Buying guide
Upgrading from your kit lens
What the zoom that came with your camera holds you back on, and six everyday zooms that are a real step up, for APS-C and full-frame.
Shutterswoop · Updated 26 October 2026
The short answer
Kit zooms are small and cheap, but they let in little light, especially at the long end. The biggest upgrades are a brighter zoom (f/2.8 or a constant f/4) for indoor and evening photos, or a longer zoom if you keep wishing you could get closer. Used, a good everyday zoom often costs about what a new kit lens does on its own.
What a kit lens holds you back on
The zoom that came with your camera, such as the Sony E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS, Canon RF-S 18-45mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM or Canon RF 24-50mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM, is built to be small and cheap. That means three compromises:
- Light. At full zoom most kit lenses are f/5.6 or darker, so indoors the camera has to push the ISO (grainy pictures) or slow the shutter (blurry people).
- Sharpness. Fine in the middle of the frame, softer towards the edges, especially when zoomed right in.
- Range. Most only reach the equivalent of about 50-75mm on full-frame, which is short for children's sport, animals or anything across a room.
Which way to upgrade?
| If you wish your photos were… | Look for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Brighter indoors, with blurrier backgrounds | An f/2.8 zoom | Sigma 18-50mm F2.8, Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 |
| Sharper, with one lens for everything | A constant f/4 zoom | Canon RF 24-105mm F4 L, Sony FE 20-70mm F4 |
| Closer to far-away things | A travel zoom | Sony E 18-135mm |
| Much brighter, and you don't mind not zooming | A prime | See our first prime guide |
Six zooms that are a real step up
The first three suit APS-C cameras; the last three are full-frame lenses.
Best upgrade, Sony APS-C
Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G
Sony E · 16-55mm · f/2.8 · Zoom
Good for: Everything, indoors and out, on an a6000-series camera
The lens many Sony APS-C owners wish had come in the box. Same range as the kit zoom, but brighter and clearly sharper.
What's good
- Bright f/2.8 all the way through the zoom
- Sharp right to the edges
- Small for what it does
Worth knowing
- No stabilisation in the lens
- Dear new, so look used
Best upgrade, Canon APS-C
Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN Contemporary
Canon RF · 18-50mm · f/2.8 · Zoom
Good for: Everyday photos and video on an R50, R10 or R7
Sigma's compact f/2.8 zoom is one of the best things you can put on a Canon APS-C camera, and it barely adds any size.
What's good
- Bright f/2.8 all the way through the zoom
- About the size of the kit lens
- Focuses close
Worth knowing
- No stabilisation, which matters on bodies without it (like the R50)
Typical UK prices for the Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN Contemporary →
One lens for travel, Sony APS-C
Sony E 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 OSS
Sony E · 18-135mm · f/3.5-5.6 · Zoom
Good for: Holidays where you don't want to change lenses
A sensible swap if your frustration is reach rather than light. Canon APS-C owners can look at the Canon RF-S 18-150mm F3.5-6.3 IS STM for the same job.
What's good
- Much longer reach than the kit lens
- Stabilised
- Still light
Worth knowing
- No brighter than the kit lens
- Not the sharpest when fully zoomed
Best everyday zoom, Sony full-frame
Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G
Sony E · 20-70mm · f/4 · Zoom
Good for: Landscapes, travel and everyday photos
A big step up from the Sony FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS: wider, sharper and brighter at the long end, without much more weight.
What's good
- 20mm is noticeably wider than 24mm or 28mm
- Light for a full-frame zoom
- Sharp
Worth knowing
- f/4, so not as bright as an f/2.8 zoom
- No stabilisation in the lens
Cheapest f/2.8 zoom, Sony full-frame
Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 Di III VXD G2
Sony E · 28-75mm · f/2.8 · Zoom
Good for: Indoor events, family and portraits
The usual answer for Sony full-frame owners who want f/2.8 without paying for the Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II.
What's good
- f/2.8 for far less than Sony's own
- Light for an f/2.8 zoom
- Quick, quiet autofocus
Worth knowing
- Starts at 28mm, not 24mm
- No stabilisation in the lens
Typical UK prices for the Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 Di III VXD G2 →
Best everyday zoom, Canon full-frame
Canon RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM
Canon RF · 24-105mm · f/4 · Zoom
Good for: Leaving on the camera for almost everything
A long-standing favourite for good reason, and often sold with cameras, so there are lots on the used market. A big step up from the Canon RF 24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM kit version.
What's good
- Useful 24-105mm range
- Image stabilisation
- Tough L-series build, plenty used
Worth knowing
- f/4, so not as bright as an f/2.8 zoom