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 (smaller f-number) than comparably priced zoom lenses, so the change to zoom lenses means that recent kit lenses are usually also slower (higher f-number). 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.
Model Lensmounts Focal length Aperture OIS PZ Weight Length Releaseyear Availability Wide Tele Wide Tele Nikon 10-30mm F3.5-5.6 PD 1 27mm 81mm 3.5 5.6 85g 28mm 2014 Discontinued Samsung 9-27mm F3.5-5.6 NX-M 24mm 73mm 3.5 5.6 73g 30mm 2014 Discontinued Olympus 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 EZ MFT 28mm 84mm 3.5 5.6 93g 23mm 2014 Current Panasonic 12-32mm F3.5-5.6 MFT 24mm 64mm 3.5 5.6 70g 24mm 2013 Current Sony 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 E 24mm 75mm 3.5 5.6 116g 30mm 2012 Current Samsung 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 NX 24mm 75mm 3.5 5.6 111g 31mm 2014 Discontinued Nikon 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 Z 24mm 75mm 3.5 6.3 135g 32mm 2019 Current Panasonic 18-40mm F4.5-6.3 L 27mm 60mm 4.5 6.3 155g 41mm 2024 Current Fujifilm 15-45mm F3.5-5.6 X 23mm 68mm 3.5 5.6 135g 44mm 2018 Current Canon 18-45mm F4.5-6.3 RF 29mm 72mm 4.5 6.3 130g 44mm 2022 Current Canon 15-45mm F3.5-6.3 EF-M 24mm 72mm 3.5 5.6 130g 45mm 2015 Discontinued Panasonic 18-40mm F4.5-6.3 L 18mm 40mm 4.5 6.3 155g 41mm 2024 Current Sony 28-60mm F4-5.6 E 28mm 60mm 4.0 5.6 167g 45mm 2020 Current Nikon 24-50mm F4-6.3 Z 24mm 50mm 4.0 6.3 195g 51mm 2020 Current Canon 24-50mm F4.5-6.3 RF 24mm 50mm 4.5 6.3 210g 58mm 2023 Current Fujifilm 35-70mm F4.5-5.6 G 28mm 55mm 4.5 5.6 390g 74mm 2021 Current
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 North America and Kiss in Japan), 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 (with metal mount and full-time manual focus) 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 (as of August 2008, Nikon D90) AF-S DX Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G SWM IF-ED (as of September 2006, Nikon D80) Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR (with Nikon D5300, D5500) 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, Nikon D50)Nikon 18-55mm AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G II (as of November 2006, Nikon D40 and D40x)Nikon 18-55mm II AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR (as of November 2007, low end entry level DSLRs)Nikkor updates 18-55 kit lens with VR: Digital Photography Review AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II (as of January, 2014, low end entry-level DSLRs) AF-P DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR (as of January, 2014, low end entry-level DSLRs) Nikon Nikkor AF-S 55-200mm f/4-5.6 ED VR (with Nikon D5000, D3100) Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR (with Nikon D500) Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED AF-S VR (with Nikon D600) Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-120mm f/4G ED VR (with Nikon D750, D780) Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G VR (with Nikon D610) Nikon AF-S 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF DX Zoom-Nikkor (Nikon D70) AF Nikkor 28-80mm f/3.3-5.6G (late 90s film SLRs and early 2000s, such as the Nikon F75 and Nikon N80) Nikon 50mm F1.8 Series E (older 70s and 80s film cameras, such as the Nikon EM) Nikon 50mm F1.8G SE (with Nikon Df body) Nikon 35-70mm f/3.3-4.5 AF (early AF cameras such as the N4004)
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 (a.k.a. short kit) Zuiko Digital 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 (a.k.a. long kit)
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
Notes
See also Pancake lens Standard zoom lens
References