what's the diff??

[playinthecamera]

I hear the term "kit lens" quite often. Can someone explain, EG: 24-105 l series kit lense to an over the counter purchased one?? Is there any actual difference in the lens quality itself?

thx dps'ers

[Bruce A]

Originally Posted by playinthecamera

I hear the term "kit lens" quite often. Can someone explain, EG: 24-105 l series kit lense to an over the counter purchased one?? Is there any actual difference in the lens quality itself?

thx dps'ers

Depends on what the over counter purchased one is. Normally, with the consumer market cameras, the kit lens will be consumer market lens - they usually do a good enough job, just won't be real fast for low light conditions and maybe not a tack sharp as the higher end ones. It's the old story, you get what you pay for - but it won't stop from taking good photographs - that's up to the person with the finger on the shutter button.

[RichardTaylor]

The Canon 24-105 is the "kit lens" for the Canon 5D and it can be purchased over the counter as well . It is the same lens. It is one of the better kit lenses and is not built down to a low price. I own one.

[playinthecamera]

I see then. An L lens is an L lens, whether it came in a kit or not. It appears you save a few dollars buy buying the "package".
I thought with Black Friday happening in the US, I would search for any real Camera deals, packages or lens.

Thank-you members.

[Biomech]

In a nutshell, a "kit lens" is the lens/es they budnle with bodies as packages. They are the average, "get you going" type lens. A bit like.... when you buy a printer and you get half full standard inks and some sample paper, it's no £1000000000000 pro grade paper or ink, but it gets you started.

[OsmosisStudios]

Generally speaking, the term "kit lens" refers to Canon's 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 IS, Nikon's 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 VR, Sony's 18-55 f/3.5-5.6...

notice something?

Short range, slow variable aperture zooms. Mostly made of plastic, lightweight, not super durable, not weather sealed, inexpensive...

They come with the camera in 95% of all cases for only about an extra $100 over the body-only price. They do the job they were intended to: they provide a lens for the camera for little money that does the general stuff a new SLR user would need.

Higher end bodies come with higher end kit lenses, and the top-of-the-line stuff doesnt come as a kit. Generally speaking, though, the term "kit lens" is somewhat derogatory, referring to the lowest-end, lowest-quality lens in a brand's lineup. Many still do a very good job, but they're limited.

I've long advocated for these crummy kit zooms to be replaced with fast-aperture primes (a 35/1.8 or 50/1.8), but consumer-driven demand has really stifled that.