Total beginner here, looking to buy my first camera and looking for a lens that would be able to deal with the widest range of situations (a zoom one) all in one package. I’ve got about 600usd to spend on it and I’m fully aware it’s not much, but I want to get a good start.
I can’t buy used ones where I live (even from online platforms around the world), so it’d have to be new.
At the moment my goal is to take photos of pretty much everything: nature (apart from moving animals), landscapes, streets, portraits, objects (large and small), architecture, and I also plan to film videos quite a bit. Nothing fast moving and no sports though.
I’d love to shoot in close-up macro, too, but I understand it’s not possible within one lens.
What could you recommend?
Kit zooms these days really aren’t bad starter lenses and I wouldn’t immediately jump to replace it if the lens is meeting your needs. I would consider this from two angles.
First, is the lens preventing you from achieving the photos you want? IMO there are only two things here:
If the answer to either is “yes” you know the answer to your question - you want more/less focal distance and/or more light gathering ability. If the answer to both 1 and 2 is no, then you don’t need a new lens and this brings us to the second area.
Second, does the lens give you the aesthetic you’re after? Kit lenses are generally decent, but the opportunities from improvement come from three big things: subject isolation, “pleasing” image quality (bokey, rendering, etc), and sharpness. A “faster” lens will offer much more isolation than your kit lens. The others are really up to your eye.
Not much else to say but thank you! You’ve basically given me a quick tour of the photography world and I hope others can get as many insights as I have 🙂
No worries, happy shooting! Make another post or three if you hav questions! 🍻