What lens should I buy for my Canon R6 if I just want one that can do everything? I'm sorry if this is a really dumb question but I just got this camera and I'm staring at all these options online and my head is spinning. I dont really understand what all the numbers mean like the 24-105 or the 24-70 or what an f-stop even is. I feel like a total idiot looking at the store pages because there are so many letters like RF and USM and L series and I have no clue what they do.
I live in the Pacific Northwest and mostly want to take photos of my dog and my kids playing outside and maybe some nice shots of the mountains when we go for walks. I'm really worried about getting dust inside the camera so I dont want to be swapping lenses out in the wind or anything like that. I just want one lens that stays on the camera all the time and works for close up stuff and things further away.
My budget is probably around $900 tops because the camera itself was already way more than I expected to spend. I need to get something by the end of the month because we have a big family reunion coming up and I'm supposed to be the photographer even though I have no clue what I'm doing yet. Is there a specific one that's good for beginners but still takes sharp pictures? I keep seeing people talk about kit lenses but then other people say they're bad so I'm just stuck...
Honestly, dont feel bad about the alphabet soup of camera specs. Ive been shooting Canon gear for decades and it still gets confusing sometimes. If you want one lens that never leaves the body—especially in the PNW where you dont want moisture or dust getting inside—you need a superzoom. In my experience, the best bang for your buck for an R6 user on a budget is the Canon RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM. It hits right at that $900 mark and covers everything you mentioned.
- The 24mm side is wide enough for mountain landscapes.
- The 240mm zoom is plenty for catching the kids or dog from across the yard.
- The Nano USM motor is fast enough to actually keep up with movement. I've tried many kit lenses over the years, and while the cheaper Canon RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM is okay, it lacks the reach you'll want for a reunion. Stick with the 24-240mm and you wont have to worry about swapping glass in the wind.
