The quality of your images depends on your lenses.
When you get your first SLR camera body, you only have half the equipment you need to take photographs. To take advantage of the versatility and power of the SLR, whether digital or film, you need to start building a lens set. The types of lenses you need depend on the subjects you photograph most often.
Telephoto Zoom
The 70 to 210 millimeter zoom lens is one of the first you should buy. It is an extremely versatile lens that works well for portraits, large wildlife, certain landscapes and some action shots. The zoom range is moderate enough and the lens common enough that you can get solid quality for a moderate price. If you plan to shoot moving subjects or low light scenes, look for a "fast" or large aperture -- ideally f/2.8 -- lens. For long exposures, choose a lens with a tripod collar.
Wide-Angle Zoom
Acquire a wide-angle zoom for landscapes and cramped shooting conditions. A 24 to 35 millimeter lens works well for amateur photography. If you intend to specialize in landscapes, consider an ultra-wide angle zoom going down to 18 millimeters.
Normal Zoom
The standard journalistic lens is a 35 to 70 millimeter zoom. Because it is close to what your eye actually sees, this is called a "normal" lens. It is good for street and documentary photography as well as parties, family vacations and other every day uses.
Macro Lens
If you want to photograph small objects such as flowers or insects, you will need a macro lens. Macro lenses can focus much closer than other types of lenses, allowing for 1:1 size images. You only need a macro lens if you plan to do a significant amount of close-up photography.
Long Telephoto
For wildlife or sports action, most photographers use long telephoto lenses of 300 to 500 millimeters. Wait to invest in these until you have become comfortable with your 70 to 210 zoom and are sure you really need the extra length. These lenses are expensive and harder to use than shorter lenses, but it's almost impossible to get a good wildlife or sports shot without a fairly fast long telephoto lens.
Tags: millimeter zoom, need macro, need macro lens, types lenses, wildlife sports, works well