What is the absolute best all-around lens for a Canon R5 that wont make me regret spending five grand on a camera body? I am seriously struggling here because I have a trip to the Olympic Peninsula coming up in three weeks and then a summer full of second-shooting weddings, so I need one lens that can basically do it all without me having to carry a massive bag of primes and constantly switching them out in the wind and dust.
I have been looking at the RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM because obviously it is the gold standard for this system but man, the price is just brutal and I read some reviews saying the 70mm end is a bit short if you are trying to get tight portraits or detail shots from a distance. Then I see other people saying just get the 24-105mm f/4L because it is lighter and has that extra reach which sounds great for hiking and general travel but then I worry about the f/4 aperture. Is it actually going to hold up in a dim reception hall or am I going to be cranking my ISO so high that I lose all that beautiful R5 detail? It is just so confusing because half the people online say f/2.8 is mandatory for professional work and the other half say the IBIS on the R5 makes the f/4 perfectly fine for low light situations.
My budget is topped out at around $2,300 and I am just stuck in this loop of putting one in the cart and then deleting it. I want something sharp, obviously, but the weight matters too since I am gonna be on my feet for 10 hours at a time during some of these wedding shoots. If I go for the 24-70 am I just paying for a status symbol or is the image quality really that much better than the 24-105 for everyday stuff? I just want one lens that stays on the camera 90% of the time. I am currently based in Seattle and the weather is always gray so light is always an issue, which makes me lean toward the faster glass, but then I think about carrying a heavy setup through the forest and I just get annoyed. Is there some dark horse lens I am totally missing that fits the R5 sensor better?
Honestly, the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM was a letdown for me. I had issues with noise in dim halls and it is just not as good as expected for pro work. You really need the Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM to justify that R5 price.
- 24-105mm: Great range, too slow.
- 24-70mm: Heavy, but safe for low light. TL;DR: Get the 2.8 glass, unfortunately f/4 wont cut it.
> Is it actually going to hold up in a dim reception hall or am I going to be cranking my ISO so high that I lose all that beautiful R5 detail? Saw this earlier while I was eating lunch and meant to chime in. Honestly, the R5 sensor is so good that cranking the ISO isnt the end of the world like it used to be. In my experience, these newer bodies handle noise so much better than the old DSLRs where ISO 1600 looked like literal sand lol. You can push it way further than you think. But look, you mentioned the Olympic Peninsula and honestly, that place is magic but it can be a total nightmare if you arent careful. I went out there last year to hit Hurricane Ridge and the fog was so thick I couldnt see my own hands. I ended up stopping at this tiny little diner in Port Angeles, I think it was called Grannys or something? Best blackberry pie I have ever had in my life. Seriously, if you are driving through, you have to stop there. The lady running the place told me this wild story about a cougar that used to hang out behind the kitchen. I spent like three hours just sitting there drinking terrible coffee and listening to her talk about the logging industry back in the 70s. I totally missed the sunset because of it but honestly it was worth it. Most people just rush through to get the shot for the gram but sometimes the best parts of the trip are the weird detours you didnt plan for. My car actually broke down right outside Forks on the way back and I had to wait for a tow truck for ages... anyway lol sorry kinda went off topic there.
