what do people use instead of the kit lens on a crop camera?

[Al_]

As you know, the A100 shutter/mirror slap is quite loud. The A200 shutter sound is much more quieter than the A100 (I know, right now I have both). You'll want to hear the Olympus E420 and Sony A200 side by side.

[Matt_Atkinson]

I've got the 18-200 which was the kit lens on my A100-H, which is great to have (apparently not as great as 18-250), but sometimes it feels like it's just got too MUCH flexibility, so I end up using my 50 1.4. Maybe it's just me, I like primes, they're flexible in other ways (apeture) and make you think more about composition

[themoneyshot]

Thanks everyone.

I read a review of the e520 at dc resource and somewhere else. One of the negatives about the Olympus's is the noise gets a bit high due to the slightly smaller sensor. I'll just present some options with the pros and cons and let the person decide.

[Al_]

Another point to consider is dynamic range. I've seen some decent pics from someone I know who has an Olympus E410 with the 14-42 kit lens. I noticed that while the pics were generally good, I think it had less dynamic range when compared to the Sony A200.

[alphaPDX]

I just broke down and swapped 3 lenses for the Tamron 18-250. Neither owners nor reviewers said enough bad things, and many raved - so that definitely lightened my load! Other than its somewhat leisurely focus compared to Minolta lenses (I didn't swap any of those but the kit lens left) and going to f/6 at 135mm, it does very well. I'll need a Beercan or the f/3.5-4.5 version to shoot in low light, but that's OK. Samples at the site below.

http://www.picasaweb.google.com/alphaPDX/MegaTamron

As far as Olys -- when I tested cameras last year, I expected to want a small e510 but test shots were poor on WB and the dynamic range was not good. [Worse yet, despite the smaller sensors the Olys really aren't small - hence micro 4:3!] Actually the e500 was tough to put down, its test images were marvelous. If that one had IS it would have been a deal (and a steal, it was closing out w/2 lenses for under us$500). I also didn't like the focus-by-wire Zuiko lenses, regardless of high optical praise -- lenses just shouldn't work that way in my hand.