I have to admit I tried to cheat on this question. I put a query into ChatGPT to save time, but the output was so technical. I wanted to explain this to our customers in plain language, so here goes!

Nearly all single lens reflex (SLR) cameras and many rangefinder cameras do not come with non-removable lenses. Why? Well the simple answer is that having an interchangeable lens system allows the photographer to use different types of lenses with different characteristics on their camera body. There are loads of different options. There are:

• Standard lenses
• Wide angle lenses
• Zoom lenses
• Fisheye lenses
• Telephoto lenses
• and many more!

Another reason for this feature is so that manufacturer can sell you more lenses and make more money! Generally the most expensive lenses are made by the camera manufacturer (i.e. Nikkor lenses made by Nikon). These tend to be the best lenses for the body you have, but there are several other manufacturers (called "third party manufacturers"), who make lenses compatible with most popular cameras. Often, 3rd party lenses work just fine and get the job done. 

Choosing Your Lenses

We get this question often from newbies. They ask: "Hey, I just bought this Canon AE-1 (or something else) from you. It doesn't have a lens. Which lens should I buy for it?" This is a very reasonable question. There are literally dozens of lens mount formats. The lens mount refers to the interface between the camera (the hole) and the back of the lens. In the case of the Canon AE-1, the lens mount type is called "FD mount." Any FD mount lens will fit a Canon AE-1 and many other cameras in the Canon lineup. Many, but not all. When you look at our camera listings, we will generally state the mount that the camera has. This will normally tell you what lens mounts you can use. For example, if we are selling a Pentax Spotmatic, we will normally say that the lens takes a "M42 mount" lens. To find a compatible lens, you can put "M42" in search. We understand that sometimes it can be more confusing than this, or you may just want to double check. If that's the case, just use the Contact Us feature on the website or, once we get it installed, you will be able to use chat.

How Many Lenses Do You Need?

How many lenses do you need for your camera? Good question! It really depends on what you plan to do with the camera. A standard lens (usually 50mm) works fine for most general applications. If you are just going out shooting people and locations and aren't looking to do anything particularly funky, you can probably get by with just a standard lens. If you want to take pictures of wildlife from a distance, you are going to need a telephoto lens or a zoom lens with a telephoto focal length. If you want to take pictures of landscapes, like mountains and prairies, you are going to want a wide angle lens. And if you really want to get crazy, try the fisheye! I know photographers with 1 lens in their bag, and I know others who have a backpack with eight or more lenses in it.