Ive been shooting with my R50 for a few months now and honestly I love the crop sensor form factor for street photography, but I am really starting to hit a wall with the kit lens. It just isnt cutting it for low light stuff and the bokeh is basically non-existent. I shoot mostly after work when it gets dark and the aperture limitations are killing my shots. I keep trying to push the ISO but the noise performance isnt great and honestly Im getting super anxious that my gear is holding back my portfolio before a local gallery showcase I have coming up in October.
I have about 300 bucks max to drop on a prime lens, which I know is tight for the RF mount. Ive looked at the RF 16mm and the RF 50mm, but the 1.6 crop factor makes the 16mm act like a 25mm which is okay, but I prefer something closer to a 50mm equivalent for portraiture. Is the 50mm f/1.8 worth it even with the annoying adapter requirement or should I just stick to native glass? Does anyone have experience with third party manual focus glass that actually communicates with the R-series body? I really need something sharp before my shoot starts in a few weeks...
Regarding what #2 said about the adapter, honestly I get the nervousness about adding extra parts. If you wanna stay native and avoid adapters, have you checked out the Canon RF 28mm f/2.8 STM? It is super compact and gives you that 45mm feel on your crop sensor. A bit over your 300 dollar budget, maybe, but sticking with native glass saves you a headache if you are worried about sync issues.
@Reply #1 - good point! Honestly, if you want that 50mm look on your R50, grab the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM. It is super cheap and fits your budget easily. Using the Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R isnt as clunky as you think. It stays on the camera mostly. Manual lenses like the TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 for Canon RF are fun, but for a gallery showcase, you probably want that reliable autofocus.
> I have about 300 bucks max to drop on a prime lens, which I know is tight for the RF mount. Ive looked at the RF 16mm and the RF 50mm, but the 1.6 crop factor makes the 16mm act like a 25mm which is okay, but I prefer something closer to a 50mm equivalent for portraiture. Is the 50mm f/1.8 worth it even with the annoying adapter requirement or should I just stick to native glass? Honestly, I get your stress about the gear limitations. Shooting for a gallery showcase is huge, congrats! For your budget and crop sensor needs, grab the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM. It is native, cheap, and honestly, the performance on my R10 has been solid. You dont need an adapter for that one, it pairs right up. Since you mentioned the 1.6x crop, that 50mm gives you an 80mm equivalent field of view, which is honestly perfect for portraits and separating your subjects from busy street backgrounds. The bokeh is way better than the kit lens. I shoot with it constantly and have no complaints about sharpness for the price point. Avoid manual focus glass if you have a deadline coming up, it is a pain to nail focus in low light when you are under pressure. Stick to the native autofocus and just enjoy the glass. If you keep an eye out for refurbished deals, you might even save enough to grab some extra batteries or a fast SD card. You have got this!
