Id highly recommend looking at the Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM. The 85mm focal length is basically the gold standard for portraits because it compresses the background and doesnt distort facial features. Since you are shooting in overcast Seattle, the f/2 aperture is fast enough to gather decent light, and you will get that nice, blurry background everyone loves. The killer feature for a beginner here is the built-in optical image stabilization. It gives you 5 stops of shake correction. When you combine that with the R5 II in-body stabilization, you can shoot at slower shutter speeds without getting blurry photos. The autofocus uses an STM motor which is slightly slower than USM lenses, but honestly it is more than fast enough for portraits. It lacks weather sealing though, so just grab a cheap rain cover for the Seattle drizzle.

Over the years, I've found weather sealing is vital.

• Get a used Canon RF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM
• It offers dust/moisture resistance and optical stabilization under $1000.

Regarding what #1 said about that 85mm, I totally agree it looks amazing! Just watch out because it lacks weather sealing, and Seattle drizzle can easily ruin that expensive R5 II!

> I have no idea what to buy and I am kinda panicking. I need a portrait lens with these constraints Take a breath, you got this! Everyone starts somewhere and the R5 II is a beast of a camera. Since you are in Seattle and worried about the weather, I would suggest looking at the Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM. I know people love 85mm for portraits, but as a beginner, a 35mm is way more forgiving when you are trying to frame couples in tight spaces or outdoors. I shot a wedding in the PNW last year and honestly, having a slightly wider view saved my life when I couldnt back up enough. It is super sharp and small, plus it has IS which helps with those rainy, low-light days. Just be careful with moisture since it is not weather-sealed, but honestly, just keep a small cloth in your pocket to wipe it down. Its way cheaper than a heavy L-series lens, leaving you enough cash to get a basic rain cover and maybe a fast SanDisk Extreme Pro 128GB SDXC UHS-II card to handle the speed of that R5 II.

Like someone mentioned, youve got a bit of a classic dilemma here. The Canon RF 85mm f2 Macro IS STM gives gorgeous results for portraits, but the lack of weather sealing is a real concern in Seattle. Ive shot in the PNW for years and honestly, gear gets damp way faster than you think. If you go that route, just grab a cheap rain cover and keep it in your bag. Since you are new to the R5 II, dont stress about the tech too much. If you want something that covers more bases without switching lenses in the rain, the Canon RF 24-105mm f4 L IS USM is way more reliable for a beginner out in the elements. You lose that super creamy background blur compared to the prime, but the build quality is solid and you wont have to panic about a little drizzle. Just keep the aperture at f4 and zoom in, itll still look professional enough for an engagement shoot. Good luck, you got this!