Filming & Production

Kit lens

Also called: bundled lens

Kit lenses are built to a price and the aperture is where it shows: often f/3.5 at the wide end and f/5.6 zoomed in, which limits low light and gives less background separation than a prime. Sharpness is generally fine in decent light.

Most creators outgrow the aperture long before the focal range. A cheap 35mm or 50mm prime at f/1.8 is the usual first upgrade and changes the look more than a new body would. The kit lens stays useful for wide shots in tight rooms and for b-roll where flexibility beats depth of field.

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