There is no end to it. So many choices and so much variety.

I agree with this... when it comes to photography, nothing is enough!!! your gear will keep on expanding..

internski wrote in post #5776141
On my 30D I've got...

• Tokina 11-16 2.8
  
• Tamaron 17-50 2.8
  
• Canon 70-200 2.8 IS

Seems to do the trick so far. Only two I would like to add would be a low light prime and Canon 100mm Macro.

Just add the Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 and you have my future kit. Maybe throw a portrait prime (85mm f1.8 ) in there to round it out.

dahl wrote in post #5272771
...the smallest amount of lenses that will perform best for you in all kinds of different situations...

I'd want at least these four (for a 22mm camera):

Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM for wide angle/landscapes.
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM for general purpose/travel.
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM for wildlife/sports.
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM for low light/portraits.

I like this game...

This is my reasonably priced dream kit. To define reasonable, I mean that I may end up with it one day and still be married.

17-40mm f/4L
24-105mm f/4L IS
50mm f/1.4
85mm f/1.8
70-200mm f/4L IS
135mm f/2L

I love to shoot landscape, architecture, and portraits. Will have kids eventually, so I need to think of that. All of these lenses are full-frame compatible. The walk-around lens (24-105mm) and telezoom (70-200mm) have IS. Although the zooms are all relatively slow at f/4, the three fast primes makes up for that. Best of all, each lens can be had for ~$1000 or less.

It's not a collection, it's a toolkit.

The complete toolkit is the one that contains the particular tool needed to do the particular job at hand right now.

Let's see, currently 13 lenses plus two TCs... and still I occasionally find myself needing something I don't have.

Considering a lens swap right now, 17-35 for a 12-24, to better accomodate the crop sensor cameras I use most of the time.

And, if I shot mostly full frame, I'd want a 135/2.

For very occasion use, I'd rent specialty lenses instead of buying.

No such thing as a complete collection on a medium budget...

That said, I am very happy with what I have, although I'll admit I need more.

17-40
24-70
70-200 2.8
300 2.8
TCs

On a 1-series, gets you from (equivalent) ~23mm to ~780mm. Not bad for a (relatively) light 4-lens setup.

On 1.6x crop, goes from around 28mm to 960mm! A little long on the wide end for my taste, but certainly enough reach on the other!

pli wrote in post #5273374
this would be a godly setup
on ff
16-35 f/2.8
24-70 f2.8
70-200 f/2.8 L IS

35mm f/1.4 L
50mm f/1.2 L
85mm f/1.2 L

That's probably THE collection to have. I think Double Negative has that setup...

pixelharmony wrote in post #5787262
That's probably THE collection to have. I think Double Negative has that setup...

So many lenses, so little money...

this is what i have and its good for me so far...

canon 10-22
sigma 24-70 2.8
canon 50 1.8
canon 70-200 2.8L