Kit lens


A kit lens is a "starter" lens which can be sold with an interchangeable-lens camera such as a mirrorless camera or DSLR. It is generally an inexpensive lens priced at the lowest end of the manufacturer's range so as to not add much to a camera kit's price. The kit consists of the camera body, the lens, and various accessories usually necessary to get started. A kit lens can be sold by itself outside of a kit, particularly the ones that are moderately expensive; for instance a kit lens included in a prosumer camera kit is often marketed as an upgrade lens for a consumer camera. In addition, retailers often have promotions of standalone low-end camera bodies without the lens, or a package that bundles a body with one or two more expensive lenses.
Originally kit lenses were of normal focal length; more recently kit lenses tend to be inexpensive zoom lenses that range from medium wide angle to mid telephoto for added versatility. Prime lenses are generally faster than comparably priced zoom lenses, so the change to zoom lenses means that recent kit lenses are usually also slower. However, in most cases the inclusion of an inexpensive zoom lens is to maintain a low entry price and maximize usability for the beginner photographer. More expensive camera bodies are often paired with a likewise more expensive, thus possibly faster, lens.
Originally high end cameras were always sold body-only without a lens as most buyers were experienced users who already had lenses. Today however this is not always the case and even high end cameras can be purchased with a lens, albeit an appropriately higher-quality lens. In these cases the typically uncomplimentary term "kit lens" is somewhat of a misnomer. Sometimes the lens is added by the retailer at a reduced price compared to separate body and lens pricing.

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras

This is a list of the smallest mirrorless camera kit zoom lenses — limit one per brand, lens mount, and sensor size combination. Note that cameras are sometimes kitted with prime lenses, which are not shown here.

Digital single-lens reflex cameras

Because of the crop factor, kit lenses for APS-C format cameras have shorter focal lengths, to get the same field of view.

Canon

  • Canon EF-S 18–55mm lens: common on consumer-level cameras series, such as 400D
  • Canon EF-S 18–55mm IS lens: Replaced the original 18–55mm on all consumer-level cameras starting from the 450D. It was replaced by an updated version starting with the 600D and 1100D.
  • Canon EF-S 18–55mm IS STM lens: Replaced the first 18–55mm IS on all consumer-level cameras starting with the 700D and 100D. A revised version became the standard consumer-level kit lens with the introduction of the 77D and 800D.
  • Canon EF-S 17–85mm lens: Canon EOS 20D, Canon EOS 30D, 40D, 50D, optional on 400D
  • Canon EF 24–105mm lens: 5D, 5D Mark II, 5D Mark III, Canon 6D
  • Canon EF 28–135mm lens: 50D, optional on 7D
  • Canon EF 28–105mm lens: Alternative lens
  • Canon EF 28–80mm lens: Kit lens for film-body Canon Elan series. The original version of this lens is considered a vastly superior lens to later versions, however both were included as kit lenses.
  • Canon EF-S 15–85mm lens: Canon EOS 60D, 7D
  • Canon EF-S 18–135mm lens: 550D, 60D, 70D, 7D; optional on 600D
  • Canon EF-S 18–135 IS USM lens: Optional on 7D Mark II, 80D, 77D, and 800D.
  • Canon EF-S 18–200mm lens: 50D, optional on 60D
Canon have also marketed twin lens kits, typically with the non IS version of the Canon EF-S 18-55mm lenses and
  • Canon EF 55-200mm lens: A now discontinued lens supplied with earlier cameras such as the 350D.
  • Canon EF 75-300mm lens: Supplied with later cameras such as the 500D.

    Nikon

  • AF-S DX Nikkor 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G SWM IF-ED VR
  • AF-S DX Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G SWM IF-ED
  • Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
  • Nikkor 18-55mm DX f/3.5-5.6G, various versions:
  • * AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G
  • * AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G II
  • * AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR
  • * AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II
  • * AF-P DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR
  • Nikon Nikkor AF-S 55-200mm f/4-5.6 ED VR
  • Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR
  • Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED AF-S VR
  • Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-120mm f/4G ED VR
  • Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G VR
  • Nikon AF-S 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF DX Zoom-Nikkor
  • AF Nikkor 28-80mm f/3.3-5.6G
  • Nikon 50mm F1.8 Series E
  • Nikon 50mm F1.8G SE
  • Nikon 35-70mm f/3.3-4.5 AF

    Pentax

  • SMC DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL: bundled with Pentax K10D, K100D, K110D, and K100D Super.
  • SMC DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II: updated version, bundled with K20D and K200D.
  • SMC DA L 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL: plastic mount version, bundled with K-x and K-r.
  • SMC DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL WR: weather-resistant version, bundled with K-7, K-5.
  • SMC DA L 18-50mm F4-5.6 DC WR RE; plastic mount version of HD Pentax-DA 18-50mm F4-5.6 DC WR RE, bundled with K-S2
  • SMC DA 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 ED AL DC WR: weather-resistant version, bundled with K-5 and K-30 and K-r.
  • SMC DA 40mm f/2.8 XS: pancake, bundled with K-01.
  • SMC DA L 50-200mm f/4.0-5.6 ED: plastic mount version, bundled with K-r and K-x.
  • SMC DA 50-200mm f/4.0-5.6 ED WR: weather-resistant version, bundled with K-5 and K-30.

    Sony

  • Sony DT 18-70mm f/3.5-5.6: bundled with Sony α 100, Sony α 200.Sony α 300, Sony α 350.
  • Sony DT 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 SAM, bundled with Sony A230, A330, A380, A33, A35, A55, A65.
  • Sony DT 16-105 f/3.5-5.6: A700
  • Sony DT 16–50 2.8: A77

    Olympus

  • Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6
  • Zuiko Digital 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6

    Analog single-lens reflex cameras

Olympus

  • Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 for all manual focus Olympus OMs
  • Zuiko 50mm f/2.0 PF for Olympus OM-101