I am honestly so fed up with my current gear situation and i feel like i am constantly missing the actual moment because i am fumbling around in my bag like a total amateur. i bought the R6 about a year ago thinking it would be my dream setup but right now i am just carrying around a bunch of primes—the 35mm, the 50mm, and an 85mm—and honestly it has become a total nightmare whenever i am out with my family. i tried using the cheap 24-105mm f/4-7.1 kit lens that came with the bundle but the image quality is just... well it is pretty meh. it feels soft and the aperture is so slow that as soon as the sun starts going down here in seattle—which happens way too early this time of year—the noise gets totally unbearable and the photos look like they were taken on a flip phone. i really just want that one lens to rule them all kind of thing where i can just leave it on the camera body 90% of the time and not worry about missing a shot because i had the wrong glass on.
i have a big trip to tokyo and kyoto coming up in exactly three weeks and i absolutely do not want to be that person standing on a busy street corner in shibuya trying to swap lenses while my kids and wife just walk away without me. it is actually making me want to leave the heavy camera at home and just use my iphone which is just depressing given how much i spent on the R6. i have managed to save up about $1500 for a new lens and i am torn between the rf 24-105mm f4L or maybe trying to find a used 24-70mm but that one is so heavy and might blow my budget anyway. is the f4L actually sharp enough for professional looking shots or am i gonna regret not having that f2.8 for the background blur and low light? i just need something that handles portraits but is also wide enough for buildings and street stuff. what is the best all-around lens that actually stays on your R6?
> i absolutely do not want to be that person standing on a busy street corner in shibuya trying to swap lenses To add to the point above: it really sucks when you feel like your expensive gear is holding you back instead of helping. I totally get the frustration with those RF prices... it was a huge letdown for me when i realized how much more cash i needed to drop after the body. The discussion so far mostly points to the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM being the standard choice for travel. It definitely fixes the softness of your kit lens. But honestly? If you are already used to the look of those primes, you might be disappointed with the bokeh at f/4, especially for night shots. f/4 is okay, but it doesn't give you that creamy background you're probably getting from your 85mm. Since you have $1500, maybe look at a used Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM plus the Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R. Adding an adapter feels kinda clunky and i had issues with the balance at first, but that lens is legendary. It is sharp as a tack and gives you that extra light for Shinjuku at night. The native RF 2.8 is way out of budget, which is a bummer, but the EF version is a beast on the R6. It handles street stuff and portraits without you ever needing to dig in your bag. Just get a good strap because it gets heavy after a few miles. Japan is amazing tho, youre gonna have a blast regardless of what you pick!
Saw this earlier but just now responding... i totally feel your pain with the lens swapping. Honestly, i was pretty disappointed when i realized how much the native RF pro glass costs compared to the older stuff. I actually had issues with the weight of some of the newer zooms too, they just felt like bricks after a few hours of walking. I ended up going a different route because i couldnt justify the $2k+ price tags. If you want that f2.8 look without killing your savings before the trip, you should really look at adapting older glass. It saved my sanity when i was traveling through Europe.
- Get the Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R first thing
- Look for a used Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
- Maybe grab a cheap Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM for your pocket just in case I found that the older EF 24-70mm II is actually sharper than most people realize and it balances okay with the adapter. It handles the low light way better than the f4 ever could, especially when the sun goes down in those narrow Kyoto alleys. You'll probably have like 500 bucks left over for your trip too which is a huge plus.
Late to the party but i have spent twenty years dragging gear through airports and let me tell you, weight is the silent killer of joy. I used to be a total gear snob about only using L glass but over the years i have learned that a camera you actually want to carry is better than a pro lens sitting in your bag because your neck hurts.
- Look at the Canon RF 28-70mm f2.8 IS STM. It is a total sleeper. It gives you that constant f2.8 you need for low light in those narrow Tokyo streets but weighs way less than the L version.
- Since it is well under your $1500 limit, you will actually have cash left over for your trip. You could even grab a Peak Design Slide strap to make the R6 feel even lighter while you are walking through Kyoto.
- In my experience, the autofocus on these newer STM lenses is plenty fast for kids running around. It handles the street scenes at 28mm and does a decent job with portraits at 70mm. Tbh dont get hung up on needing the red ring for professional results. I have taken some of my best shots on mid-range glass simply because i wasnt exhausted from lugging a brick around all day. It will stay on your R6 for the whole Japan trip, i promise.
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Honestly, i have been in that exact same gear struggle and switching to the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM was a fantastic decision for my R6 setup! It is an amazing piece of professional equipment that serves as a true workhorse for family trips. While the f/2.8 is a brilliant lens, its weight and price make it a bit of a burden for family travel in places like Tokyo. The f/4L provides a perfect balance of size, weight, and image quality that you are gonna love.
- Constant f/4 aperture allows for consistent exposure throughout the entire zoom range.
- Nano USM autofocus is incredibly fast and silent for busy street photography.
- Professional L-series build quality offers the weather sealing you need for travel.
- The 105mm reach provides excellent subject separation for portraits. The sharpness on this lens is lightyears beyond the kit lens you tried. It is a methodical choice that solves your low-light issues when paired with the R6 high-ISO capabilities. You will find that f/4 is plenty for most situations, especially with the IBIS in your camera body. Honestly, it is the most practical and effective lens for your upcoming trip! It stays on my camera 90% of the time and i dont miss the primes at all...
