When I was buying my first camera, I researched online to find out everything I could about lenses. When I finally bought the camera with its 18-55 kit lens, I still didn’t know what I was getting exactly. But let me tell you something: after all these years, I still use that kit lens shamelessly. The second lens I bought was a 35 mm prime lens. These two budget lenses have been with me for the longest time. If you are someone who is just getting started with photography and thinking of buying either of these two lenses, then I am writing this article for you. I will share my years of experience with these two budget lenses in brief.
The Versatile 18-55 mm Lens
Yes, the 18-55 mm lens is famous for its versatility. The wider part of the lens (18 mm) gives you enough space for landscapes, and the narrow end (55 mm) will give you enough zoom to shoot from a distance or take decent portraits. The lens is very lightweight, so it is easy to carry around for a longer period of time. You can easily use it in between focal lengths to capture from different distances and angles. I am a travel photographer by nature, and I just love this lens.
But let’s be honest here: the focal length falls short in many situations. As I grow as a photographer, I want more zoom power in my hand. The images lack sharpness, and the lens struggles in low light. There are some image distortions as well. But as a beginner, you will not notice these things much because your eyes lack experience. I will even argue that the 18-55 mm lens is the best lens for beginners. Master this lens, and you will feel comfortable using any lens, zoom or prime. So do not overthink it. Buy it, and you will figure out everything else along the way.
The Budget Prime Lens 35 mm
I bought this lens when I realized my beloved 18-55 mm does not have enough depth of field, a.k.a. the bokeh effect. I bought this lens to do portrait photography. I still struggle with this part of photography, but I am trying. With more aperture power, it gives me flexibility in low light situations. The bokeh effect is good enough. If you need a more blurry background, you can just use the lens blur option in Lightroom. The focal length is smaller compared to other popular prime lenses. Also, it falls short in sharpness compared to other expensive lenses. But again, as a beginner, you won’t know the difference.
My Final Take
Now, to end the article, let me share where I use these lenses. I use the 18-55 mm mostly outdoors. But when I have to fit more than three people in a frame, then I use it indoors as well. The 35 mm prime lens is my indoor lens. But when I need more depth of field or am shooting in low light, I often use it outdoors. The 35 mm takes sharper images compared to the 18-55 mm. Also, the lens distortion is very minimal in the 35 mm. If you can fit these two lenses in your budget with your first camera, then you are set for a couple of years. Gain experience with them, then go for fancier and more expensive lenses.
