Ive been shooting with my R50 for about six months now and honestly I love the thing for travel, especially with how light it is. I mostly use the kit lens for landscapes but I really want to start getting that creamy bokeh for portraits of my dog and the occasional street shot. I know the crop sensor makes the effective focal length a bit weird so Im kinda stuck on what to pick up next.
My budget is strictly under 300 bucks right now since I just blew my savings on a trip to Colorado next month. I keep looking at the RF 50mm f/1.8 but Im worried about the 80mm equivalent being too tight for indoor stuff since my apartment is basically a shoebox. Should I just bite the bullet and get the 50mm or is there something wider that wont completely break the bank? I dont mind buying used gear from MPB or similar sites either. Is there any third party glass that actually works well with the AF on this body or should I just stick to Canon native stuff to avoid any weird firmware glitches...
Quick look at the specs for you. Honestly, relying on the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM in a tight apartment is a headache waiting to happen. The focusing distance on that lens is pretty lackluster for close-ups too. You end up cropping in way too much. Unfortunately, third-party support for the RF mount is still mostly manual focus, which is a pain for quick shots of a dog. Check out these instead:
- Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM - if you can find a used one, it hits your sweet spot for focal length.
- Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary - you would need an adapter, but it is way sharper. Browse sites like KEH or MPB, just watch those prices. If you want to see exactly how tight things get, play around with the simulator at Camerasize dot com before buying anything. Don't waste cash on glass that just sits on the shelf.
Honestly, 80mm equivalent in a small apartment is gonna be super frustrating. I have tried shooting my pup in tight spots with the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM and you end up backing into walls constantly. Since you need something wider for indoor portraiture, look at the Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM. It is tiny and fits the R50 perfectly. You lose a bit of that extreme bokeh compared to a 50mm, but the focal length is way more usable for street and indoor shots. If you really need that faster aperture, the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary is a dream lens, though it might push your budget. Over the years, I have learned that focal length flexibility beats raw bokeh when you are working in limited space.
@Reply #1 - good point! Honestly though, I disagree that the 50mm is a total wash for indoor stuff. When I started out on crop sensors, I found that backing into corners forced me to get more creative with my framing, which actually improved my composition skills over time. If you really need that wider look but want to save cash, check these out:
- Canon RF 28mm f/2.8 STM
- Nice pancake design that stays super light.
- Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 STM
- Works surprisingly well on RF mount despite being third party. Basically, the 50mm is a classic for a reason if you stick to headshots, but if your apartment is truly tiny, the 28mm is a way better focal length for candid shots of your dog. Just watch out for distortion on the wider ones.
