Honestly Im so frustrated right now because I just dropped a massive amount of money on the R5 Mark II and my old EF 24-70 with the adapter is just clunky as hell. It feels off balance and the focus keeps hunting during my kids soccer games here in Chicago which is just unacceptable for a body this expensive. I really want to just sell my old kit and get one single lens that stays on the camera 90% of the time for travel and daily stuff but Im torn. My budget is capped at like $2600 since the camera already emptied my bank account lol. What is the absolute best all-around RF lens that actually lets this sensor shine?
Saw this earlier but just now responding. Like someone mentioned, native glass is key for that Dual Pixel AF. I would suggest being cautious about the weight if youre traveling a lot tho. I actually went with the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM because the sharpness holds up better than my old EF stuff. Just make sure f/4 is enough for those evening games... it definitely saves you some serious cash tho.
Regarding what #1 said about "Basically had the same issue when I moved..."
- I felt that 100%. I was so satisfied once I swapped to native glass. I spent ages looking at the MTF data for that sensor.
- Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM: Nano USM motors are lightning fast for kids soccer. Works well for that sensor.
- Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM: Better travel weight but loses a stop of light. I honestly love the 24-70, it works perfectly.
Basically had the same issue when I moved from my 5D IV to mirrorless. That adapter is great for saving cash but it adds like an extra inch of leverage that just ruins the center of gravity during long days. Was at a shoot in Michigan last year and the hunting on my old glass was driving me insane... almost missed the best shots because the motor just couldnt keep up with the eye-tracking tech. You might want to consider these depending on how much reach you need:
- Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM
- This is the gold standard. The Nano USM motors are basically silent and way faster than the old EF glass.
- Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
- Be careful though, the f/4 aperture might struggle if the sun starts going down during those soccer games. Make sure to prioritize the f/2.8 if you can. It handles those 45 megapixels without getting soft at the edges, plus it stays under your $2600 cap.
TL;DR: The Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM is the most reliable all-purpose choice for the R5II tracking and resolution within your budget. To add to the point above: native glass is really the only way to ensure the Coordinated Image Stabilization works at its peak. When you use the adapter with older EF glass, the communication speed between the lens and body often becomes the bottleneck for the Dual Pixel AF system. The Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM provides a consistent f/2.8 aperture which is basically a necessity for maintaining high shutter speeds during evening soccer matches without pushing the ISO into noisy territory. Quick tips for reliability:
- Update lens firmware via the camera menu to optimize AF performance for the Mark II sensor.
- Map the lens control ring to ISO to adjust for changing light instantly without taking your eye off the EVF. Honestly, the 24-70 handles the 45MP sensor with much better edge-to-edge clarity than the f/4 version. Tbh its a heavy investment but worth it for the peace of mind.
