Finally upgraded to an R6 last month and I am loving the autofocus, but Im still rocking the adapter with my old EF glass which is kind of annoying because its way front-heavy. Im heading to Japan in October and really dont want to be lugging around a huge bag of primes if I can help it. Basically just want one solid walkaround lens for street stuff and maybe some travel landscapes.
Im currently torn between the RF 24-105mm F4 L and the RF 24-70mm F2.8 L. The 24-105 is way cheaper and the extra reach sounds nice, but im worried about low light performance since I do like shooting in alleys at night. The 24-70 is obviously the gold standard but its a lot of extra cash and weight, and I have a strict 1500 dollar budget right now. Has anyone used both on the R6? Is the extra stop of light worth losing that zoom range or should I just look at a third party option like the Sigma stuff if they ever actually release it for RF... honestly kind of stuck on what to do here.
Honestly, I had a pretty rough time with the Canon RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM during a trip last year. I thought it would be fine, but the low light performance in evening markets was super disappointing, and I ended up with way more motion blur than I expected. If you are tight on cash, maybe look at the Canon RF 35mm F1.8 Macro IS STM. It is tiny, light, and the extra aperture makes a huge difference in those dark alleys.
- Check out the comparison tool on The Digital Picture to see actual corner sharpness differences.
- Dont count on third party support anytime soon, stick to native glass. I really regret not grabbing a faster prime for my last trip. Dont make my mistake, carry a dedicated low-light lens alongside a zoom if you can swing it.
Been thinking about your setup. Honestly, the Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM is fantastic but definitely heavy for all-day street shooting. I had issues with that weight on my R6, it gets old fast.
- Canon RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM is great for daytime, but struggle in alleys.
- Canon RF 35mm F1.8 Macro IS STM is my secret weapon for night stuff, it is super cheap and tiny.
Get the Canon RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM. The versatility is unmatched for travel. I am very satisfied with the sharpness and it performs well enough for most street shots.
