What are you guys using for wide-angle landscape glass on the R6 Mark II these days that doesnt weigh a ton? Ive been shooting with Canon for over a decade, mostly on the old 5D line, but I finally made the jump to mirrorless with the R6II last month and the transition has been mostly great but the lens situation is bugging me. I brought my old EF 16-35mm f/2.8 II over with the adapter, but honestly the balance feels totally off and its way too front-heavy for the long hiking trips I do in the PNW.
I need something sharp edge-to-edge for big vista shots. I was looking at the RF 15-35mm L but the price tag is a bit much since my budget is capped at around $1,500 for this upgrade. I mainly do sunrise and sunset stuff out near Mount Hood so I definitely need that weather sealing because it's always misty or straight up raining. Is the RF 14-35mm f/4 actually worth the compromise on aperture for the weight savings? Or should I look at something like the 16mm prime even though it feels a bit cheap? Im worried about missing the flexibility of a zoom when Im on a cliff edge and cant exactly foot-zoom... any thoughts on the 14-35 vs the 15-35 or even a third party option I might have missed?
Regarding what #1 said about looking at the Canon RF 14-35mm f/4 L IS USM, I agree it is the safest bet. I would suggest being careful with the cheaper Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM tho... it lacks the weather sealing you need for PNW rain. Make sure to stick with L series glass so you dont risk your R6II in the mist. The f/4 is a fair trade for that peace of mind.
> Is the RF 14-35mm f/4 actually worth the compromise on aperture for the weight savings? Absolutely! Youre gonna be at f/8 or f/11 for those big vistas anyway, so f/2.8 is basically dead weight. Huge pro tip: Canon RF 14-35mm f/4 L IS USM uses 77mm filters which are way cheaper than the 82mm glass on the bigger zoom! Check the Canon refurbished site to save some serious cash and stay under budget. Its a fantastic hiking lens!
I would suggest looking at the Canon RF 14-35mm f/4 L IS USM. You might want to be careful with the heavy software correction at 14mm tho—it is technically quite aggressive. But that 540g weight and 8-stop combined IS with your R6II is a lifesaver for low light. TL;DR: f/4 is plenty for landscapes; the 14-35mm saves weight without losing that L-series sealing.
+1
