Are wide-angle or zoom lenses better and why?

I'm going to buy a new camera *one where you can switch lenses- the Nikon 1 j1- and I don't know whether to get the package with a wide-angle lense or the zoom lens- help please! And could you tell me why which one is better?

It depends on what YOU will be photographing. Each lens is made for different purposes.

For my camera… I have wide, normal, telephoto, macro, and a tilt-shift lenses (about 10 in all). I use certain lenses for different things.

What will you be shooting?

Telephoto lenses aren't exactly helpful for architectural photography and wide-angle lenses aren't good for portraits.

Get the standard 10-30 (or whatever the standard kit lens for the 1 is)

How about a wide angle zoom? Since this seems to be your first step up camera, you probably have no idea where your photo interests lie. A fixed wide angle lens is going to be better optically than a zoom, but you are locked into only one field of view. You can use your foot zoom, walking closer or further from your subject, and crop after your shoot, but the lens in the lens.

If you are going with the kits, I would go with the 2 lens zoom kit, because it gives the most flexibility. If you really like shooting landscapes and find the zoom lens isn't great, you can always buy the wide angle lens later on.

The Nikon J1 is an over-priced joke. It has no viewfinder you can look through, nor a hotshoe for a flash.
You're 110% better off with a D3100, or D3200.
Which lens is better depends on what you intend to be shooting. For most people, the 18-55mm kits lens is a goos start.

Zooms are all I use. I have no complaints with them.