K-30...Bother with the Kit lens at all?

fantasysage · 09-12-2012, 01:08 PM

Originally posted by westmill

Kit lenses are very often well underrated. Also any lens bought with any lens is a kit lens ! A bit of a silly term really which is turning into a bit of a stigma. Some of these so called kit lenses are often more than capable of producing image quality at various settings that is higher than a lot of even prime lenses. They are chosen for there given focal range which can in some cases be all the lens a person will ever need. Use the kit lens ! If you find you use a certain focal lengh far more than others etc if you find you need to open up more than can etc etc.... learn from it. kit lenses are genraly better for things like landscape than a fast lens would be. Food for thought...... all lenses perform at there best stopped down a couple of stops. This means that if you have a fast F1.8 then its likely to be at its best around F4. If you have an F5.6 lens its likely to perform great at F11. Which are you likely to shoot at in this situation ? Nothing is ever as simple as first appears !

I am 100% aware of this. Generally when I need speed it is when I am shooting (or trying to shoot) street. However I have yet to see a kit some close to a prime. And when I say kit, and when more people say kit, it is more of the construction and quality of the lens. The 18-135 really isn't a kit lens. It comes bundled in a kit, but the quality from what I read is beyond that of your standard kit.

westmill · 09-12-2012, 01:20 PM

you just need to study photozone This will tell all you need to know hopefully Welcome to Photozone!

pero · 09-12-2012, 01:21 PM

Originally posted by fantasysage

I would like the ability. It is a shame the kit lens isn't the WR version or I would not even ask this question.

Are you saying it's not possible to get the WR version as a kit lens? Where I live (Sweden) you can get a k-30 with the WR 18-55 as kit lens for about $70 extra compared to just the body. That's a no brainer to me. I got the K-5 + WR 18-55 kit and that lens is severely underrated. IQ is quite good enough unless you need pro quality. And the build quality is very good.

**boriscleto** · 09-12-2012, 01:39 PM

Originally posted by pero

Are you saying it's not possible to get the WR version as a kit lens? Where I live (Sweden) you can get a k-30 with the WR 18-55 as kit lens for about $70 extra compared to just the body. That's a no brainer to me. I got the K-5 + WR 18-55 kit and that lens is severely underrated. IQ is quite good enough unless you need pro quality. And the build quality is very good.

In the US you can't get the WR as a kit lens with the K-30. Both the 18-55 and 18-55 + 50-200 kits are the DA L version.

pero · 09-12-2012, 01:47 PM

Originally posted by boriscleto

In the US you can't get the WR as a kit lens with the K-30. Both the 18-55 and 18-55 + 50-200 kits are the DA L version.

Pity. Seems like a strange policy from Pentax not to offer WR lens as kit with WR body. But I guess they want people to go for the more expensive 18-135...

lytrytyr · 09-12-2012, 01:55 PM

Originally posted by pero

Pity. Seems like a strange policy from Pentax not to offer WR lens as kit with WR body. But I guess they want people to go for the more expensive 18-135...

Also, they try to keep the kit price low.

When I bought a K-x a couple of years ago,
the body alone cost more
than the kit with the DA L 18-55.

JinDesu · 09-12-2012, 02:29 PM

Originally posted by boriscleto

You forget the DA* 200 & 300 and the new HD DA 560 AW. AW is the new WR.

Sorry - you are correct. I would love to see a 21 or 24 prime though. 55 and 100 cover the short telephoto, and I enjoy walking around with my 50mm, but it'd be lovely to have a wider prime.

northcoastgreg · 09-12-2012, 02:52 PM

Originally posted by fantasysage

I can get the Body alone for $720 from Amazon. With the 18-55 is $750.

If the kit lens is only going to cost $30, I don't see any reason not to get it. Then you can decide for yourself whether it's a great value, rubbish, or something in between.

fantasysage · 09-12-2012, 05:19 PM

F*** It. I bought the kit with the 18-55, the 35mm 2.4, and a 49mm B+W haze for $977 20 minutes ago. I might sell the 18-55 and get a used version of the WR version for the same price. If they announce something profound at PK i will return it, but I both doubt that is the case, and I am dying not having a camera.

Thanks so much for the help guys. Put my purchase into perspective and the whole conversation helped me make up my mind.

