Kit lens or not?

Eyetattoo · Aug 30, 2009

I will be purchasing my first DSLR next week and am wondering if I should buy the kit lens or if its a waste of money? If it is a waste what is a good all around lens to get started on?

Opher · Aug 30, 2009

what are you looking to shoot?

Eyetattoo · Aug 30, 2009

A little bit of everything. Family pictures would be #1 but I also like shooting landscapes, up-close flowers, and even sporting events.

Big Mike · Aug 30, 2009

If you have $500 or more to spend on a better lens, then yes, the kit lens may be a waste of money. But if you can't spend that much on a different lens, then the kit lens is probably your best bet.

JustAnEngineer · Aug 31, 2009

The Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS kit lens adds about $75 over the price of a Canon camera body alone. The Nikon AF-S DX 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR kit lens adds about $120 over a Nikon camera body alone. If you want a better quality lens than the kit lens, you're going to have to spend $400-$450 for something like a Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 Di-II or Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC HSM.

You could start with the kit lens and shoot a few thousand photographs to figure out which lens you want to get next. An inexpensive large-aperture prime lens (like the $100 Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 or the $200 Nikon AF-S DX 35mm f/1.8G) would be a reasonable addition to the kit lens.

JerryPH · Aug 31, 2009

99% of people who get serious about their photography dump the kit lens. If you are planning on taking it seriously... save yourself the money and start out with something like a 50mm F/1.8, save for and purchase quality lenses.

chammer · Aug 31, 2009

i can definitely recommend the tamron 17-50mm 2.8. i got the xsi with the kit lens because i was unsure of how i'd do with photography. a month later when my gf needed a camera and i gave her mine, i paired my new 50D with the tamron and WOW is all i can say. its about on par with the 50mm 1.8 in sharpness, and i can still get my indoor natural lighting shots without issue thanks to the 2.8 aperture.

CW Jones · Aug 31, 2009

I got my 30D with the kit lens, its an OK lens at best. It gets the job done and if you know the limitations of the lens then you can get some good pictures from it. I am happy with my kit lens choice, its something to start with that like I said takes an OK picture. I would recommended taking the kit lens if your a beginner. Having a fixed lens like the 50mm 1.8 is great, but for a beginner, being able to zoom and frame stuff by zooming is something that makes it easier. I have probably already out grown my canon kit lens, but I'm a poor college kid so what can I do? haha

Overread · Aug 31, 2009

JerryPH said:
99% of people who get serious about their photography dump the kit lens.

hehe not if they start with a 5DM2 they don't

(mostly at least)

Ok joking aside I'm going to say get the kit lens for your camera. The problem with trying to go for an alternative option is that there is a lot on the market, both at the high and low levels and thus you need to be able to pick which is the best for you. Of course that means you have to understand actually working with things like different focal range, apertures, weight and more. These things your not going to get from any review or online forum - your going to get them in the field when shooting with the camera.

So to get there I say go for the kit lens - and if you can afford it a 50mm f1.8 as well (both canon and Nikon make one and your previous threads indecate that one of these two companies is likley to be your camera body choice). Its not too expensive and is a very sharp lens to use.
The kit lens will let you play with different focal ranges with ease - maybe you find you need more focal length, maybe you like only shooting at one and so a prime lens might be in order- these are choices we can't make for you.

Though you might very well end up dumping it (my kit lens is somewhere buried in my camera bag - used it once in the last year) it will give you something to work with in the early days,

Stormin · Aug 31, 2009

It's all about the budget. If you can afford better glass, get better. But don't go for broke on a lens when you aren't certain that photography is something that you're going to pursue actively. For the hobby shooter the kit lens is a sufficient starter lens that gets the job done.