The Canon 18-55 is actually rated pretty highly at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Canon-EF-S-18-55mm-3-5-5-6-II/dp/B000V5K3FG http://www.amazon.com/Canon-EF-S-18

The Canon 18-55 is actually rated pretty highly at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Canon-EF-S-18-55mm-3-5-5-6-II/dp/B000V5K3FG http://www.amazon.com/Canon-EF-S-18-55mm-3-5-5-6-II/dp/B000V... I own a video production company where we exclusive use DSLRs, and the 18-55 is a great beginner's lens. Here's the issue with prime lenses, like the 40mm pancake: beginners have little concept of composition and framing. A prime forces you to move your body into position to get a shot. A zoom allow you to fiddle and tweak without moving. When you are getting started, you need to be taking lots of shots. When you improve, you automatically know where to put your feet to get a good shot, and using fast primes is just a ton of fun. Here's a recent fashion video I shot with the most inexpensive gear I have in my kit, namely a Canon T2i ($350 on Craigs), a 50mm/f1.8 lens ($80 on Craigs) and a cheap $20 monopod: https://vimeo.com/59777345 https://vimeo.com/59777345 . Good results come from experience and practice, not expensive gear.