FWIW: I'd avoid the 18-55 kit lenses, not because they're no good, in fact they can get you decent results.

The reason I'd avoid them is more to do with the ability for them to allow you to find your lens types into the future, as you get more experience.

I'd go for more of a 18-100mm or longer range.

I don't know what Canon or other brands have, but Nikon have their 18-105mm and 18-140mm lenses which are very well priced(ie. low priced).

Some comments have been made that you should worry about the camera body only and get better lenses with them .. this is very true(and you will find this out for yourself if you also get hooked completely into the hobby too!)

The problem is, which lenses are the ones you want or will be comfortable to use.
That is, you may have an interest in portrait photography, or say landscape, and while there are traditional lenses that do these genres well, this doesn't mean that using those types of lenses is what YOU are interested in!!

as an example of what this means, taking some numbers into account:
Say you want to do portrait photography, tradtional lenses for this are for 50mm 85mm 105mm and 135mm .. and longer if you care for large frame cameras.
For smaller framed D5200 type APS-C, this changes to 35mm, 50/60mm, 85mm and 105mm, with 135mm and 200mm ok too, but as you get longer focal length distances become an issue.

But what if you prefer wider lenses for doing portraits .. ie. more environmental type portraits.

Same with landscapes .. really short, ultra wide lenses are considered traditional lenses for landscapes .. While I mainly use these shorter focal length lenses myself too, my preference is for longer focal lengths.
I like using my 70-200mm and 500mm lenses to do more landscapes, as the conditions allow. Those two lenses are not traditional lenses for doing landscapes tho.

Doesn't matter if it's Canon/Nikon/Pentax/Sony/Olympus/etc ... it's the choice of a good cheap lens that allows a good range of focal length(to start with).
You may find that you shoot mainly at 18mm .. no point getting an expensive 24-70mm f/2.8 lens if all you need is 18mm!
Conversely, you may find that all your shots are made at 100mm and nothing else. No point in having a 14-24mm f/2.8 lens when it's obvious a longer lens is what you want.

As you develop(your experience) you then have a better idea of which good lenses to get once you've understood what focal lengths work for you. 18-140mm is a very good range to start with.
I can't imagine that you would be restricted with a lens in the 18-100 mm range being a beginner.


I second the comment made that you should also consider the second hand option too.
Many folks have gone through this learning experience themselves and hence you will see a lot of D5200+kit lens kits for sale on various locations on the net.

D5200+18-105mm kit lens will be an awesome start for ya, I reckon .. or the equivalent Canon starter kit.
If you can save yourself $200 on such a kit getting a second hand one, then this leaves you a bit of money, after having gained a bit of experience, to get at least one 'better' lens .. but only once you know what it is you refer to shoot.