so I finally pulled the trigger on the R5 Mark II and Im literally vibrating with excitement lol... I have this massive trip to Iceland coming up in like three weeks and I need to figure out my main lens situation like yesterday. my logic was to just grab the RF 24-70mm f/2.8 since everyone says its the king of zooms but then I keep seeing people recommend the 24-105mm f/4 for travel. I read that the 24-70 is technically sharper but then some guys on another thread were saying that on a high res sensor like the R5ii you really notice the extra reach of the 105 more than the aperture jump? honestly I'm so confused because I want to shoot some landscapes and maybe try for the northern lights if I get lucky so the f/2.8 seems better for low light but the 105mm reach is so tempting for those far off cliffs. I've got about $2600 to spend and I really want just one lens that can live on the camera so I dont have to swap glass in the freezing rain. is the 24-70 really that much better or am I just overthinking the specs? I just dont want to buy the wrong thing and regret it when I'm halfway across the world...
Like someone mentioned, buy used. Over the years I've found the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM reach is way more useful. TL;DR: Use the $1k savings for a local ice cave tour!
Regarding what #1 said about the aurora, in my experience:
- 1. I grabbed a used Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM to save $1100.
- 2. That cash basically paid for my flights!
Congrats on the R5II! Iceland is gonna be absolutely amazing, you'll love it! I always prioritize reliability when I'm out in the elements. Honestly, the faster aperture is way better for the aurora. Just a couple questions:
- Will you have a tripod for those night shots?
- Do you usually crop your photos heavily? I'd go for the faster glass, it's just safer for those tricky low light moments!
ive been through so many lens cycles over the years and the one thing i know for sure is that field reliability is king... iceland will definitely test your gear. honestly though this debate has been hashed out a million times already and you are probably overthinking it. there is a really good video on youtube that compares these two lenses specifically on the r5 bodies for travel.
- just search canon r5ii travel lens shootout on youtube
- check the canon subreddit for iceland packing lists
- look at some flickr groups for aurora shots with both apertures i saw a comparison recently that basically answers every single one of your points about the reach vs aperture... just google it and it will be the first result. better to see the actual raw files in a video than listen to us argue about it lol.
