It's Time to Praise the Kit Lens

[Steve Eisenberg]

How about a positive thread about the much maligned kit lens?


Keep this thread alive by your photos!


All praise the kit lens!


These were taken with the Canon XTi & 18-55mm Kit Lens

[adam]

This is the first "keeper" shot I took after I got a DSLR...taken with a 20D and an 18-55 IS. To this day it's one of my best airplane pics.

[Vlad Xp]

My contribution:


Both taken with a Canon EF-S 17-85 f/4-6.5 IS. Tripod, self-timer, mirror lockup, auto WB. Manual exposure using f/9 aperture, at 10 seconds for the statue, and 30 seconds for the fountain.

[davideglasgow]

So I can't blame it on the kit lens anymore. Man, I have a lot to learn! Great shots!

[bassmangtk]

with the exception of my macro set, just about everything on my flickr page was taken with the 18-55. www.flickr.com/photos/gtkurtz . Any feedback on my shots is welcome!

[Dallasphotog]

I think the kit lens has a lot of great uses. It serves as a good paper weight. It's an OK hammer when the tripod locks get jammed and my small dog likes to chase it across the floor.


Please stop the insanity!LOL Next, we'll have a thread on the superior IQ of camera phones.

[Steve Eisenberg]

I think the kit lens has a lot of great uses. It serves as a good paper weight. It's an OK hammer when the tripod locks get jammed and my small dog likes to chase it across the floor.


Please stop the insanity!LOL Next, we'll have a thread on the superior IQ of camera phones.
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This is what keeps people out of discussion boards.


You are being a troll, and not adding to what is supposed to be a positive thread.

[Jon Ruyle]

These are some great shots.


I love this thread... too often we associate good photography with good equipment, and should remember that the photographer is the most important variable.


(Of course there are a lot of 5D II owners out there to whom "kit lens" means 24-105 f/4 L.... but that is missing the point )

[adam]

Well, the thing is, under optimal circumstances, you CAN take great photographs with a camera phone. But conditions are almost never that optimal, and the better your equipment is, the greater the set of circumstances under which you can potentially take great photographs.

[Dallasphotog]

I think the kit lens has a lot of great uses. It serves as a good paper weight. It's an OK hammer when the tripod locks get jammed and my small dog likes to chase it across the floor.


Please stop the insanity!LOL Next, we'll have a thread on the superior IQ of camera phones.
<div style="CLEAR: both"]</div>

This is what keeps people out of discussion boards.





You are being a troll, and not adding to what is supposed to be a positive thread.
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I'm sure the kits lens has it's place, but not in a serious photographers bag. For very small prints and thumbnails the IQ doesn't have much impact. For my wedding business, L-series glass is mandatory. Bridal portraits often end up enlarged beyond 16x20 and the better glass means happy customers.


Every wedding I shoot someone runs up with a camera phone to show me they got just as good a picture of the bride walking down the aisle as I did. I actually have weddings where 10 relatives jump into the aisle shooting the bride with their phone. For thoseguys, the kit lens is a big step up. However, when I deliver huge gallery wrap prints the customer never knows why they look so good, they just knowthat they look good.


I wasn't trying to give you a hard time, but I just don't see much place for the lowly kits lens in a professional or serious amatuer's arsenal, but hey, I take $15,000 worth of equipment to my 13-year old's soccer games.