Is having many lenses overrated?

[C. D. Keth]

I believe that the perfect number of lenses for most situations is three. This allows you to choose a normal focal length that pleases you, a wide focal length for when you want that sort of depth perspective, and a longer lens for when you want a squished depth perspective.

More lenses only let you 1.) fine tune these basic decisions or 2.) allow you to achieve a specific composition when your choice of vantage points is limited.

In observing students with a great variety of lenses to choose from (since they didn't have to purchase them all), I have noticed that people are often too afraid to use a "wide" lens and instead choose a slight;y wide lens and the effect they wanted to achieve by using a wide lens in the first place is negated. Same for long lenses. The three-lens kit forces you to make decisions and not chicken out from them. Once you get used to only having three lenses, then you can start to acquire more as you see fit. I think this teaches you to pick your focal length more carefully than if you have nearly unlimited choices from the beginning.

[Frank Petronio]

I am so cheap/minimalist that rather than buy a wide angle (again) I simply stitch or put multiple pix side by side for a divided panorama. I think this looks better than the "fun house mirror" effect of most wide angle photos.

Of course once a paying client asks for a wide angle large format film shot, I will charge them enough to purchase a nice wide lens. But jobs that require wide angles usually suck... and I hate the way most wide angle photos look. So I won't be getting one anytime soon for my own work.

Right now I have a 150 and 210 for 4x5. Best bang for the buck and exquistely plain and normal. The 150 feels wide and the 210 feels long to me. I should probably swap them for a single 180...

[Kirk Gittings]

But jobs that require wide angles usually suck...

??????? A classic generalization by Petronio. The only jobs I ever found that sucked were either low budget, involved manure, alligators or getting shot at.

For years I got away with only two lenses and traveled nationally shooting for Architecture Magazine. I never felt constrained. Now for 6x9 and 4x5 I carry a 47,65,90,120,150,210,305 and a Hassleblad outfit for really long shots.

[Brian K]

I don't think having many lenses is overrated, there are definite advantages, and disadvantages to having many lenses. The most obvious advantage is being able to frame your image exactly within the film's dimensions and minimizing any cropping in.
The biggest disadvantage is having to cart around all that glass and the slowing down of your set up while you put the proper lens on the camera. If you only carry 3 lenses, a wide, normal and long, it's pretty easy to put the lens on the camera that best approximates what you need. If you have very wide, wide, slightly wide, normal, long normal, long, and very long, you sometimes put the wrong lens on and then have to switch to the next wider/longer lens. No big deal but when light is fleeting and every second counts it can sometimes be a problem.

I'm on location as we speak and have brought for the Sinar: 80,120,150,200,240,250(imagon),300, 360,500,720. I tend to shoot long lenses most often hence the closer spacing there. The 360/500/720 in the Tele Nikkor. I also have a Fotoman 612 system with me as a second system and have brought the 65,90,135,180,270. That's a lot of glass, when I go on a trip that requires flying I'll only take one system.

[John Z.]

Remember, Edward Weston only had four lenses for all his travels with his 8x10 camera, which included a triple convertible; the shortest was 12 inches (300mm); he had no wide angle lens!

Ansel had a quote I remember vaguely, the more lenses he had the harder it was to take photographs, because he couldn't decide which lens to use....

[E_Aiken]

Currently have 72, 90, 120, 150, 210. Looking to sell the 90 and 120, replace with the 110xl, and maybe swap out the 210 for a 300 as I just never seem to use it. Four lenses I think will work fine, particularly as I use the 150 for about half of what I shoot.

[Gene McCluney]

Certain types of photography require certain types of lenses. I find for my bridge photography project, I am almost always shooting with my 90mm and 135mm on 4x5, but other subjects require different choices. It really depends on where you can set up your camera in relation to the scene you want to capture. Some people have a style that works with one or two focal lengths, others need more choices for their vision. In 35mm, my bridge photos require anywhere from 15mm to 35mm. I try to use 35mm to minimise distortion, but when I can't get all the subject in with 35mm from where I can stand to get a nice view, I have to go wider. No matter what format, I like to compose and frame so that I do no cropping of the negative when I print.

[JW Dewdney]

Some collect equipment. Others make pictures.

[Brian K]

Some collect equipment. Others make pictures.

Some do both.

[Gary Smith]

Some do both.

Ditto.