Beyond the Kit Lens

I'm sure you remember the excitement that came with a brand-new camera that came kitted with a lens or two. For me, it was a Nikon D90 with an 18-55mm as the standard zoom, and a 55-200mm telephoto zoom. If your first camera was full frame, it may have come with something closer to a 24-105mm lens.

The more modern full-frame kit lenses usually have a maximum aperture of f/4 which is pretty forgiving, especially given the focal length range. This isn't usually the case for the APS-C lenses, which tend to have a maximum aperture of f/3.5 on the wide end, and maybe f/5.6 or f/6.3 on the long end. While at most, that's a 1.3 stop difference, depending on the scenario, it can make all the difference.

Out and about, when the sun is out, your average kit lenses are great. There's usually ample light for a standard exposure, and newer cameras use a higher ISO for some extra slack without detrimental results. In studio, or in a situation where you may hard limits in how much light is available to you, the limitations of these lenses show.

I remember taking meter readings, in a lighting course, and the light meter asked for an f/2 aperture. Being only exposed to my kit lenses, I asked my instructor, “is that possible?” With grace, I was correctly informed that other lenses had that aperture available, but mine did not. It was disheartening at first, but you eventually find ways overcome your obstacles. Photography is not just a matter of technical knowledge, but also creativity, after all. I vaguely remember moving lights closer, adding second heads, underexposing and pushing in post, and so many other things.

Eventually, I would get myself a prime lens, since the main selling point was a faster aperture. The 50mm f/1.8, one of the older F-mount versions was my first upgrade, and it let me squeeze out an extra few stops of exposure. The fact that it was a prime also forced me to be more mindful of my distances. If I was too close to my subject, I needed to back up, or if my subject was too small, I needed to walk closer. My 50mm lens also ended up being a little lighter than the zooms I was used to carrying around, which can help for longer days of shooting or simply cutting extra weight from your camera bag

Is a 50mm prime going to be the best upgrade for everyone if moving on from their standard kit lens? Not always. It all depends on what you like to shoot. Wider lenses, like 28mm and 35mm lenses can be nice for street and could be workable for landscape. Portrait shooters may opt for an 85mm or 135mm. There are plenty of options out there, the best part is that creators using mirrorless systems have decades' worth of vintage lenses to try for yourself

Primes come in all shapes, sizes, and focal lengths!

While I certainly accumulated steps faster, I also had more fun with photography with my prime lens. I would walk closer to what interested me, and take pictures along the way, until I had the perfect frame. When you're locked into a specific field of view, you don't have to zoom to find the perfect frame; there's one less function to worry about, resulting in faster shooting. With no zoom to act as a buffer, you develop a sense for being exactly where you want be, allowing you to make more conscious creative choices.

My kit zoom lenses hold a special place in my heart. They got me through most of my time at school. What started as a simple spur-of-the-moment purchase of an old 50mm lens in the middle of the semester changed the way I shoot forever. That 50mm lens seldom left my camera up through graduation, and it helped me create some of my favorite images. If you've only every shot with zooms, try out a prime lens. You may surprise yourself.

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