Robert Watcher
Well-known member
If we were just to listen to what is stated on the web - - - the kit lens is simply something that comes with the camera kit and is to be used sparingly (if ever) until a person can afford a prime lens or a fast and expensive f2.8 zoom.
And because of that reasoning, no pro or serious photographer would ever use a kit lens. Right?
Different times it has been assumed that I must be using a "pro" caliber lens with images that I post on the forum. I know because I sometimes get pm's and emails asking what lens I used for a particular shot. My response is invariably that I have taken the shot with the kit lens that came with my camera (if that was the case).
Here is a pic that I selected to prove how useful and valuable a kit lens can be. It is not necessarily the best shot I could take - but a general style of snapshot that many persons might be really proud of if they took it. This shot was taken using the first generation (noisy and loose feeling) 14-42 kit lens that came with my Olympus E-PL1 - when I bought it a couple of years ago.
This is a file that has obviously been processed to look good on the web. And that's how most people who worry about the lens they use, will be displaying their photographs. However I have regularly printed shots taken with the kit lens to 13x19 inch, 20x30 inch and even bigger sizes, and they look even better (a real print always looks better than a web image in my view).
Olympus E-PL1 w 14-42mm kit lens (14mm) : f7.1 @ 1/200'th @ 200 ISO
Really for anyone holding back because they feel ill-equipped - - why not get out and shoot with your kit lens if that is all you have in a particular focal length range - or if you aren't in a situation where you want to lug around a big lens - or shooting where it is more practical to have a zoom lens instead of one prime or having to change several primes to get what you want. I know there are such people out there .
Experience and skill with lesser gear can often trump inexperience and the best of gear (there are exceptions of course). Experience and skill comes from shooting - and shooting lots. Not just the shooting though as digital capture also requires experience and skill with processing of the files so they look their best.
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And because of that reasoning, no pro or serious photographer would ever use a kit lens. Right?
Different times it has been assumed that I must be using a "pro" caliber lens with images that I post on the forum. I know because I sometimes get pm's and emails asking what lens I used for a particular shot. My response is invariably that I have taken the shot with the kit lens that came with my camera (if that was the case).
Here is a pic that I selected to prove how useful and valuable a kit lens can be. It is not necessarily the best shot I could take - but a general style of snapshot that many persons might be really proud of if they took it. This shot was taken using the first generation (noisy and loose feeling) 14-42 kit lens that came with my Olympus E-PL1 - when I bought it a couple of years ago.
This is a file that has obviously been processed to look good on the web. And that's how most people who worry about the lens they use, will be displaying their photographs. However I have regularly printed shots taken with the kit lens to 13x19 inch, 20x30 inch and even bigger sizes, and they look even better (a real print always looks better than a web image in my view).
Olympus E-PL1 w 14-42mm kit lens (14mm) : f7.1 @ 1/200'th @ 200 ISO
Really for anyone holding back because they feel ill-equipped - - why not get out and shoot with your kit lens if that is all you have in a particular focal length range - or if you aren't in a situation where you want to lug around a big lens - or shooting where it is more practical to have a zoom lens instead of one prime or having to change several primes to get what you want. I know there are such people out there .
Experience and skill with lesser gear can often trump inexperience and the best of gear (there are exceptions of course). Experience and skill comes from shooting - and shooting lots. Not just the shooting though as digital capture also requires experience and skill with processing of the files so they look their best.
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