Mandatory Lenses

I have a 28-300mm lens which works for most anything. It's got a wide enough zoom so that it's very versatile. Additionally, I have some creative lenses- a selective focus Lensbaby, a fisheye lens, and a pinhole lens. I plan on getting a macro lens, a wide angle lens, and a telephoto lens in the future. A wide angle lens is good for landscapes... so if you shoot a lot of landscapes, that is a must! If you don't... you can probably hold off awhile on getting one. Or you may even decide you don't need one at all. DSLRs have a rechargeable battery. And your camera should come with a charger. I would highly recommend buying at least one extra battery though! I always keep a fully charged spare battery in my camera bag... it has come in handy more times than I can count!!!

the first question is if you have all these questions why are you buying a SLR camera? You are making a major investment and you will spend more on the lens than you will on the camera. I bought a Canon Rebel with an 18-55 lens. Since then I have purchased a 28-200 zoom lens valued at $695, a 50 mm f 1.8, and I just purchased a a 24-70 f 2.8 zoom lens valued at $695. I am not buying the top of the line lens. My advice is to put your tax refund in the bank and do some serious research into what you need for a camera. You may be able to have your needs met with a DSLR like camera. What type of photography do you plan to do? I like Action Sports and take a lot of photos of indoor sporting events. I need a fast lens. When I take photos of games outside I need a long telephoto lens. If I had to start with only one lens I would choose my 24-70 f2.8 zoom lens. When you do buy a lens buy the best you can afford. Go for Quality and not quanity.

A basic lens, that most people will start out with would be a 18-55. Most manufacturers sell them cheap, and sometimes include them with the camera body, if you buy a kit.