> I was thinking 85mm for that blurry background look but then I saw like three different ones and the prices made no sense... Honestly, I have tried many 85mm lenses over the years and those price gaps in the RF lineup are definitely a shock. For that R5, you really need glass that can keep up with the sensor resolution. Since you are capped at $1000, the most direct path is the Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM. It is usually around $599. It is sharp and light, tho f/2 might not give you that extreme background melt you are probably imagining for a graduation. In my experience, the better technical move is adapting older EF glass. You can grab the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art EF-mount and the Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R. The f/1.4 aperture creates a much shallower depth of field compared to the native f/2 version.

• Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM (~$599)
• Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art EF-mount (~$900) The R5 eye-autofocus works perfectly with that Sigma glass, ngl it is a killer setup for portraits...

^ This. Also, in my experience, Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM is the safest bet for reliability.

• Native compatibility
• Image stabilization Its a solid, budget-friendly choice.

omg i have this exact same issue right now!! i have been dealing with this for like a month and honestly nothing feels like the right fit for my R5 yet. i totally disagree that the choice is that simple because those prices are just completely bananas... i am totally stuck just like you are! as someone who really values reliability and playing it safe, i keep looking for a solid bet that wont break the bank but it feels impossible to find a straight answer that actually makes sense right now. i love this camera so much but the lens hunt is just exhausting tbh. definitely feel your pain on this one because the struggle is so real!

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Came here to say the same thing lol. Great minds think alike I guess.