First I want to be clear about one thing- Your gear doesn't make your work better! You can create magic with whatever you have. The most important thing is to know that a powerful image is about the framing of the moment and the quality of your light.
One question I get a lot when I'm out shooting is, “What's the best camera to buy?"
I like to keep it simple. If you can't tell by now, I'm a minimalist. I work better when I lighten my load and simplify my gear. It allows me to be more flexible so I can be free with creating. I don't want to worry about dropping my gear or carrying a heavy bag. When I started shooting, I would only carried my Canon T3i Rebel with a 50 mm 1.8 lens. It was very challenging but so satisfying. It forced me to move around a lot more and find the best possible vantage points.
Now, when I'm planning to hang out with family or take a short trip somewhere, I bring my Canon R and depending on what I'm shooting, I bring one of these lenses:
50 mm 1.8 (super affordable)
16-35mm
24-70mm
70-200mm
First rule is, know how to use your camera and know what you want to shoot. Do you want to catch fast action? Then you will need a lens with a wide aperture (f/2.8 or wider). Do you want sharp images of broad landscapes that might include foreground and background subjects? If you know you want to take portraits or close ups, you will want something solid in the mid range, from about 50mm to 100mm depending on your camera.
Scene
For a cinematic feel, the 28mm or wider lens offers you an establishing shot. It tells the story of space and the subjects within it.
When the story being told needs to balance more towards the subject, yet the scene is still a necessary aspect of the image, a 35 mm lens is always a great option. Several photographer like the 35 mm lens as default because it renders space and distance very similar to the human eye.
Detail
I mentioned earlier that my favorite lens is the 50mm because it pulls the subject out of the frame, letting the space drop away. This lens has a captivating visual edge no matter what depth of field you choose. If you are wide open, the shallow nature makes the focus of your photograph very clear; then if you go a stop down, the lens brings foreground and background into a single effortless space.
Moral of the Story
Every photographer has their own tools that fits them best. The beauty of the tools we use as photographer is the range that they offer, and the way that we can take advantage of our equipment. In the end, not matter the camera or lens, a beautiful photograph is always the most important thing.
