Noted!

Big caution: don’t blow ur whole budget on a super fast prime without checking your room size + framing… it’s a super common regret.

For your setup, I’d go:
- fast stabilized-ish prime around “normal” view for clean indoor + bokeh (and keep distance comfy)
- keep the kit zoom for quick B-roll / outdoors
- avoid super cheap adapted stuff if AF is mission-critical; it can hunt + breathe more

In my experience, that combo keeps AF happy and ISO lower (at least thats what worked for me).

Not to disagree, but id skip the “one fast prime as main” idea… for solo AF + handheld safety/reliability, a stabilized zoom wins. I’d grab Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM as the main (cleaner indoors at f/2.8, IS saves takes), then add Canon RF 50mm F1.8 STM for max bokeh on locked-off shots.

In my experience yeah, a fast prime is the move for cleaner indoor look + bokeh.
- Grab a stabilized, wide-ish fast prime for talking head
- Keep the kit zoom for handheld/B-roll stuff
If ur framing is tight, go a bit longer; if cramped, go wider. cheers

Can confirm

Wait really?? Thats actually super helpful. I always thought it was the other way around.

Same boat, watching this

Been thinking about your struggle and honestly its just a joke how Canon treats us nowadays. You buy a killer body like the R6 II and then realize the lens situation is basically a giant cash grab. It drives me crazy that we are still dealing with these issues in 2024.

• The focus breathing on anything under a grand is absolutely embarrassing for video.
• Canon blocking third-party glass for so long has left us with zero mid-range competition.
• Everything is either cheap plastic with loud motors or overpriced L-series glass that costs a kidney. Its honestly such a scam. You try to step up from the kit lens and suddenly you are looking at spending double what the camera cost just to get a clean image without the frame pulsing every time you blink. Really feels like the prosumer middle ground is just dead and they only care about the high-end cinema buyers now.

bump

I totally agree with the idea that a versatile zoom is usually the way to go for solo work, especially when youre trying to manage everything yourself. Honestly, I’ve spent way too much time trying to DIY my own home studio setup to get that "pro" look without just throwing money at the most expensive glass out there. Sometimes tweaking the environment is just as important as the lens itself!! Before you commit to a big purchase though, I have to ask—are you mostly working with natural light or do you have a DIY lighting rig set up for your talking heads? I found that even with a fast lens, if the lighting isnt controlled, the AF can still hunt a bit in those indoor settings. Also, what kind of space are you working in??? Like, do you have enough room to move the camera back a few feet, or are you pretty much backed into a corner for your product demos? Knowing the distance would definitely change the math on what focal length actually makes sense for you.

> I rely on autofocus (face/eye tracking) because I’m often filming solo. I’d love something sharp with nice bokeh, minimal focus breathing Honestly, I really wanted the Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM to be my go-to for my R6 setup, but the focus breathing is unfortunately a huge letdown for talking heads. Every time the AF shifts even a tiny bit on your face, the whole frame pulses. It is technically a side effect of how that lens moves its internal groups, and on the 35mm, it is just super noticeable in 4K. I eventually tried the Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM thinking it would be the perfect fix. While the Nano USM motors are whisper quiet and much faster than the STM ones, the weight is kinda disappointing for long handheld b-roll sessions. It is a total beast to carry around solo. One thing that might help is that the R6 Mark II has built-in focus breathing compensation, but it crops your image quite a bit to hide the pulsing. If you are in a tight room for your product demos, that crop might make things feel way too cramped. Just something to watch out for before you spend the money... solo filming is already hard enough without fighting your gear gear constantly.

Regarding what #13 said about bump - figured I should chip in since I have been through three different setups with this body. Honestly, I learned the hard way that saving a few bucks on glass usually means wasting hours in post trying to fix focus pulses. I once shot a 20-minute demo with a cheap prime and the background just kept growing and shrinking every time I moved my hands... total nightmare. If you want reliability, I have noticed a huge difference between these two:

• Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM: This is basically the tank. Its heavy for handheld, but the focus breathing is almost non-existent compared to the budget stuff. I dont worry about the AF failing me during a solo take.
• Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM: Its great for the price, but be careful using it for talking heads if you move a lot. The AF motor is a bit noisier and it definitely has that pulsing look if the eye tracking has to work hard. I would suggest sticking to the L series zooms if you can stretch the budget. I finally bit the bullet on the 2.8 zoom and it basically stopped all my gear anxiety during solo shoots.

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^ This. Also, I’ve spent way too much time testing different glass on my R6 II and the breathing on that 35mm is definitely a vibe killer for video. If you’re doing solo talking heads, you need something that doesn’t jump around every time you lean in. In my experience over the years, here’s how I’d break down the main contenders for your budget:

• Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM: This is the buy once, cry once choice. It’s slightly over your $1500 if you buy new, but you can find it used in your range. The AF is silent, breathing is very well controlled, and f/2.8 at 70mm gives way better separation than your kit lens. It’s heavy tho, so be ready for a workout during handheld B-roll.
• Canon RF 24mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM: If you want to stay way under budget, this is actually better for video than the 35mm imo. The breathing is less distracting and the wider field of view is great for small rooms. Plus, the IS is killer for those handheld shots.
• Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM: I always keep this in my bag just for those product close-ups. It’s cheap enough that it doesnt hurt the wallet, and the bokeh is lovely for b-roll, even if the AF is a bit noisier than the L glass. Check the breathing compensation setting in your R6II menu too... it helps a bit, but glass quality still matters most.