Kit lens

A kit lens is a "starter" lens which can be sold with an interchangeable-lens camera such as a single-lens reflex camera. The kit consists of the camera body, the lens, and various accessories usually necessary to get started in SLR photography. A kit lens can be sold by itself; ie; not in a kit. 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. 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 (smaller f#), but the change to zoom lenses has usually means that a slower (higher f#) lens is used. This is because in most cases prime lenses are faster than comparably priced zoom lenses. 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.

Higher-end SLRs generally do not come with a lens, as the buyer is assumed to already own lenses or to plan to purchase them separately.

Digital single-lens reflex cameras

Because of the crop factor, kit lenses for APS-C format cameras (like Canon EF-S and Nikon DX) have shorter focal lengths, to get the same field of view.

Canon

• Canon EF-S 18-55mm lens: common on consumer-level cameras series (known as Rebel in the United States), such as 400D
• Canon EF-S 18-55mm IS lens: Replaced the original 18-55mm on all consumer-level cameras starting from the 450D and later
• Canon EF-S 17-85mm lens: Canon EOS 30D, 40D, option on 400D
• Canon EF 24-105mm lens: 5D
• 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 (metal mount, FTM) is considered a vastly superior lens to later versions, however both were included as kit lenses.

Nikon

• Nikkor 18-55mm DX f/3.5-5.6G, various versions:
  • AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G (as of April 2005)^[1]
  • AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G II (as of November 2006)^[2]
  • AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR (as of November 2007)^[3]
• Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor
• AF Nikkor 28-80mm f/3.3-5.6G (late 90s film SLRs, such as the Nikon F75 and Nikon N80
• Nikon 50mm F1.8 Series E A-is (older 70s and 80s film cameras, such as the Nikon EM)

Pentax

• Pentax SMCP-DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6: bundled with Pentax K10D, K100D, K110D, and K100D Super.
• Pentax SMCP-DA 18-55mm II f/3.5-5.6: updated version, bundled with K20D and K200D.

Sony

• Sony 18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 DT: bundled with Sony α 100, Sony α 200.Sony α 300 , Sony α 350.

• Sony 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 SAM, bundled with Sony A230, A330, A380.

Four Thirds

• Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 (aka short kit).
• Zuiko Digital 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 (aka long kit).

Olympus bundles camera with short kit lens alone or with both kit lenses, the latter bundle is known as doublekit.

References

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