rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

OK, since you didn’t bother to include a ‘quote’ in your reply I have to ask, which company manufactured the lens you are talking about? Almost everyone makes both at least one 18-50mm and at least one 18-55mm lens..

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

I’m guessing Fuji, and he may be responding to my mistaken reference to an 18-50 instead of 18-55. As far as I know, there are at least 3 Fujifilm zoom lenses in this range:

The XF 18-55 f2.8-4 LM OIS which is the well regarded “kit lens” under discussion.
The XF 16-55 f2.8 LM R WR which is a higher end faster “red badge” lens
The XC 16-50 f3.6-5.6 OIS entry level lens

Canisdirus

I have already mentioned one sharper and more versatile than yours... the 18-135mm
Check out DXO if you doubt it.
Twice the zoom range ... and sharper.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Pretty hard to accurately compare apples to oranges. Please post the link to the DXOMark Fuji 18-55 f2.8-f4 review if you can find one. More versatile, yes, but wide range zooms are always a compromise. You also forget to mention that it is typically a stop slower than the Fuji.

le boecere

Not unusual; the thread tends to wander away from your masthead question; "Best Kit Lens?" As you probably know, most digital camera makers fit their products with a mid-range "kit zoom", usually of adequate ability to capture images of adequate quality for most neophytes....except Fujifilm. My photography subject matter is very similar to yours, and here was my "camera (lens) picking methodology":

From my camera journal:

When shopping ON A TIGHT BUDGET for a travel/street MILC; on April of 2014, I purchased a "used" Sony Alpha a6000 body + PZ 16-50mm OSS kit zoom for $400 from a local semi-pro owner. Then began collecting Sony E-mount prime lenses. With the right prime lens that (a6000) camera system captures almost anything that moves. Within a year or two, I became dissatisfied with the Sony APS-C zooms that I could afford.

On, October 23, 2016; purchased a near-new Fujifilm X-E2 with 18-55mm "kit zoom" on eBay, because the "Zony" 16-70mm f/4 midrange zoom was expensive and had a poor quality control record.
IMHO, the Fujifilm X-cameras are the easiest cross-over from the SLR/DSLR world, because the menu and controls seem so "familiar" -- later added a near-new 27mm "pancake" lens for every day carry, and recently a 35mm f/2 "Fujicron" to make the X-E2 a "Leica wannabe".

So far, my very enjoyable Fuji primes have cost me less that $200, apiece. Now, if I can just find a used 56mm f/1.2 for that price!

Canisdirus

I'll go with sharpness ... all the time.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Me too - still waiting the link to the comparison between the Fuji 18-55 and the Sony 18-135.

CO

Kit lenses usually have hybrid aspherical elements. That's when they cement a piece of plastic that has an aspherical shape to a spherical glass element to create an aspherical lens element. I've read that it can be sensitive to fluctuations in humidity. I've also read that the plastic piece can actually become separated from the glass element. My Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 HLD lens has a hybrid aspherical element but it's doing just fine.

Apparently, the hybrid type can actually have a benefit. Since the plastic refracts light differently than the glass, the two can be combined to correct chromatic aberration.

The next step up is the molded glass aspherical element. Mid range to pro lenses usually have molded glass aspherical elements.

Precision ground aspherical elements are the best but expensive to manufacture. I think some Leica lenses may have them.

danbir1 Loc: North Potomac, MD

I am truly sorry- - - I forgot to include the manufacturer name which is FUJI
Just to make it clear, I am a photographer since early age, and had many kit lenses, none of which come even close to this Fuji 18-55 f2.8-4, just a superb lens.

charlienow Loc: Hershey, PA

I would suggest a Nikon d5500 and the Nikkor 18-300 lens. That lens covers most shooting situations. I have it on my d7200 and rarely take it off.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

The problem with such range is that the designers always have to deal with compromises.
Which of your cameras was this lens kitted with??

charlienow Loc: Hershey, PA

It wasn’t. I bought it from amazon I think. U r right about compromises, but I generally get good results.