Possible to have to much glass?

[rsprouse]

That is one heck of a kit. Of course it is impossible to get even close to what Bjorn has in his stash, but I am pretty happy with my collection:

"Modern" lenses:
Nikon AF-S Fisheye-Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8 G ED DX
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 12-24mm f/4 G ED-IF DX
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G ED
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D
Nikon 28mm f/3.5 PC
Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor ED 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 G IF
Nikon AF-S Zoom Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D ED-IF
Canon 35mm f/2.8 TS (tilt-shift)
Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D
Nikon 58mm f/1.2 Noct-Nikkor
Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 D
Nikon PC Micro Nikkor 85mm f/2.8 D (tilt-shift)
Nikon AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-200 f/2.8G
Nikon AF 105mm f/2 DC D
Nikon Micro Nikkor 200mm f/4
Nikon AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor ED 200-400 f/4G IF
Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor ED 70-300mm f/4-5.6 D - SOLD
Nikon TC14E II teleconverter
Nikon TC17E II teleconverter
Kenko 2X TC

"Old" lenses:
Nikon Zoom Nikkor AF 35-70mm f/3.3-4.5
Nikon Nikkor-N.C Auto 24mm f/2.8
Nikon Nikkor-S Auto 35mm f/2.8
Nikon Nikkor-S 50mm f/1.4
Nikon Nikkor-H Auto 50mm F/2
Nikon Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8
Nikon Nikkor-P.C 105mm f/2.5
Nikon Reflex-Nikkor 500mm f/8
Nikon Bellows-Nikkor 105mm f/4 (with PB-4 bellows)
Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm f/3.5 Macro Focusing Auto Zoom ("Version 1")
Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm f/3.5 Macro Focusing Auto Zoom ("Version 2")
Vivitar Auto Wide-Angle 28mm f/2.5
Nikon TC-200 2X Teleconverter

What I'm lusting for:
6mm fisheye
16mm fisheye
24mm T/S
24-70
200mm f/2 VR
500mm f/4 VR
600mm f/4 VR

It never ends - as Bjorn has proven!

-- Russ

 

[DaveOHUSA]

The more the merrier! and congrats on having exactly what you want and deserve. If you've only bought and sold 2 lenses inthe last 2-1/2 years, than I'd say your kit is still pretty tight. Enjoy!

 

[mematsu]

I currently have seven. But, I've gone through thirty five to get there.

 

[Bill]

Congratulations! As long as you subscribe to the principle of, buy what you don’t have and never sell anything, tomorrow is a new day and time for a new lens. You have a nice start on a complete collection.

 

[kgill]

I've wondered about this a million times and I kind of subscribe to Edward's rule... I don't have the cash to amass a huge collection, so I have to think very carefully about use as I save a tiny bit each month for a yearly purchase...

 

[Paul.r.lindqvist]

Im going for quality rather then quantity... then again im no collector.

 

[Doug]

boy, there's a key statement, quality vs quantity any day!

I am going to now say to the answer to this question as far as I am concerned is yes, you can have to much glass. Assuming you can afford the financial aspects of Russ's kit for example, ouch. There's deciding what to shoot, this process could become really complex. I also find that if I have to much replication, lenses wind up just sitting, not being used. I also found I seem to want to stick everything in the car, geesh.

My 17-55 was a perfect example of idle not "idol" glass. Even though I took a great photo with it early on, it still wound up playing second fiddle to the 17-35mm for landscapes, and just taking up space most of the time. I guess I'm a creature of habit, I get to know a lens well, I tend to go to it.

Seems like the decision process could get overwhelming with so much to choose from. I don't feel I could be my best with much more than I have now. In fact, I have forced myself to sell some glass to create room for other, just telling myself, keeping everything is not an option. I am also creating a sub kit, just so I don't even consider everything for my main kit. Oh, sure I could change a lens over for a day either way. but I see no real point to carrying 2 28mm's even if one is the 1.4d and 1 isn't. I see no point to carrying a 35 f2 when I have a 28 f1.4. I will only replicate function or focal length for good reason now in my kit. Of course, how I define good could be questionable carrying a 70-200, and primes in that range.

 

[randomway]

You can always lend your unused lenses to someone, who doesn't have enough money to buy them. I never used the 18-70dx that I got with my d200 and the 135/2.8 since I have a 105/2 dc, so I gave them to a friend to use them and take care of them if possible. They are worthless if you try to sell them, but keeping them in the drawer makes absolutely no sense....

... some of you should really start thinking about ways to put those lenses to good use...

...just my 2c worth.

 

[cwilt]

Since this thread has been dug up from the past I can now answer the question for myself.

Is it to much glass? No
I reviewed the list and the only changes are...
I sold the Bigma and Sigma TC's recently, purchased the 85/1.4 and 80-400vr. Instead of a D70 I now have a Fuji S5 and D2x. At this time I am considering putting the 28-70 and 70-200 up for sale. I don't need AFS for what I do and prefer the size and image qualities of my primes.

I enjoy portraiture. No sports at this time, and I don't have time for wildlife. Landscapes only happen when on vacation.

So, for me, my kit is complete for now. A tool for each job. :smile:

 

[rsprouse]

I admit to being a combination of equipment freak, collector, packrat and photographer, with the added vice of being too lazy to go to the trouble of selling stuff I don't use.

