Originally posted by MShawn63 Rio you remind me of the presenter at a seminar I attended last year. He told everyone when it comes to glass you need them ALL, so morgage the house and tell the spouse of the absolute necessity to sanity and quality of life to have that much glass.
Have I mentioned that most of my glass is cheap? Mostly cheap old manual primes. Out of 200+ lenses I have one (1) autofocus prime (FA50/1.4), 8 AF zooms, 13 manual zooms (3 to be sold), and the rest all manual primes. Average cost of my AF's: US$327 each. Of the MF's: US$19 each. So AF capability adds over THREE HUNDRED BUCKS to each lens' cost. Yow.
"Holy monopoly, Batman! This stuff is expensive!"
My 40mm lens? It's cheap and slow and sharp and tiny, a Meyer Helioplan 40/4.5 that cost all of $12.55 shipped. It nestles in between a Mir-1 BV 37/2.8 ($36) and a few 35's (including a great SuperTak 35/3.5, $24) and a Chinon 45/2.8 ($13.75).
See, no second (or third) mortgage is needed. No diversion of house funds, either. I have absolutely no discretionary income now, so I eBuy batches of old camera gear and resell them for enough profit to pay for more old camera gear, including some great lens deals. All it takes is patience and free time. My time is worthless anyway. Shall I brag about the CZJ Biotar 58/2 I bought yesterday for US$25 shipped? [/me gloats]
Back to the original question: Why ask US? You've got an 18-55 and a 28-105, among others. Shoot. Keep track of focal lengths. If you shoot around 40mm a lot, then buy a 40. If not, then don't. Simple, eh?