Good community you guys have going on here, I am happy to be a part of it (hopefully by Friday

)

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09-12-2012, 01:08 PM	#16
fantasysage Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 37 Original Poster	Originally posted by westmill Kit lenses are very often well underrated. Also any lens bought with any lens is a kit lens ! A bit of a silly term really which is turning into a bit of a stigma. Some of these so called kit lenses are often more than capable of producing image quality at various settings that is higher than a lot of even prime lenses. They are chosen for there given focal range which can in some cases be all the lens a person will ever need. Use the kit lens ! If you find you use a certain focal lengh far more than others etc if you find you need to open up more than can etc etc.... learn from it. kit lenses are genraly better for things like landscape than a fast lens would be. Food for thought...... all lenses perform at there best stopped down a couple of stops. This means that if you have a fast F1.8 then its likely to be at its best around F4. If you have an F5.6 lens its likely to perform great at F11. Which are you likely to shoot at in this situation ? Nothing is ever as simple as first appears ! I am 100% aware of this. Generally when I need speed it is when I am shooting (or trying to shoot) street. However I have yet to see a kit some close to a prime. And when I say kit, and when more people say kit, it is more of the construction and quality of the lens. The 18-135 really isn't a kit lens. It comes bundled in a kit, but the quality from what I read is beyond that of your standard kit.

09-12-2012, 01:20 PM	#17
westmill Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Stoke on Trent Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,146	you just need to study photozone This will tell all you need to know hopefully Welcome to Photozone!

09-12-2012, 01:21 PM	#18
pero Senior Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Malmö, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 128	Originally posted by fantasysage I would like the ability. It is a shame the kit lens isn't the WR version or I would not even ask this question. Are you saying it's not possible to get the WR version as a kit lens? Where I live (Sweden) you can get a k-30 with the WR 18-55 as kit lens for about $70 extra compared to just the body. That's a no brainer to me. I got the K-5 + WR 18-55 kit and that lens is severely underrated. IQ is quite good enough unless you need pro quality. And the build quality is very good.

09-12-2012, 01:39 PM	#19
boriscleto Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North Syracuse, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,475	Originally posted by pero Are you saying it's not possible to get the WR version as a kit lens? Where I live (Sweden) you can get a k-30 with the WR 18-55 as kit lens for about $70 extra compared to just the body. That's a no brainer to me. I got the K-5 + WR 18-55 kit and that lens is severely underrated. IQ is quite good enough unless you need pro quality. And the build quality is very good. In the US you can't get the WR as a kit lens with the K-30. Both the 18-55 and 18-55 + 50-200 kits are the DA L version.

09-12-2012, 01:47 PM	#20
pero Senior Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Malmö, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 128	Originally posted by boriscleto In the US you can't get the WR as a kit lens with the K-30. Both the 18-55 and 18-55 + 50-200 kits are the DA L version. Pity. Seems like a strange policy from Pentax not to offer WR lens as kit with WR body. But I guess they want people to go for the more expensive 18-135...

09-12-2012, 01:55 PM	#21
lytrytyr Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2011 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,310	Originally posted by pero Pity. Seems like a strange policy from Pentax not to offer WR lens as kit with WR body. But I guess they want people to go for the more expensive 18-135... Also, they try to keep the kit price low. When I bought a K-x a couple of years ago, the body alone cost more than the kit with the DA L 18-55.

09-12-2012, 02:29 PM	#22
JinDesu Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: New York City Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,638	Originally posted by boriscleto You forget the DA* 200 & 300 and the new HD DA 560 AW. AW is the new WR. Sorry - you are correct. I would love to see a 21 or 24 prime though. 55 and 100 cover the short telephoto, and I enjoy walking around with my 50mm, but it'd be lovely to have a wider prime.

09-12-2012, 02:52 PM	#23
northcoastgreg Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Northern Michigan Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,174	Originally posted by fantasysage I can get the Body alone for $720 from Amazon. With the 18-55 is $750. If the kit lens is only going to cost $30, I don't see any reason not to get it. Then you can decide for yourself whether it's a great value, rubbish, or something in between.

09-12-2012, 05:19 PM	#24
fantasysage Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 37 Original Poster	F*** It. I bought the kit with the 18-55, the 35mm 2.4, and a 49mm B+W haze for $977 20 minutes ago. I might sell the 18-55 and get a used version of the WR version for the same price. If they announce something profound at PK i will return it, but I both doubt that is the case, and I am dying not having a camera. Thanks so much for the help guys. Put my purchase into perspective and the whole conversation helped me make up my mind. Good community you guys have going on here, I am happy to be a part of it (hopefully by Friday )