What to do with kit lenses

[CES]

Hi everyone,

I'm interested in people's thoughts about what to do with kit lenses.....

I have a D7000 which came with the 18-105 kit lens. Having upgraded to my first dslr when I received the camera, the lens was a great way to develop my skills. However in the last few years I have purchased the nikon 50mm F1.4 and the 105mm F2.8 to allow more score for still life and macro shooting which I love. I'm also investigating wide angle lenses to allow more score for landscape photography. Having these two quality lenses has really shown the limitations in the kit lens.

So to my question ... What do people do with their kit lenses? I don't like being frivolous and to buy new lenses with the same zoom range even with better specs seems a bit much. But I wonder if I could even sell the kit lens?
Do you keep them until they die then upgrade?
Thanks for reading and I look forward to your thoughts!

[ricktas]

I sold all of mine...years ago.

[CES]

Did it sell very easily?

[ameerat42]

Keep them as spares? OOPS! My lens just fell into the sea!!!
No matter. I have a spare kit lens

(And gloating objects for when you've got nothing to do)

[ricktas]

Did it sell very easily?

Yep. Lenses tend to hold their value. So you can usually get close to your money back, just search ebay etc for your lenses to see what they are selling for, or places like cameramarket, too

[Speedway]

A good mate decided to upgrade from his point and shoot in 2012 after trying my 400D and was going to get the 1000D with the 18-55 kit lens, I talked him into getting a 600D body and I lent him my 18-55 & 75-300 kit lenses which I no longer used and were not worth selling, he is still using them but is now going to upgrade to better lenses after trying out a couple of mine over Christmas. I will get the kit lenses back next time I go to Melbourne and let my younger 9yo grandson who is showing a fair bit of interest in photography have a play with them on my old 400D which is still working well after 7 years of heavy use. If Canon doesn't release a replacement for the 7D soon I will get another 7D to replace the 400D back up camera.
Cheers
Keith.

[CES]

Keep them as spares? OOPS! My lens just fell into the sea!!!
No matter. I have a spare kit lens

Ha ha .... Not bad advice but I think I'd have more than a sad face going on if I dropped a lens into the sea ....

[landyvlad]

I have a shotgun if you can't think of a more fun option. Lol

[danny]

Here's an idea…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDHQ5lXZGTo

Or if this doesn't do it for you. I'm with Rick, sell them. Someone will buy them if you advertise them at the correct price. I've sold some in the past and they go very quickly. Or if you know someone who could benefit from using them lend them. I have also given one to my dad and he was very thankful.

[CES]

Here's an idea…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDHQ5lXZGTo

LOL ... Interesting clip ... but I think the method to drastic in this circumstance - but thanks for the suggestion.

Cheers
CES

[danny]

No hassles CES the funniest part of the clip is seeing his face as he talks about the 'intern'!! you just know that the buy bugger got fired after he dropped the lens.

[mikew09]

Sold my for really cheap in view of someone who wanted the lens but was not financial to go L etc - such as the 55-250 kit. Was a dammed good lens for a kit lens. Sell them at a good buy price so someone less fortunate money wise for thier hobby can add to there needs.

[CES]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions - enjoy the rest of your weekend

[nimrodisease]

FWIW, the 18-105 is actually a very capable lens, so I wouldn't be destroying it...

[arthurking83]

Always keep them.

my two reasons:

1. while you may have better lenses to play with, sometimes it's handy just to have the 'do-it-all' single lens as an option .... if outright IQ isn't the most important objective for the day.

2. if you ever upgrade to a newer better more capable body, it may be handy to have the kit lens as an additional item if you ever sell the older camera body down the track.

not that I've ever sold any camera gear tho .. but this is kind of a plan that I keep telling myself to believe will work.

The money you get for the cheaper end kit lenses, basically doesn't make them worth selling. They're more valuable in other ways.

[Granville]

Keep them for when your Tamron 18-270 stops working and you have to send it in for repairs.

Grrrr.

[CES]

All very interesting thoughts ..... At this stage I'll be keeping the 18-105. Cant justify the purchase of new lens within that range when I'm about to buy a wide angle lens which I don't have in my kit. And long term I'm thinking I may hold onto it - in case of any emergency ....

[pixy]

Good move, I have never sold a lens, but find I should buy one more,lost count of how many that have accumulated in my ward robe,but will use them one day, maybe.

Jack.

[GlennSan]

I'm with Arthurking83 on this one. I still have mine, mostly for the reasons he noted. Some of my all time favourite images were taken on my 18-55 kit lens because it was what I had on me at the time...

[MrQ]

Keep them for when your Tamron 18-270 stops working and you have to send it in for repairs.

Yours too?

I sold my kit lenses too. They were decent lenses but once I had their focal ranges covered by others I just didn't use them. I had no problem selling them.