honestly so fed up with my current setup. i keep missing shots because i'm constantly swapping between my 35 and 85 primes and its just not working for travel. i have a huge trip to the dolomites coming up in like ten days and i need to simplify fast. i need a single lens that stays on the R5 90% of the time but it has to be sharp enough for that sensor.
- budget: around 2300 bucks
- must be weather sealed
- good for both wide landscapes and portraits
- not a total brick to carry around
should i just get the 24-70 or is the 24-105 better for a one-lens-only thing? let me know what you guys think before i lose my mind...
I've been looking at the MTF data for these and honestly... for the Dolomites, you're gonna want the extra reach. I'd suggest grabbing the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM over the 24-70. Be careful tho, because while it's sharp, you'll see more vignetting at 24mm that the R5 has to correct digitally. It's way lighter than the 2.8 version... your neck will thank you after a full day of hiking. Since your budget is $2300, you can get the lens and still have cash for a SanDisk Extreme Pro 256GB CFexpress Type B card because that R5 eats storage like crazy. The Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM is technically the resolution king, but it's basically a heavy brick to haul up a trail. Just make sure to watch your ISO at f/4 when the light gets low.
I went through this exact same headache when I did a month in Patagonia. Bringing a bag full of primes thinking I needed that f/1.4 for the pro look was a huge mistake. Swapping lenses while hiking is a nightmare and a great way to get grit inside your R5. After missing a shot of a condor because I was fumbling with my 35mm, the prime-only life for mountain travel was over for me. In my experience, the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM is the absolute sweet spot for the Dolomites. You’re gonna want that extra reach at the 105mm end to compress those jagged peaks and make them look massive.
- The f/4 is constant so no weird exposure jumps when zooming.
- Weather sealing is rock solid (saved me in a nasty sleet storm).
- Image stabilization works wonders with the R5 sensor for handheld shots.
- Weighs way less than the 2.8 version so your neck wont hate you. If you’re really worried about low light or that super creamy bokeh for portraits, you could look at the Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS USM, but it’s right at the edge of your budget and feels like a brick after six hours on a trail. Honestly, the 24-105 is sharp enough that you wont even miss the extra stop of light most of the time. Save that extra grand for the rifugios and some decent wine once you get there... you'll thank me later.
Regarding what #1 said about "I went through this exact same headache when..."
- I totally agree that swapping glass in the wind is a disaster for a sensor as sensitive as the R5. However, I would suggest you be careful before settling on the 24-105mm simply for the convenience. I have spent a lot of time with both and found the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM sometimes fails to deliver the corner-to-corner sharpness that the R5 body is capable of, especially for those massive landscape shots you are aiming for. I would strongly suggest you look at the Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM instead. It stays within your 2300 dollar budget and the optics are significantly better for high-resolution work. You get that f/2.8 aperture which helps bridge the gap for the portraits you are used to shooting on your 85mm. Make sure to consider the weight tho. It is a bit of a chunk compared to your primes, but the weather sealing is top-notch. You might find that 70mm is plenty for the Dolomites if you are willing to crop a bit on that 45mp sensor. I just think the f/4 zoom might leave you feeling underwhelmed coming from primes, especially in low light or during the blue hour in the mountains. Just my two cents after years of hauling gear up trails...
