Kit Lens or not?

Mentalblock

Mentalblock

Messages
2,175
Name
Neil
Edit My Images
No
I’m in the market to upgrade from a bridge to a full DSLR so I’m trying to ask all the questions I can to make the correct choice.

Photography is a hobby for me, so while I’m interested in IQ it would only be for personal images rather than publishing them. Therefore, I suspect a kit lens would be suitable, but I wouldn’t want to kick myself if I ever got the chance to compare IQ etc. between my standard kit lens and another.

So far I’ve never printed larger than A4, but if the picture was suitable I would consider something larger for the wall.

Therefore, what are people’s opinions on kit lenses and should I be considering them or not?
 
mastertrinity said:
Some kit lenses can be good but in my opinion I would buy a camera body (second hand would be best) and then get a more premium kit lens such as the sigma 17-70mm which will be better quality than kit lenses and it's pretty cheap.
Click to expand...

Definately some good adive there, the money you save not buying new would be able to spend looking at a decent lens to accompany it. There are a lot of third party lens out there which are great iq wise and good prices :)
 
If you're on a tight budget, you'd be a mug not to get the kit zoom. They have a very useful range and are mostly pretty decent - better than they're often given credit for.

Canon 18-55 IS for example is a great little lens for £130 or whatever it costs - probably less in a kit bundle.

But if you've got a big budget, there are better lenses to be had.
 
yes budget plays a big factor in your questioning..

my tuppence worth is the little extra you pay to get the kit lens nowadays is worth it just for backup purposes, and I feel the Canon IS and Nikon VR kit lenses are the best they have been and can produce some ace images, my friend has recently got the Canon 55-250 IS lens (£135) and we have both been stunned how good it is for the money.

tis all about the budget.
 
I have just upgraded from the Sony DSC-H50 to a Nikon D5000, which came with 2 x Nikon lenses, 1 18-55mm VR and a 55-200mm VR, but some of the other kits I looked at had only Tamron or lenses I had never heard of, so I think its a question of looking around to see what you like the look of and also listen to the good advice you can pick up on these forums.
 
A couple of years ago I upgraded from FujiFilm Bridging camera to a second hand 350D, in march this year I upgraded from 350D to 50D and during the process have asked similar questions.

I too started out as a hobby photographer and at the time of upgrading from bridging to DSLR I spent the next year or so taking photos and learning to get to know the camera and the full potential of DSLR. I used the kit lens and then I received a sigma lens which I was delighted with at the time. It cost over £200 and I thought this was expensive.

I have since purchased the 50mm 1.8 lens and this is such a fantastic lens especially for what you pay. The one downside of it is that it is fixed and at times I wish I had the flexibility of zoom. Having used my 50mm I have realised that I want a better quality lens and the zoom lens I really want is the 24-40 2.8 but it is very expensive.

So my recommendation would be to buy the body with a quality lens i.e. 24-70 2.8 Sigma if you can afford it. If not look for a good kit deal and get the 50mm 1.8 lens.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top