A kit lens is a "starter" lens which can be sold with an interchangeable-lens camera such as a single-lens reflex camera. 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 in SLR photography. 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 SLR kit is often marketed as an upgrade lens for a consumer SLR. In addition, retailers often have promotions of standalone low-end SLR bodies without the lens, or a package that bundles the SLR 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 SLRs 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 SLRs 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 over separate body+lens pricing.
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 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 and later
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 18-200mm 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.
SLRs and DSLRs
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)
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)
AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G II (as of November 2006, Nikon D40 and D40x)
AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR (as of November 2007, low end entry level DSLRs)
AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II (as of January, 2014, low end entry-level DSLRs)
Nikon 24-120mm (with Nikon D750)
Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF-S 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)
Nikon offers three kit lenses with its 1 series cameras. One lens is included in all Nikon 1 kits:
Nikon 1 Nikkor 10–30mm f/3.5-5.6 VR
Nikon also sells so-called "twin kits" or "double kits" with the Nikon 1. These combine a second lens with the 10–30mm:
Nikon 1 Nikkor 10mm f/2.8 — Part of the "Wide Angle Kit"; a pancake lens.
Nikon 1 Nikkor 30–110mm f/3.8-5.6 VR — Part of the "Zoom Kit".
Panasonic offers three kit lenses with its Micro Four Thirds cameras.
Lumix® G X VARIO PZ 14-42mm / f/3.5-5.6 ASPH. / POWER O.I.S.
Lumix® G VARIO HD 14-140mm / f/4.0-5.8 ASPH. / MEGA O.I.S.
Lumix® G 14mm / f/2.5 ASPH
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 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 f/2.8: A77
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).
Olympus bundles camera with short kit lens alone or with both kit lenses, the latter bundle is known as doublekit.
Excluding Four Third cameras
Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 for all manual focus Olympus OMs
Zuiko 50mm f/2.0 PF for Olympus OM-101
Fujinon XC16-50mmF3.5-5.6 OIS
Fujinon XF18-55mmF2.8-4 R LM OIS
