Do lenses affect the camera?

So I have a Nikon D3000, and I've read a review where the D3000 is not a very good camera. If I buy a new lens, will it affect the camera's ability to take pictures? Why is it that they review the camera with its kit lens only, and base its performance with it?

The lens is more important than the camera. Put a terrible lens on a great camera and you will get poor image quality. Put a great lens on a mediocre camera - you get the idea.

The reason they review the kit lens is because it is the one that comes with the camera.

I recommend you trade in your D3000 and get the D3100 instead - its a better camera.

There are several factors that affect the eventual image that a digital camera produces, the lens is certainly one of those factors. For a start a manufacturer has to decide how far up the price scale his camera will sell at, and that naturally affects the depth of research and quality of the digital part of the imaging system. Then a lens has to be provided; again, at the lower price end that will be fairly basic. The problem of reviewing with several lenses is which lenses do you chose? Again, if someone is looking at a lower-end camera, will he/she want to look at expensive lenses? The reviewer has to address a probable market and not spend too much time on unlikely combinations.

Beware basing any judgement on a single review!

In the review that you read what aspects were described as "not very good"?

If it was noise - that is the camera
If it was poorly designed controls or menus - that is the camera
If it was lack of functionality (eg video) - that is the camera
If it was poor image colour/contrast - that can be either the lens or the camera
If it was chromatic aberration or image distortion - that is the lens

So clearly adding a better lens than the kit will not correct the first 3 in my list but may start to improve number 4. Spend enough on the lens and number 5 wil be sorted.

It really does depend what problem you are trying to correct.

Finally! Bear in mind that the reviewer may have got a bad example that was faulty - all other D3000's may be really good. Even Nikon make the occasional "Monday morning" camera!

If you heeded all of the reviews on the internet, you would not buy anything. No matter what you are looking for, you can find a bad review on anything.

Use reviews like Olympic scoring. Throw the high and low reviews out, and what you have left will probably be pretty accurate.

The D3000 is a fine camera for a starter.

Yes, the lens is as important as the camera is for quality photos.

http://www.althephoto.com