As Doug mentions, I think of a "sub kit" which contains the lenses I actually use week-to-week. I made up this "lens strategy" to clarify my thinking on what I use for what purposes, and what I may want to add:

High-quality zooms to cover wide range with a few quality lenses:
14-24mm f/2.8
17-35mm f/2.8 (probably not needed now that I have the 14-24)
28-70mm f/2.8
70-200mm f/2.8 VR
200-400mm f/4 VR

Key primes for ultra-wide, low light, portraiture, etc.:
10.5mm f/1.4 DX Fisheye
50mm f/1.4
58mm f/1.2 Noct
85mm f/1.4
105mm f/2 DC

Perspective Control lenses:
28mm f/3.5 PC (will probably go when I get the 24mm T/S)
Canon 35mm f/2.8 T/S
85mm f/2.8 PC (T/S)

Macro lenses:
55mm f/2.8 Micro (not really used since I got the 200)
105mm f/4 Bellows (w/ PB-4 bellows)
200mm f/4 Micro

With the recent addition of the D3, the one thing I would like to add next is a long telephoto for birds and other wildlife - probably a 600mm. But that is a lot of money so I will have to wait a bit. Meanwhile I use the 200-400 with the D2Xs and TCs.

So, yeah, there is a lot of stuff in my collection I could dump if I was more practical.

-- Russ

 

[Equis25]

When I became more active with photography in Nov. '04 , I started again from scratch with a D70. Currently there's 17-55 DX, & Tamron 11-18mm DX, all others are FF: 24-120VR, 80-400VR, 70-200VR, 105mmVR, 85mm/f1.8, 50mm /f1.8 ; Sigma 28mm/f2.8 macro, 24-70mm/f2.8 , Tamron 200-500mm, and MF/[AIS] 50mm/f2, 45mmGN, 135mm/f2.8, 55mm/f1.4. These are for use on F thru F6 & D2x/D300/D70. At least I can say that I'm reasonably well covered focal lengthwise. Of course there are lenses that may be more desirable, but for the time being I'll stick with these.

 

[azarby]

18-70DX
70-300ED
24/2.8
35/2
45P
50/1.8
50/1.4
60/2.8 micro
85/1.8
105/2 DC
180/2.8
300/4

24-120VR
12-24
28-70/2.8
70-200/2.8VR
70-180 micro
1.4TC

Sigma 50-500
Sigma 1.4TC
Sigma 2xTC

Yikes! I have never listed them all before.

Tell me I'm not the only one? Please.

You are missing a 600. You really need to get one of those to fill out the high a little better.

bob

 

[Paul.r.lindqvist]

You are missing a 600. You really need to get one of those to fill out the high a little better.

bob

Not helping... :biggrin:

 

[cwilt]

If I give in to lens lust again it will be for the ZF's. Probably the 50/2 and the 100/2.

 

[johnmh]

18-70DX
70-300ED
24/2.8
35/2
45P
50/1.8
50/1.4
60/2.8 micro
85/1.8
105/2 DC
180/2.8
300/4

24-120VR
12-24
28-70/2.8
70-200/2.8VR
70-180 micro
1.4TC

Sigma 50-500
Sigma 1.4TC
Sigma 2xTC

Yikes! I have never listed them all before.

Tell me I'm not the only one? Please.

hmmm.... adding up, you've got 18 + 3 TC's..............

oldest carries
10.5 fisheye
16 fisheye
18-200 Tamron
70-300
sometimes with 50 1.8

wife carries
18-55VR or
18-200VR
sometimes with 70-300VR

I've usually got
12-24 Tokina
35-70 2.8
70-200VR
50 1.4
TC-14EII
TC-17EII
TC-20EII
sometimes adding 105VR macro
sometimes with 200-400VR

others (not used all that often at this point)
18-55 orig kit
24-84 2.8-4
24-120VR orig kit
28-80 ??
500 reflex off brand
400-800 off brand cheapie paperweight
old TC 200

so..... moment of truth.....20 (shouldn't really count the cheapies though) + 4 TC's

I'm a little ahead though pragmatically, we're about even

(you can rationalize here before reading further .... )

but

my inventory is getting split among 3 active users and I suspect I'm a bit older and farther along on the 'he who dies with the most toys, wins' path.....

Any history of "Obsessive Compulsive Disorder " in your family?
I KNOW there's a history in mine.....



Notes:

lucky enough that there's not a compelling need to sell older glass when 'upgrading' .......

maybe I'll add a wider zoom - 17-55 or 24-80 later or pick up an 80-400 VR if they ever upgrade it to AF-S (the 200-400 is BIG and HEAVY) but otherwise..... haven't been bitten by the prime bug.....

and - realistically, I COULD winnow things down to 12 lenses and 3 TC's max among the 3 of us

and BTW - insurance was .0165 per 1$ - with 5 bodies 200, 2x70, 50, 40 - around $350 total non-pro use

 

[HWolff]

Wow! I am looking you up the next time I am in Denver :wink:

 

[IAH-DF]

Charles,
wouldn't it be easier to list what you don't have! lol
How many lens bearers are on you payroll?