The Best Camera Kit You Can Get with a $500 Budget

[KenElevenShadows]

The Best Camera Kit You Can Get with a $500 Budget

 

The minimum standards were that it had to be a new camera with interchangeable lens from a reputable manufacturer with a good starter lens and a memory card. You can read the whole article here.

 

To get a really good camera, one that is rather capable, you don't have to sell your car.

[Synthoid]

He brings up good points, however, this statement is not factual:

 

"You might find some people who love their kit lenses, but lets be real, they are generally pure garbage. Kit lenses are almost always zoom lenses with an aperture between f/3.55.6 The images are not sharp, they dont take in enough light to expose without a mountain of noise, and paired with a crop-sensor camera, its nearly impossible to get good bokeh with them in anything but perfect conditions."

 

While I agree with the fact that kit zooms are slow, my Nikon kit lenses exceeded my expectations. I tested both and was amazed. As a graphic designer, I've always been fussy about using high quality images... especially when printing brochures or posters.

 

I took the Nikon 70-300mm out (with my Nikon D5600) to a park for a sharpness test a few weeks ago and photographed birds at various focal lengths. They were all amazing. One shot in particular of a blue heron was taken at 300mm and it's tack sharp! I even photographed an osprey in flight and although the wind was blowing and I hand-held the camera, the image looks pretty amazing. Not perfect but sharper than I expected.

 

Stating that kit lenses are "pure garbage" is foolishness.

 

 

[KenElevenShadows]

There do actually seem to be some kit lenses that are decent, and characterizing them as garbage is not fair. Manufacturers do tend to pair their cheaper lens with cameras as kit lenses, however.

 

I'm impressed that a 70-300mm would be a kit lens. I usually see the Nikon paired with the 18-55mm lens.

[Synthoid]

i'm impressed that a 70-300mm would be a kit lens. I usually see the Nikon paired with the 18-55mm lens.

 

The D5600 came with both the 18-55mm and 70-300mm.

 

Definitely plasticy build but surprisingly sharp.

 

 

 

 

 

[KenElevenShadows]

Very cool. The one Nikon kit lens I had was a 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5, if I remember correctly. It was okay. I was told it was noticeably better than the 18-55mm, and the extra reach was beneficial regardless.

[Synthoid]

The one Nikon kit lens I had was a 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5

I picked up one of those a few weeks ago for under $100. It's my "walk around" lens.

 

 

[KenElevenShadows]

That's a good usable reach, and very useful zoom.