Im looking for a telephoto lens for my R10. Ive seen people suggest the RF-S 55-210mm cause its cheap, but then others swear by adapting old EF glass. My budget is like 400 bucks tops and I really need it for birding by next month. Is the native lens actually sharp enough or am I better off hunting for a used EF-S?
Just catching up on this thread. Honestly, if you are doing birding on the R10, keep it simple. Adapting older glass can be a massive headache with autofocus speed and weight. Since you need something by next month, grab the Canon RF-S 55-210mm f/5-7.1 IS STM. It is super portable, which matters a ton when you are hiking out to find birds.
- Dont overthink the sharpness, it is totally fine for the price.
- Focus on learning the R10 bird eye AF settings instead, that makes a bigger difference than the glass.
- If you absolutely need more reach, you might find a used Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS II USM but honestly the native RF-S lens is gonna be way less hassle for a beginner setup.
Forget the old glass, get the Canon RF-S 55-210mm F5-7.1 IS STM! It is super sharp, light for trekking, and the stabilization is amazing for handheld birding shots. Highly recommend!
TL;DR: Grab the Canon RF-S 55-210mm F5-7.1 IS STM if you want reliability, but look for a used Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM with the Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R if you need more reach. Over the years, I have tried adapting glass, but the AF speed on older lenses just isnt as snappy for birds. You really dont want to miss a shot because the motor was too slow.
